Motivation
I wanted to travel overseas, but I didn't want to delay my studies. It was a good opportunity to immerse myself in a culture, whilst continuing my studies.
Personal development
Socialising with new people all of the time helped me gain more self confidence. I also further developed my independence, by organising my own accommodation, routine and many other things. Also spending a lot of time by myself allowed me to gain more insight into myself and what I was capable of. I really enjoyed exploring the more rural areas of Korea, such as Suncheon and Tongyeong. I also travelled to Jeju Island by myself for 5 days, which I really enjoyed.
Academic development
Yonsei university operated quite similarly to UQ. The major difference was the subject selection, which was more complex. I took majority exchange student subjects, which were extremely accommodating and not stressful at all. I took one local subject (maths), which was a bit harder to navigate, and provided a lot less support to exchange students. However, it still was taught in a similar fashion with lectures and tutorial like UQ.
Professional development
I'm not sure if it counts as professional development, but I gained more confidence in organising things such as accommodation, flights, and health related documents and appointments.
Costs
I did not maintain a strict budget. But before I went over, I had a rough idea how much I would spend on each section such as accommodation and food. I would recommend accounting for travel expenses which I did not, such as bus/subway cards, as well as other expenses like toiletries. Some weeks I tracked how much money I spent on food, which helped me try to maintain a consistent budget across the trip.
Funding
I received the New Columbo Mobility Grant, as well as taking out a Help Loan. It helped me be a bit more selective in things such as accommodation, which I otherwise might of had to lower my standards. Also, It allowed me to return home still with some savings in my bank account, rather than using all of it overseas.
Accommodation
I used Airbnb for all of my accommodation. I first booked for a month before I went over there. And once I was there I booked the remainder. I moved around to a few places, which allowed me to explore more intimately in the local streets. I did not stay in the Dorms at Uni, which I was glad about, as it gave me more of a local experience. Furthermore, in the places I stayed in, the local hosts provided authentic advice, as well as unique opportunities I otherwise would not have experienced.
Highlight
I really enjoyed exploring a new area, especially using the city bikes to ride around. I enjoyed learning about a new culture and their norms and traditions. As well as seeing how different other people live.
Advice/Top tips
I would recommend being comfortable hanging out by yourself before you go overseas. As I think being comfortable hanging out alone, allowed me to optimise my experience and do more things without being worried about having to do things with other people.
