Why I Chose South Korea: Starting My Study Abroad Journey at Yonsei University

Hi everyone! My name is Adiba Anjum, and I’m currently studying abroad in Seoul, South Korea, at Yonsei University through CIEE. I’m originally a student at the University of Illinois Chicago, where I study Finance and Information & Decision Sciences. For this semester, though, I traded Chicago for Seoul, and so far, it has already been one of the most exciting experiences of my college life.

For my first blog, I wanted to talk about one of the questions I get asked the most: Why South Korea?

Why I Wanted to Study Abroad

Studying abroad was something I had wanted to do for a long time. I love traveling and experiencing new places, but I wanted something more than just visiting another country for a week or two. I wanted the experience of actually living somewhere completely different from what I was used to.

When I started looking at study abroad programs, I knew I wanted to go somewhere that would challenge me. I wanted to experience a different culture, meet people from different backgrounds, and learn how to become more independent in a place where I wouldn't already know how everything worked.

South Korea stood out almost immediately.

Why South Korea?

There were honestly so many reasons why I picked South Korea.

I had already been interested in Korean culture before coming here. Like a lot of people, I had been exposed to Korea through K-pop, Korean dramas, food, fashion, beauty, and social media. But I also knew that what you see online is only one small part of what a country is actually like.

I wanted to experience the real everyday life here.

I wanted to know what it was like to take the subway during rush hour, order food when I couldn't understand everything on the menu, walk through traditional hanok village, hike mountains overlooking Seoul, and experience university life alongside Korean and international students.

Seoul also seemed like the perfect city for me because there is always something happening. One day you can be surrounded by skyscrapers and huge shopping districts, and another day you can visit a palace, walk through a traditional neighborhood, or hike a mountain without even leaving the city. I loved the idea of being somewhere that combines modern city life with history and nature.

Another big reason was travel. I wanted to use my semester abroad as an opportunity to see as much as possible—not only Seoul, but different parts of South Korea. There are so many places I want to experience, from mountains and coastal cities to smaller towns and islands. Being here for an entire semester gives me the chance to explore Korea at a much slower pace than I ever could as a tourist.

Why Yonsei University?

Choosing Yonsei University made the experience even more exciting for me.

Yonsei is located in Sinchon, which is such a fun area to live in as a student. There are restaurants, cafés, shops, and other universities nearby, and Hongdae is also really close. At the same time, once you walk onto Yonsei's campus, the atmosphere completely changes.

The campus was one of the things I was most excited about. It is beautiful, and I love how much history there is behind the university. Studying at a Korean university also gives me the chance to experience an academic environment that is different from what I'm used to back at UIC.

Adjusting to Life in Seoul

Of course, actually moving to another country is very different from imagining it.

There are little things you don't really think about until you get here. Figuring out public transportation, navigating with Korean map apps, grocery shopping, ordering food, dealing with the language barrier, and even figuring out where to buy basic things can suddenly become part of your daily adventure.

At first, I had to look up almost everything. Even going somewhere simple could mean checking NAVER Map multiple times and making sure I was walking toward the correct subway exit. But slowly, things that felt unfamiliar at the beginning have started becoming normal.

That's probably one of my favorite parts of studying abroad so far. You can actually see yourself becoming more comfortable and independent over time.

More Than Just Studying

One thing I promised myself before coming to Korea was that I wasn't going to spend the entire semester only going between my dorm and my classes.

I want to explore.

Since arriving, I've realized just how much there is to experience here. Seoul itself feels endless, but some of the experiences I'm most excited about are outside the city too. I want to hike mountains, visit different cities, experience Korea's coastline, try activities I've never done before, eat foods I can't easily find back home, and see what everyday life looks like outside of Seoul.

For me, studying abroad isn't only about the university I'm attending. The country itself becomes part of the education.

Sometimes the things I'm learning have nothing to do with what happens inside a classroom. I'm learning how to navigate unfamiliar situations, communicate when there is a language barrier, plan trips on my own, manage my money, and become comfortable doing things without always knowing exactly what to expect.

A Semester I Want to Remember

I know studying abroad isn't going to be perfect every day. There will probably be stressful days, moments when I miss home, language barriers, confusing situations, and plans that don't work out the way I expected.

But I think that's part of the reason I wanted to do this.

I didn't come to South Korea because I wanted everything to feel familiar. I came because I wanted to experience something different.

I wanted to push myself outside of my normal routine, experience another part of the world, and create memories that I probably wouldn't have had if I stayed in Chicago for the semester.

There is still so much of Korea that I haven't seen and so much about living here that I'm still figuring out. But that's what makes this semester exciting.

This blog will be a way for me to document all of it; the places I visit, the things I learn, university life at Yonsei, the mistakes I make along the way, and hopefully a lot of unforgettable experiences.

My semester in South Korea is only beginning, and I'm excited to see where it takes me.