[462 Life as an Exchange Student]

   Coming to South Korea alone was one of the biggest challenges of my 20-year-old life. As a freshly turned adult, a part of me only cares about having fun and enjoying this experience to the maximum while another part of me is constantly anxious about all the paperwork and responsibilities. Now I have been living in Seoul for eight months and although I am having one of the best times of my life, administrative paperwork remains one of my biggest concerns.

   The first challenge was getting my resident card (ARC) made. I was so confused and official documents such as these are so important you do not want to make the slightest mistake.

   Besides, the barrier of language only made the process even harder. I thought I would be okay with my decent knowledge of Korean but as it turns out, I am only able to greet people, ask directions and order in restaurants, none of which will help me get my residency document. Eventually, it was all easily done with the help of kind-hearted Korean classmates and other exchange students who had gone through the same struggles.

   However, my administration0induced anxiety did not stop there as I recently discovered that I had been signed up for health insurance (which I already have) at the beginning of the school year, and now it is again a huge hassle to try to ask for an exemption when I am months late. The biggest issue I think as a foreign exchange student, is not the administrative initiatives such as these but the lack of information.

   Being in a country you have never been to before, without your usual reliable figures like you parents, and a completely different administration can be so confusing because you lose your bearings, you feel so disoriented and unsure who to turn to. You also simply do not know what you are supposed to know.

   Life here has been much more fun than anxiety, although one of my most prominent fears coming here was only befriending people from my country. I believe the nationality of the people you meet should not influence whether you want to be friends with them or not, however, when you move to a whole new country you want to know the real local culture and share yours with people who are not familiar with it.

   More than fearing the reticence of my Korean classmates, I was afraid of being too shy and stuck in my comfort zone, however, I guess traveling does change you. I almost naturally opened to others and it allowed me to meet wonderful people whom I know I will cherish for the rest of my life. I mad friends from all over the world, each carrying such interesting stories and all sharing their cultures, I think that might be one of the things I like the most as an exchange student. As for the Korean friends I made, they are all so kind, patient and willing to share the Korean culture with us all.

   Overall, this experience is one of the best things that has ever happened to me and although it cannot always be sunshine and rainbows, it is okay because the good parts are all worth it and they will be the things I will remember the most until I am old.