Impactful Opportunities with CIEE

When I had the opportunity to study abroad, I intentionally chose to study in Seoul with CIEE because I knew that there were many cool opportunities for learning about Korean language and culture. Throughout the semester, I’ve had the opportunity to make tea at Jogyesa Temple, visit the demilitarized zone (DMZ), visit Andong, and volunteer to teach English to elementary school students. I loved all of the experiences, but the trip to Andong and teaching English to elementary students proved to be the most impactful opportunities provided by CIEE.

Andong

This semester, I decided to take a class called Topics on Korean Language and Culture in which we learn about the Korean language through the lens of culture. In one of our lectures, my professor explained that the 1000 won bill features Yi Hwang (Toegye), who was a prominent Confucian scholar—also known as a seonbi (선비)—during the Joseon Dynasty. The small house on the back of the bill is the Dosan Seowon in Andong. 

I knew before the class that Andong is a very culture-rich city which is why I signed up for an overnight trip to Andong through CIEE. Coincidentally, on Saturday of the week we learned about the Dosan Seowon, I had the opportunity to go to Andong and tour the seowon in person. The tour guide explained everything about the 1000 won bill that my professor did but went more in-depth about the function of the main buildings. We were given the chance to explore for ourselves, and some of the people in the group learned how to write their name with a traditional ink brush.

After exploring the Dosan Seowon, we went to a traditional outdoor space where two  musicians dressed in hanbok played traditional Korean songs like “Arirang.” The performance was very moving and showed the sincere dedication and skill of both musicians. Later that night, we had the chance to explore the area surrounding the Woryeonggyo Bridge. Lights lit up the bridge on both sides, illuminating both the bridge and middle pavilion’s beautiful architecture. 

The next day, we went to the Advanced Center for Korean Studies (Confucian culture museum) where we learned about wood print blocking and book binding. Many of the people in the group, myself included, decided to print Chinese characters that meant “take care of yourself even when others aren’t around.” We then went into a bookbinding room where we were handed a needle, thick thread, and some pages of paper with a cover. The process was similar to sewing and was very quick and therapeutic. We were then given a piece of paper to put on the front for the title of the book or our name. Afterwards, we had the chance to see the original, preserved name plates of buildings for the Dosan Seowon before leaving for Seoul. Overall, this trip was amazing and such an insightful dive into the rich cultural history of Korea.

Teaching English to Elementary Students

Although I was nervous to teach English for the first time, I signed up to learn how to teach English and push myself out of my comfort zone. I was paired with a student named Lily who was a bit shy at first and struggled to make conversation in English. However, I saw that she was very social with the rest of the students, so I knew that she just wasn’t confident in her English speaking abilities. As the classes progressed, she became more confident in her speaking and had great conversations. She was also a very good artist who drew my picture a few times and captioned it with “영미 선생님” [Young-mi (my Korean name) teacher], which was a big honor for me and warmed my heart. On the last day, all of us teachers leaving the classroom for the last time felt like a very bittersweet goodbye to the students we had taught for seven weeks.

If you’re planning on studying abroad with CIEE, make sure to take advantage of the fun and life-changing opportunities that they provide. You won’t regret it!