Exchange Report Yonsei University (연세대학교) Seoul, South Korea KIM, Joo Eun BBA in Global Business & Marketing, Year 3 Fall 2017 Part I: Monthly Activity Log August 2017 I arrived in Seoul in late August, a few days before the dorm check-in day. After relaxing and exploring Seoul with my family and friends, I moved in to Yonsei University’s SK Global House on the 26th. The few days before Orientation is a great time to snap some gorgeous campus photos as students are still on holiday and there is barely any crowd. Most people after moving in went to stock up on home supplies at Daiso (this chain of stores has economical prices). There is a large Daiso located across the road from Exit 2 Sinchon station, and a smaller one before that right next to the station exit. For my SIM card plan, I got it activated at SK Telecom in the main Sinchon road in front of school. I found it really unique how you could pick the last four digits of your phone number. Before the start of the semester on September 1st, I had catch-ups with my family and friends who came to visit. We went for a fantastic Korean BBQ at 형제갈비 in Sinchon (the BBQ is incredibly pricey, but the 24H 갈비탕 is very worth it), visited 경복궁 while wearing 한복 and also had a refreshing 팥빙수 at the iconic 설빙 dessert place. September 2017 Semester started on the 1st, and the first week or so was about settling into the study rhythm and groove of the University lifestyle. I sampled a lot of classes that I was interested in, but eventually tailored them down to the credits I needed. I met many of my friends in SK Global and in classes. In between classes, I found time to go out and explore the Sinchon area—there are many decent restaurants and places to shop. With a few exchange friends that I met on Orientation day, I went to visit 광장시장, which is a market that has a lot of street food. I’d recommend it if you’re into markets and bustling food places. By far the most memorable and phenomenal experience of this month was 연고전, which is the annual sports games between Yonsei University and Korea University. Before the actual Games, the cheerleading team hosts cheering/chanting practices that you should definitely go and participate in. The arena was filled with spirit and anticipation of the Games. Five sports are played: baseball, basketball, ice hockey, rugby and football. FYI, you can watch all games without a ticket except for basketball and ice hockey. Basketball and ice hockey tickets were distributed first-come-first-serve by the Mentors Club a few days before the actual matches. You can choose from either ice hockey or basketball, but keep in mind tickets have limited quota so line up early. My friends and I luckily got the ice hockey ticket (which tends to be popular), and we got to see a super exciting match. There was non-stop cheering, singing and dance moves throughout all the matches for literally the whole time. We really felt the incredible Eagle spirit condensed into two days. This year, Yonsei brought home victory with a win in all five sports, which is the first time in history. Afterwards, there was a post-Games celebration in Sinchon road, which was super fun. PAGE 1 October 2017 One of the great things about Korea is its café culture. There are many cafés in every road, where the ambience is perfect to study and enjoy a cup of coffee/tea. Often, my friends and I went out to study at cafés, but also chill and relax before exams. As the weather started to become more winter-like, leaves adorning the buildings on campus began to change their colours into red and orange. With the slightly windy weather perfect for walking around, I met up with another HKUST friend studying at Korea University to visit 홍익대학교 and explore 홍대거리. 홍대거리 has many cheap clothes stores, so if you’re looking for some budget shopping, check it out. Yonsei University that is in Sinchon, is near Hongik and Ewha, which are three districts that are very popular with youth. October was the month of mid-terms. As with any exchange, it was important to balance study and fun. I visited my relatives in Korea, went to 연희동 (which is a small residential village near Yonsei with some cute restaurants—but transportation is pretty inconvenient without a car) and explored another palace: 덕수궁. Palaces are incredibly pretty when the leaves turn all autumn-like and also when the architecture is caked with snow (although cold). We had expected the trees to be a bit more yellow, orange and red but they were still relatively green. The palace has a 1,000KRW entry fee. Nearby, you can also plan to see the Seoul Museum of History and/or the Seoul Museum of Art in the same day. November 2017 I continued to explore Seoul, prepare for upcoming group project presentations and attended events on campus, such as the Global CEO Talk featuring AmorePacific’s CEO, and hosted by the Yonsei School of Business. According to one of my exchange friends, Seoul has one of the biggest IKEAs in the world—so we visited. The highlights of this month were my trip to Busan and the Seoul Lantern Festival. To get to Busan, I took the KTX train. The ride was just over two hours, but with quite comfortable seats and pretty views, the time passed very quickly. In Busan, I visited the night market where we got stretchy ice- cream, and ate a lot of good food such as their famous seafood. Since I have relatives in Busan, I was also able to catch up and spend time with them. 2018’s Seoul Lantern Festival was hosted from the 3rd of the month to around mid-November. This year, it was PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics themed. My friends and I took a nice stroll down 청계천 while snapping photos of the decorations that lit up the evening. One thing: it was super cold— remember to dress well if you plan to go to the Festival. This month, a friend and I discovered a café called Mr. Holmes Bakehouse in 압구정, and the vibe there is very pleasant. Their pastry selections coupled with coffee are lovely. My favourite combination is the cruffin (croissant + muffin) along with an Americano. I can still remember seeing the first snow of the year on the 20th November. It was a beautiful landscape and a great transition into the Christmas vibe that was starting up. PAGE 2 December 2017 The final month of exchange was filled with trips we planned around Seoul before we all had to leave, such as to Common Grounds (a container shopping centre) and Edae Fashion Street (visit the Edae University campus too—it’s pretty). Of course, December was filled with exams too. Through the snow and cold, our explorations of Seoul continued, till the time came when we had to say our goodbyes and return to our homes all around the globe. There is a lot that this report hasn’t been able to cover, which can only be felt by experiencing everything that exchange has to offer at Yonsei University and in Korea. J Part II: General Exchange Information 1) Visa Procedures I didn’t need a visa, but once you are officially accepted as an exchange student at Yonsei, they will guide you through the way and provide the relevant documents needed. 2) Orientation Activities There were two mandatory Orientations: one for the University, and one for the dorms (if you are living in I-House or SKG), which covers House rules, etc. The proceedings of the Main Orientation on the 29th were the usual welcoming, information for exchange and some insight into the country’s culture by a student sharing. You will receive a packet with brochures and booklets which will be helpful to browse through before school starts. Another important thing in the packet is your Student ID—keep it safe! Orientation was also when we got to meet other exchange students. There were events you could join afterwards in the day. I joined an evening event hosted by Mentors Club, which is a student society that bridges local and exchange students. At the event, I got to meet some local Korean students and of course, a bunch of other exchange students. We enjoyed a fun dinner at a Korean fried chicken restaurant and had a dance party after. A similar event that you could join was later on in the week, hosted by a second local-exchange student society called IYC (International Yonsei Community). 3) International Services & Activities Throughout the semester, relevant clubs will host international events and overnight camps. One major event was Yonsei Global Day, which was hosted at the Global Lounge. This semester, it was covering Russia. We got to try on the traditional Russian way of dress and play games to earn stamps that could be exchanged for some Russian snacks and drinks at the end. 4) Accommodations Yonsei University offers two options for on-campus accommodation: International House and SK Global House. If you want to stay off-campus, there are options near school such as in Sinchon or Hongdae. The majority of students who stay in I-House/SKG are exchange students, with a few international Yonsei students. While I was on exchange, International House was reserved only for female students.