A LOOK BACK

In the summer of 2019, I began searching for scholarships to help me fund my school year. In fact, I found numerous scholarship programs on the study abroad homepage of the University of Memphis website.

There were scholarships opportunities and exchange options that could cover my tuition, so I emailed the Study Abroad office and they responded immediately. They were exceptionally attentive and answered every question I had. We had meetings to discuss which programs would be best suited for me. From there, we narrowed down my options based on credit transfer, scholarship type and my own personal preferences. Together we found the perfect program in Sejong, South Korea.

I entered the International Township Program at Korea University in the spring of 2019. I received a full-tuition scholarship, flight reimbursement and three full meals a day in exchange for teaching English to my two South Korean roommates. I had never been on a plane in my life, but I was thrilled to take the opportunity.

When I first arrived in South Korea, I was anxious. I met other people through the program, and we soon became friends and traveled the country together. Two of them were my South Korean roommates. We formed a close bond through exchanging our languages and celebrating the differences and similarities of our cultures.

I learned to immerse myself in another culture and open my perspective to different customs and traditions. The International Township program hosted cultural events and field trips throughout the year, and I learned Korean history through lecture classes and through traveling. It is here I’ve fully stepped into who I am. I had to lead, and others had to lead me. This was unusual for me because I always had the impression that I needed to control everything. I followed the instructions and got better, putting my pride aside.

As a result, it enabled me to both instruct and gain knowledge from my peers. Personal skills like adapting to my environment, taking responsibility for my actions and being organized improved greatly. Throughout the semester my patience also increased significantly. My experiences within the program compelled me to reflect on my reactions to things I did not fully understand.