Spring 2018, Issue 1

CIEE Seoul Welcomes Spring 2018 Students

This semester we have 65 students from 44 different schools across the United States. They have settled in nicely following a week-long CIEE orientation to help them adjust to their new environment. Orientation included a number of info sessions and workshops to introduce the CIEE program, academic policies, safety and security and the like. It started with an interactive workshop to introduce students to Korean etiquette and various other aspects of Korean culture and society, including Korean traditional clothing. Orientation also included a photo scavenger hunt to help the students learn how to get around the city as well as various tours of the campus and surroundings. Some of the activities involved CIEE Seoul Mates (Korean buddies). To wrap up our orientation, we had a 2-day excursion to introduce the students to other parts of the country as well as many of the elements that make up the Korean cultural fabric and psyche. We stayed overnight deep in the mountains, visited a Buddhist temple and a Confucian academy, made paper-crafts, learned mask dance, hiked in the mountains, and more.

The first Saturday after classes started we had our first CIEE day trip—an excursion to the DMZ that separates the two Koreas. It included visiting an infiltration tunnel, a military observation post, and the Joint Security Area (JSA). And, this past weekend we had our always popular K-Pop tour.

The following are some photos from our CIEE orientation and our last two weekend activities.

Scenes from Orientation

In addition to introducing Korean history, customs and traditions, the Korean Spirit and Culture Workshop included information about Korean etiquette such as how to wear the Korean national dress, sit properly and bow to elders as well as some things about Korean food and modern society.​

CIEE orientation also included a briefing by U.S. Embassy officials (below)

Scenes from Overnight Excursion

During the excursion, students made a colorful box out of traditional handmade paper (above) and learned about Korea’s long tradition of mask dance dramas and some of the dance moves (below).

Day Trip to DMZ

Some students pose alongside a guard in the conference room at the Joint Security Area (above) and some take a group photo with the conference room and North Korea’s pavilion in the background.

Scenes from K-Pop Tour

Students pose with a statue honoring the group BTS

Students learn K-Pop moves from a K-Pop choreographer

The K-Pop tour ended with an Indie concert.