CIEE High School Study Abroad in South Korea

Last Summer, I participated in the K-Pop Immersion Program through CIEE and I lived in South Korea. I would like to say that South Korea was the best moment in my life because I had lots of fun and I developed a sense of independence. The group and I visited Historical places, we went to a norabang which is also karaoke, met soulmates and we played Korean games. Initially, my mom was nervous about living alone without any family but eventually she was proud I went. Through this program, I got to know myself better and I realized that I would thrive in any pace and environment I found myself in. Additionally throughout the program I made new friends which led me to have different perspectives in life. I would like to inform everyone that we need to explore and not be reserved. With the CIEE program, it's an opportunity to learn diverse cultures in different countries to know the definition of who you are.

I had never been that far from home so when I got the chance to study abroad in South Korea I didn’t know what to expect. As I got to the airport, I got to meet everyone else in the program and while I didn’t know them before, it felt like I had known them for years because of how easily we bonded over our love for korean culture. Spending a few weeks with the rest of my peers, I got to experience so many things like karaoke, spicy rice cakes, and I even got eat fried chicken with my friends along the Han River. Making so many memories with people I didn’t know, naturally led to us becoming not just friends but “Seoul Mates” and to this day, my trip to Korea continues to inspire me to be more curious and to embrace the unknown.

Being my first trip abroad without my parents, this program really took me out of my comfort zone and pushed me to embrace a culture unlike any other. Although I didn't feel super confident traveling without my parents, the providers were there every step of the way and became everybody's friends! This program has everything, from history, to old Korean culture, to modern Korean culture, to language, food and more! Korea has a very different history and culture from the U.S., but the growing influence that we have in Korea is making this program even more important for American students.