"When was the last time you did something for the first time?"
It's all in the preparation!
In the months leading up to departure you will likely receive updates and helpful information regarding preparing for life at KU via email from the Inbound Student Exchange Program Manager. This semester, the current Inbound Student Exchange Program Manager is Ms. Una Kim. Despite the time difference, she has promptly answered all of my questions. So, don’t be afraid to ask any questions you may have before arriving in Korea. Below, I have outlined some of the things I needed to complete before leaving for Korea. I have also noted some key tips that I thought were particularly important! 1. Applying for Housing: For the spring semester, on-campus housing applications opened around mid-December through KU’s online site: https://reslife.korea.ac.kr:5008/v1/index.html However, it is very common for KUBS exchange students to get on-campus housing. SO, I would look into some of the off-campus housing options provided by the Inbound Student Exchange Program Manager. After finding out I did not get on campus housing, I contacted the manager of 2U Guesthouse. 2U Guesthouse is one of many ‘Goshitels,’ which are temporary living accommodations that typically house students. Along with the affordable rent, their rooms are also notorious for being incredibly compact yet functional. ***Note: Some of the Goshitels will ask for a reservation deposit prior to your arrival. So, you will need to make an international wire transfer from your local bank. 2U Guesthouse’s reservation deposit was 100,000 KRW, which converted is a little less than $100 USD. However, your bank may charge a wire transfer fee in addition to the amount you are wiring. Also, from my experience, it is best to go your local bank early in the day to ensure that they can process your wire transfer! 2. Flight: After receiving my letter of acceptance to Korea University, I started look at flights. When booking your flight, be sure to take into account the official dates for the mandatory Student Orientation. Michelle, my cousin who is also studying abroad in Korea this semester, decided to book one-way tickets together. So, I’ll have a traveling companion! ***Note: Make sure to check what time your flight will arrive in Korea! KU provides an airport pickup service on the day of Student Orientation. So, make sure you arrive in time for the last bus! 3. Visa: U.S citizens can travel to Korea for up to 90 days without a visa, but because I will be studying there for a full semester a Student Visa was a must. In order to apply for a visa, you will need to visit the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Honolulu. BUT, don’t make your way there until you have all the necessary documents! Here for more info: http://overseas.mofa.go.kr/us-honolulu-en/wpge/m_5539/contents.do In addition to bringing your:
After applying for you visa at the Korean Consulate, it will take some time for the visa to be processed. So, the sooner you get it done the better! 4. Course Registration: For the spring semester, Course Registration opened on February 1st at 10:00am in Korea Standard Time (KST). ***Note: KST is 19 hours ahead of Hawaii, so be sure to account for this time difference! This means I set my alarm to jump on the online course registration portal at 3pm Hawaii time on January 31st. A week before registration opened, Una sent out an email outlining the registration process. So, be sure to familiarize yourself with the steps before the day of registration. One of the features of KU’s course registration is ‘Preferred Course List System’ which allows you to both make a list of courses you’d like to, but also to see how your schedule would look like with those courses. In preparation, I also referenced the Korea University Course Equivalencies to choose what courses I would need to take in Korea to get credit for it at UH. After registering for the courses, I picked, I found out that I was unfortunately waitlisted for two out of the four. So, I made an academic advising appointment to talk about other courses I might be able to take. With the undergraduate academic advisor’s help, I was able to register for two other business courses as backups. (tentative course schedule pictured below) Although all of this may seem overwhelming, I was able to manage by doing two things: 1) checking my email regularly and 2) seeking information from former Freeman scholars and their insightful blogs.
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ABout me..Hi, there! My name is Brittany and I am currently a undergraduate at the University of Hawaii. Although I have been exposed to Korean culture both through the uniquely Asian culture in Hawaii and the plethora of Korean dramas I've indulged in, I have no authentic understanding and experience of Korea. So, I have decided to embark on this study abroad journey not only to seek the delicious foods, but to also challenge my sense of independence, global awareness, and cultural identity.
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