[Dongguk 101] Letters from International Students

   Through other articles of the following [Dongguk 101] series, students are able to take a glimpse at their school life at Dongguk University and their life in Korea. In addition to these tips, The Dongguk Post ran interviews with international students who have studied at Dongguk University for the experience they have gone through. The Dongguk Post hopes these interviews can help students who do not know what to expect.

Médéric Boutin (France)

   Korea is actually kind of an easy country to live in because everything is so safe, and everyone is so kind, therefore no matter what you try or do it is never going to be dangerous. One of the hardships I have experienced was finding Korean friends I could connect with, because of the language and different cultures. In addition, I had problems regarding my bank account. Since my French account was not working in Korea, I had to find a quick solution to be able to pay for everything. I ended up opening a Korean bank account with my student card and after that everything went well. I think learning Korean is a must, even if it is the basics because daily situations such as going to restaurants, the immigration office, and dealing with administrative matters can get complex if you do not. When speaking with locals becomes a bit possible, it improves a lot of the discussion and the behavior. Indeed, they respect foreigners who speak great Korean. I just learned Korean alone, and I think it is manageable if you put your mind to it and figure out effective study methods for yourself. Joining a school club is a very good opportunity to improve your Korean speaking faster. I would recommend that for sure.

   Once you have some good Korean friends everything goes very smoothly in Korea. They can help you with every complex situation such as course registration or an immigration process that is not intuitive for international students. And you will be able to discover the true Korean culture, which is, in my opinion, very precious and important. One thing is for sure, is that it is not easy to adapt to a different culture, and we make lots of mistakes. But as long as we try, and put effort into it, everything will be ok.

   In Korea, I would recommend doing a lot of hiking, because you quickly get a great overview of the countryside and city. Then I would go to non-famous temples and old neighborhoods because there are lots of various architectures, and the people are always welcoming foreigners. In addition, visiting the campuses of different universities is great experience because it is not usual for Europeans in general, and each campus has its own specificities. For example, Dongguk University’s campus has its own temple which is amazing and Kyung-Hee University has its own cathedral.

Nagao Miku (長尾美玖) (Japan)

   During my stay in Korea making phone calls was as the toughest experience I have encountered. I was worried that I could not communicate well when I had to listen to it and answer right away because I was not good at Korean. I overcame this situation by accepting that it was okay to fail. Also, to live a better life during my study abroad life in Korea, I think it would be better to find out in advance about anything you do not know or are curious about. There are many exhibitions of event festivals in Seoul and the suburbs of Seoul, so I recommend you to look around. If you have time, I think it would be good to travel to the provinces by train.

Leslie Wiedmann (Germany)

   It was not hard for me to adapt to this country. I thought that it was going to be difficult with the language barrier and the different culture but it was not at all! Sometimes I felt that Koreans are a little superficial but it was not a big problem for me. In order to adapt easily, it is always important to respect the culture and people. Koreans will love it if you try to learn their language and talk to them. Also, enjoy your time! Go out a lot, and do not sit at home. See the city, try different food, and participate in all kinds of activities. Seoul has a lot to offer, so look out for festivals or special holidays. I recommend you join a club at Dongguk University. You will make a lot of new friends, and get to know about Korean culture, food, and activities. It is going to be a lot of fun!

Wu Hao(吴昊) (China)

   One of the most challenging things in Korea is receiving various phone calls. It was particularly intimidating when I got calls from elders. Sometimes, I fear that the other person won’t understand my Korean or that I won’t understand theirs. Initially, I sought help from my Korean friends or Chinese friends who are fluent in Korean. Later, I was able to improve my phone skills by practicing with my Korean friends. While in Korea, traveling to various cities and experiencing the unique cultures of each area is also very interesting. Each city has a different atmosphere and characteristics, offering diverse experiences. For example, I highly recommend Gyeongju to international students, as it is a place where history and nature are intertwined. In Gyeongju, you can feel Korea’s history and culture through its historical sites and beautiful natural scenery. By experiencing the food, history, and culture of each region, you can broaden your understanding of Korea. This will help you adapt to life in Korea and provide you with rich memories and experiences on a personal level.

Aarohi Gupta (India)

   Multiple hardships came from just the fact that I was moving to a foreign country. A lot of the rules and systems were different from my country, therefore the everyday activities took time to get adjusted and the main thing was the language barrier. Getting the ARC was the main challenge due to the need for so many documents. The best way to overcome these hardships is by giving it time and patience. It will eventually all work out in your favor, you just have to make sure you take care of yourself and be patient with all the processes slowly taking place. The easiest way to adapt to this is by talking to more people, meeting various kinds of friends, and having kind people help you out during this period of getting used to a new country. I would love to recommend so much. But the main things are going shopping, experiencing the nightlife of Seoul, and joining Dongguk activity clubs to meet more people and learn new things every day. Do not miss the famous food of Seoul, it is literally the best thing ever, photobooths and convenience store food as well. Dongguk University has dozens of cultural events and evenings that are beautiful. It would be nice to attend them.

Nguyen Quoc Huy (United States)

   My biggest hardship was the language barrier. I hesitated to do a lot of things at first. For example, going into a restaurant and not knowing what the menu says or asking for a price when shopping. Things got easier when I made more friends, both local friends and international friends. Local friends know what is going on so they help me easily adapt to the new culture. International friends are people who are just like you. They also want to explore new things so it is easy to bond with them and do new things together. I would recommend joining school clubs/organizations, as well as taking classes where you can meet lots of people. Attending school events will definitely help me be posted on everything that goes on at school. For food, I would recommend food made with kimchi such as kimchi stew.