About Me

I am an exchange student from the USA who’ll be studying in Seoul, Korea at Yonsei University. I will start my journey February 11, 2007. I aim to learn more about the world and myself through this experience. The Korean culture has intrigued me since I had my first experience with it in May of 2006 during a short-term study abroad trip which took me through China and Korea over the course of 4 weeks.

This is my story. This is what happens to me on a day-to-day basis and what I think of it. See Korea through my eyes and see me through the eyes of Korea.

About Yonsei University

Yonsei University is a center of learning based on the principles of Christian teaching, one which strives to educate leaders who will contribute to society in the spirit of truth and freedom.

Yonsei people embrace the culture of the nation and of humanity and foster creative and critical thinking in the pursuit of scholarship. Yonsei people also nurture the sense and spirit of justice, work with an open mind in service to their neighbors, and contribute to the growth of humanity.

We, the Yonsei community, taking this mission to heart, commit ourselves to strive to be leaders who embody in the world this proud Yonsei spirit.

Taken from http://www.yonsei.ac.kr/eng/intro/mission.html

You can read more about the university and it’s history here.

About Korea

Korea is a geographic area, civilization, and former state situated on the Korean Peninsula in East Asia. The peninsula is currently divided into North Korea and South Korea, and borders China to the northwest and Russia to the northeast, with Japan situated to the southeast across the Korea Strait.

Korea began with the founding of Gojoseon in 2333 BC, according to the Dangun legend. Limited linguistic evidence suggests possible Altaic-Tungusic origins of these people, whose northern Mongolian Steppe culture absorbed immigrants and invaders from northern China. The adoption of the Chinese writing system (”hanja” in Korean) in the 2nd century BCE, and Buddhism in the 4th century CE, had profound effects on its society. Koreans later passed on these, as well as their own advances, to Japan. ^[1][2][3][4]

After the unification of the Three Kingdoms of Korea by Silla in 676, Korea was ruled by a single government and maintained political and cultural independence, despite the Mongol invasions of the Goryeo Dynasty in the 13th century and Japanese invasions of the Joseon Dynasty in the 16th century. In 1377, Korea produced the Jikji, the world’s oldest printed document using movable metal type. [2] In the 15th century, the turtle ships, possibly the world’s first ironclad warships, were deployed, and during the reign of King Sejong the Great, the Korean alphabet hangul was created.

During the latter part of the Joseon Dynasty, Korea’s isolationist policy earned it the Western nickname the “Hermit Kingdom“. By the late 19th century, the country became the object of colonial designs by the imperial aggressors of Japan and Europe. In 1910, Korea was forcibly annexed by Japan and remained occupied until the end of World War II in 1945.

In 1945, Soviet Union and United States troops occupied the northern and southern halves of the country, respectively. The two Cold War enemies helped establish governments sympathetic to their own ideologies, leading to Korea’s current division into two political entities: North Korea and South Korea.

Taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korea

About Seoul

I will be staying in Seoul, South Korea’s largest city with a population of 10.3 million. Seoul is the hub of culture and cosmopolitan attitudes throughout Korea. From Seoul, you can travel to any part of Korea on the high speed KTX train, affordable bus, or by car. Seoul is historically one of the most important cities in the country. It became the seat of power and official capital during the Joseon dynasty. Many of the historical temples, palaces, gardens, and artifacts still remain throughout the city.

Seoul is seated comfortably on the Han river, providing a wonderful backdrop to the bustling city environment. I compare the city to the Asian equivalent to New York City or Chicago.

For students of English and business, Seoul is a highly desirable place to study. There are numerous opportunities for international business as well as highly regarded foreign language schools.