Study Abroad: Where Should I Live?

Happy belated Halloween, everyone!  Unfortunately, I had so much work this weekend that I could not enjoy the festivities, so I do not have an exciting Halloween-themed post to share.  Instead, I thought I would return to the subject of study abroad.  This time, I want to address the issue of where you will live when you study abroad.  When I studied abroad, I had three basic options for housing; I could stay with a local family, post up at a boarding house, or live in the school's residence hall.  I actually had a difficult time deciding where I wanted to stay because each option has its attractive points.

If I lived with a local family, I would have a chance to see how a real Korean family lived, and how a typical Korean college student would carry out his or her daily routine, including commute.  If I did this, and decided to avoid using English as much as possible, then my language-learning experience would be that much richer.   Also, and equally important, I would likely get homemade meals two or three times a day, which would help me save money on food and hopefully be very delicious!


If I decided to stay at a boarding house or hostel, I would have the opportunity to meet a variety of guests from around the world.  Perhaps we might spend time together exploring the city on weekends, and I feel that we definitely would have been able to learn a lot from each other.  There would also have been two meals provided per day, which, covered in the cost of boarding, would be helpful for my budget.


If I boarded at the school's residence hall, then I would get a chance to better know my classmates or even local students.  Further, I would be able to observe campus life in a foreign university, and could easily participate in events on/near campus.  I would also be able to use the laundry, dining, and exercise facilities.


As it happened, I actually had the experience of staying in a youth hostel as well as the school's residence hall.  When I arrived in Korea, I spent about a week and half travelling and meeting friends, and spent the night at at hostel in Seoul.  This option was exciting, because it offered me the freedom of being able to explore the city on my own, or with a fellow boarder.  However, it was also nice to settle down in the residence hall once classes started.   If I had any problems, I could contact my RA or program director easily, rather than having to more or less fend for myself.  


As with my time in the hostel, I also had a very positive experience living in the residence hall.  I enjoyed two meals a day in the cafeteria and felt very safe, as the security there was pretty high.  My roommate and I were placed in the same level of language class, and got to know each other pretty well over our time.  I also got to know well several other international students from places like Italy, Hong Kong, Japan, and Germany.  Looking back on my experience, I do not know which option I would choose if I studied abroad again.  I think it really depends on your budget, comfort level, and goals for your trip.  Think these over carefully before deciding, because your living situation can really define your experience away from home and country.  

Curious about where I stayed?  Here are some pictures of my residence hall! 

  

The view from our room!  

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Study Abroad: Funding Your Trip

When I started thinking about studying abroad, one of the first things that I wanted to know was how much it actually cost to do so.  At UNC Asheville, students usually pay tuition for their study abroad experience directly to UNC Asheville (the same cost as attending university here).  However, if you do a very short-term program or if you follow the same path that I did (attending a university with which UNC Asheville does not have an established relationship), you'll pay directly to the school abroad.

In the end, regardless of whether you pay UNC Asheville or a foreign university, you're going to need money to pay for living expenses once you arrive at your destination.  You'll probably be following a meal plan or living with a host family during your time abroad, so theoretically you won't have to worry so much about budgeting for food, but you will definitely have other things that you either need or want to purchase.  For example, when I was in South Korea, I had to buy bedding, towels, and shower supplies, none of which I had even thought about bringing.  I also found that in Korea, many people meet their friends for coffee, which generally starts at $5.50 (small size), and, as a consequence, I frequented coffee shops upwards of three times a week.  These excursions were great for socializing and studying, but ended up being pretty expensive.  My point: you're going to need money.  

Luckily, there are a ton of scholarships available to help offset these costs.  If you're receiving federal aid money, this will carry over when you pay the tuition for your semester or year abroad to UNC Asheville.  Here are just a few sources that offer funding:

• Many organizations and institutions actually offer scholarships to those seeking to expand cultural horizons abroad.   From my experiences, there are a lot more scholarships available for study abroad in more "popular" countries like France, Italy, Spain, and so forth, so if you're planning on visiting any of these places, you've definitely got a lot of options.  Many organizations have essay or video contests for varying sums to be applied to experiences abroad.  
• UNC Asheville also offers a fairly competitive scholarship for study abroad (based, I believe, on need as well as academic merit).  You can find information on these scholarships on the Study Abroad website, there are a lot of study abroad resources listed to help.  
• The US government also provides scholarships for study abroad, especially if you are studying in a region whose language is considered to be "critical."  These scholarships tend to be more focused on long-term language acquisition, so although I was travelling to a country whose language is currently considered "critical," I was not eligible for the scholarship because my program was for only five weeks.  Frustrating?  Yes. 
• Local organizations such as the Rotary Club also offer scholarships for study abroad.  If you're interested in attaining one of these scholarships, you need to apply early. I missed the deadline for my application by about a year.  

TIP: I would recommend a quick Google search for available funding.  You can search for scholarships by region and college major.  I found that some of the most popular destination-oriented scholarships included China, Japan, Germany, and Italy.I investigated, and applied to several Asia-Pacific oriented scholarships when I was preparing for my trip.  Because I am not a math or science major, I was unable to apply for scholarships which I would otherwise have been well-qualified.

Have I exhausted you?  I hope not, but  do want to make it clear that although it's costly to study abroad, there are so many resources available to help make it happen.  As a student hoping to study in a foreign country, you should realize that because there are so many resources, it can be pretty daunting to try to navigate the various websites, brochures, and applications until you find that will ultimately be the most help to you.  The information I have provided is really just, as they say, the "tip of the iceberg," and should get you thinking about the world of information and aid out there to the student who looks.

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Study Abroad: Some Background

Before I really get the ball rolling on these study abroad posts, I guess I should tell you a little bit about myself.  In my master plan for my university life, I had hoped to study abroad for a semester in the fall of my junior year.  However, some unforeseen factors caused me to transfer to UNC Asheville during my sophomore year.  When I arrived, I was very nervous about whether credits had transferred, and how long it would take me to complete everything: would I even be able to graduate on time?  Would I have the time, or the funds, to make my study abroad hopes a reality?  I was pretty nervous.  Maybe some of you are in that position right now.  However, with the help of my adviser, and the Study Abroad office, I was able to make it happen. 

I am now a senior here at UNC Asheville with a major in International Studies and minors in History and Asian Studies.  My motivations for studying abroad were a combination of major requirements and personal interests.  It is also relevant to note that I chose to study in a university with which UNC Asheville does not have an official or established relationship (yet).  This information should help you understand where I was coming from as a person and as a student, when I was preparing for my trip. 

TIP:  When you’re thinking about studying abroad, it’s important to remember that you’re also going to study, not just experience a new culture.  So, you should take into consideration schools or programs where you’re guaranteed to get credit for your studies abroad.  This mostly applies for people who are planning to do short-term study, or who are looking at a university not affiliated with UNC Asheville, but is important to mention.  In my case, I found a school well known for its Korean language instruction program, offering 6 credit hours for an intensive 5-week program.  However, I had to go through a fairly lengthy process with the Study Abroad office to ensure that this credit would transfer back to UNC Asheville.  In the end, the e-mails back and forth, and meetings with, members of the Study Abroad office were well worth the effort, as it meant that I was able to study in the school of my choosing, and from a practical standpoint, ensure that the time and resources I put into the trip were not wasted. 

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So...What About Study Abroad?

I was recently asked to write a bit about my study abroad experience this past summer, so I thought that with the Study Abroad Fair coming up on Wednesday, this would be a good time to do so.  As I was thinking about what I wanted to share with you, I reflected on my days as a high school student hoping to study abroad in college. At that time, sitting nervously in some university’s Q&A session, all I wanted to do was go beyond the face of things, and really get to know what it meant to study abroad.  I wanted to know more than what was offered by pamphlets and information sessions.  How could I get involved with a study abroad program?  How would I choose where I wanted to go?  How would I pay? What were study abroad experiences really like, beyond the selected reports from students and faculty members in the study abroad brochures?  Just..."how," beyond the basic facts offered by university representatives or student tour guides. 

Remembering all of these questions I once had, I thought that it might be useful for you if I described my personal study abroad experience on this blog.  To this end, I have decided to break down my trip into several posts chock full of information, pictures, and advice.  I’ll share a little bit about how I selected, prepared for, and anticipated my trip, and then what actually happened, and finally, how I felt upon return.  If, at any point, you have questions about something I mention (or don't talk about), please leave a comment and I'll do my best to answer them!  What do you think?  Would that be helpful? 

I’ll start posting about this on Wednesday, and will try to post once a week on this topic, so keep checking in to learn more~ 

 Day one of my trip: Goodbye, Blue Ridge Mountains!

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Three Layer Pork

In February, I wrote about a lunch that I had with international students.  On Friday night, I got to spend time with several Korean friends (some exchange students and others permanent students) for a delicious Korean meal.  Our main dish was called Samgyupsal (삼겹살), which, as I understand it, translates roughly as "three layered flesh," referring to the layers in the pork used.  This meat is fairly fatty and pretty thickly sliced.  

 

  The pork is grilled unseasoned, often at a small table grill or outdoors.  Because it was raining outside, we were unable to sit around the grill as the meat cooked. 

After the pork is cooked, it is cut with scissors (for bite-sized pieces) and served with dipping sauces, raw onions, raw garlic, and some other side dishes, wrapped in lettuce.  

The dipping sauces are called ssamjang (쌈장; made of soybean paste, chili paste, green onions, sesamie oil, etc) and gireumjang (기름장; made of sesamie oil, salt, and black pepper)

We also ate a soup/stew known as kimchi jjigae (김치 찌개), which is made of the traditional Korean fermented dish, kimchi (김치) and various vegetables.  A little bit spicy, but very delicious!

For dessert, we enjoyed a variety of delicious fruits: apples, bananas, strawberries, pineapples, mangos, and cantaloupes)

Because I am studying abroad in South Korea this summer, I am so happy that I was able to meet many of the Korean students attending UNC Asheville.  The Study Abroad Office was kind enough to introduce me to several of these students, who have been giving me Korean lessons and letting me enjoy meals like the one we had on Friday night.  I am even happier than ever that I am at UNC Asheville, a school whose small size has allowed me to meet and participate in cultural exchange with such diverse, amazing friends.

 



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International Lunch

Although UNC Asheville is a small school and does not therefore host as many international students as other UNC schools do, the international community here is amazing!  And, because our school is fairly small, it is really easy to get to know all sorts of people, including international students.  Yesterday, for example, I was invited to have lunch with a group of Korean and Hmong students that I've gotten to know this semester.  Everyone joined to make traditional Korean and Vietnamese dishes, and we all had a lot of fun.  Although I was really only able to make myself useful by peeling potatoes and washing dishes, I had blast, and I am so happy that I was able to spend my afternoon with such a nice group of people.  Here are some pictures of the feast we prepared!  (Note the 'American' dessert among the spread; one of the best apple pies I have ever tasted, no exaggeration)

Everyone after the meal--what a great group of friends!

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