1. Preparation
1.1 Study Abroad Application
I found the guidelines for applications on the Rug webpage. To be honest, things were not as clear as they could have been. Some links went in a loop, for example, never leading to what I was looking for. I also found different information about which universities I could apply to in Korea.
1.2 Application to the host university
Once I had been selected and nominated, I had to formally apply to the host university. This included, among other things, a letter of motivation. I hadn’t known about this step in advance and for a few weeks I was in this odd situation where everyone at RUG treated me like I was definitely going while the emails from my host university stressed that I had not yet been accepted.
1.3 Visa
In order to apply for the visa, I had to fill in several forms and take passport photos. One of the forms I had to fill in asked me to write down to which countries I had been in the last five years and the dates of each travel. I found this to be the most difficult part. I also had to prove that I could support myself in Korea for several months, meaning that I needed to show several thousand Euros in my bank account. This meant that I had to borrow the money from my parents. The host university sent me an email with some information on the application process.
1.4 Language
As I only spoke very basic Korean, I only selected courses which were taught in English. I obviously did not need to prepare for this, as I am used to studying in English.
2. Stay abroad
2.1 Arrival and orientation
Once I had arrived in Korea, my university hosted an information event during which they talked about life in Korea. As it wasn’t my first time in Korea, I didn’t really need the information but I think for people who had never been there before it was probably very helpful.
2.2 Your study programme
I signed up for the following courses: Korean History, The Korean Language, Woman Writers and Literary Tradition, Theories in Teaching English as a Foreign Language and Research Methods in Applied Linguistics. While only two of those courses are completely different from my normal studies at the RUG, there were no restrictions as to which subjects I could take. All classes were taught in English, so there was no language barrier.
2.3 Housing
The host university had some housing for the exchange students but they kept stressing that nobody was guaranteed a place and that all applications would be entered into a raffle. Winners would be announced shortly before the start of the semester. As I was not interested in living in shared
accommodation, I searched for a flat by myself. This was quite difficult as the Korean rental system is very different and requires people to put down a deposit of several thousand Euros. This wasn’t an option for me, so I ended up going through AirBnB.
My studio flat was less than an hour from the campus, which I personally thought was not bad, although the distance did keep me from participating in some activities which I otherwise would have joined. My room cost me around 350 Euros per month which was much more than the student dorm would have been but which I still considered very acceptable as it is lower than my rent in Groningen. I looked for my accommodation very early though and I think AirBnB rooms sell out quickly, leaving only more expensive accommodation so I would encourage others to also start booking their
accommodation early. 2.4 Grant and costs
I received the Marco Polo Grant as well as the Groningen University Fund. These did obviously not cover all my costs abroad but I did not expect them to anyway. Other than rent, public transport was my biggest expense. Food was quite cheap if bought from small street vendors.
2.5 Free time/ Student life
In my free time I met up with old friends of mine, attended language exchange meetings, joined meet-ups and did some sight-seeing. I also joined the queer club (QIS) and the Vegan club at my host university, which gave me the opportunity to socialize with like-minded people on campus. 2.6 Travelling
Unfortunately, I did not have the financial means to do a lot of travelling while I was staying in Korea. Other than one trip to Kangneung and one Chuncheon, I stayed in Seoul.
3. Return
3.1 Contact with the host university before, during and after you stay
The host university generally gave me all the information needed. However, there was a hiccup in the email system at one point, meaning that some of us did not receive some of the emails.
3.2 Your perspective on the culture of your host country
Korean culture is quite different from the one I grew up in, and there are some good and some bad points to it. One of the most problematic thing is the strict adherence to tradition and the social hierarchy which makes it difficult for social change to take place. Queer identities are heavily stigmatized, for example, and gender roles are still quite rigid in a lot of ways. However, being a foreigner, people do not expect you to adhere to Korean culture, so it is easier to be different for us. While some people were genuinely terrified by the thought of having to speak with a foreigner in English, most people I met were incredibly warm and welcoming, however. Many people went out of their way to be kind to me and help me.
I think the most important thing is to plan and book things in advance, as it is very comforting to have the knowledge that things are sorted out already. This will reduce stress and improve the overall experience.
I also think it is important to be aware of cultural differences but at the same time not to
overgeneralize. People are individuals with their own thoughts and feelings in every culture so one really shouldn’t view an entire culture as monolithic. It is best to be aware of potential differences in thought so that one can be sensitive to these differences but at the same time one should still view everyone as an individual whose thoughts and feelings are not blindly dictated by their culture. 5. Other
