“Being involved has genuinely changed my life for the better” student reflects on Hansung experience

A GCU student has spoke of the life-changing benefits of being involved in a summer exchange trip.

Applied Psychology student Jessica Paterson spent a month in South Korea thanks to a partnership between GCU and Hansung University in Seoul.

The Hansung University International Summer School (HISS) bring students from around the world together to learn about South Korean language and culture.

11 GCU students in total took part in the visit, alongside students from a number of other countries, including England and the USA.

Jessica and her fellow GCU students were supported throughout the process by GCU’s International Partnership Office. This included information around receiving funding from the Turing Scheme, which is the UK’s global programme for studying and working abroad. This funding enables students to undertake international study, placement, and internship opportunities.

We caught up with Jessica to hear about her experience, and why she would encourage other students to consider getting involved.

Initial interest

“I knew I wanted to do it as soon as I got the email from GCU telling me about it. I’m a huge fan of the country and I’ve been learning the language for ages – I had to apply!

“I also love K-pop and have been listening to it since I was 12 or 13 years old – I would probably say it was my main interest. I’ve always wanted to go to Korea and fully immerse myself in a culture that’s basically raised me – it’s a huge part of my life.”

Process

“I went to an information session to hear all about the programme. I got to hear from students who had previously been involved in trips, which was really helpful and definitely pushed me to apply. I then filled out an application form and waited about a month – which felt like such a long time!

“I’d never been abroad before until this trip. I had to get a passport, so it really was a big deal for me. I definitely threw myself into the deep-end, but I knew it would be a once in a lifetime trip.”

Comfort zone

“I was obviously really excited to go, but this was a massive step for me. I was essentially going by myself because I didn’t really know anyone else. That was something that definitely made me feel a bit scared, especially since it was my first time travelling abroad.

“My family were definitely shocked when I told them where I was going. I had to clarify on more than one occasion that I was definitely going to South Korea, not North Korea.”

Travel

“The trip was a month long so I obviously had quite a bit of packing to do, but I made sure there was plenty of room in my case so that I could buy lots of things over there. The exchange rate was really good and I knew it was relatively cheap in Korea, so I wanted to take full advantage.

“It was a really long journey to get there, I can’t lie about that. I flew from Glasgow to Frankfurt, Frankfurt to Munich and then Munich to Seoul – altogether it was about 24 hours of travel. I was tracking my suitcase compulsively!

“We were met at the airport by someone from Hansung University and transported to where we were staying. I remember being in the minibus and being amazed that I could read all the Korean signs – my hours on Duolingo had definitely paid off! I also got to speak Korean to some of the local students staying in our dorm which was such a cool thing to do.”

Life at Hansung

“We had a Korean culture class and a Korean language class each morning, and then in the afternoon we did an activity. We visited a lot of museums and got to experience the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea, which was amazing. We also visited markets and significant cultural attractions. It really felt like we were locals, especially once we mastered Seoul’s subway system! The structure of the programme was such a good system, because we got to learn about certain things in the morning and then go out and experience it in the afternoon.”

New experiences

“I got the chance to go to a K-pop festival but it was really strange because it was a water festival and the artists fired water guns into the crowd. It was so different from a normal gig that it didn’t really feel like a gig – but it was a really fun experience.

“We also got to visit Busan, which is another major city in South Korea but more coastal. It was very different from Seoul because it was a lot more relaxed. It was a great way to widen my perspective on the country.”

Highlight

“We visited Gyeongbokgung Palace and got to wear traditional Korean clothes. It was a lot of fun because it was in such a scenic area and we just got to walk around and admire the scenery – it was great. I really enjoyed that because I felt it brought everyone together that was on the trip. I also really enjoyed the demilitarized zone. We got to go through this tiny tunnel that the North Koreans had made to try and escape to South Korea - it was so small! We also visited a viewing point which let you see into North Korea. It was just the most surreal thing because it looked so calm, which I definitely didn’t expect. We had binoculars and it all looked very empty, but completely different from Seoul.”

Taking opportunities

“I’m a very quiet person and I never really put myself out there, so this was a massive thing for me. I knew I had to do it and that there was no way I could pass up this opportunity. I have definitely started taking on more opportunities after going on this trip. I was nervous to try things before but this has given me a huge confidence boost. I now want to travel and see more of the world – it’s been a huge eye-opener for me. Being involved has genuinely changed my life for the better.

“I would definitely encourage other students to go because you only live once. I had some concerns initially because I was worried I might not like it at first but you’re never going to know unless you try. GCU offers so many opportunities, so you may as well take advantage while you’re here.”

You can find out more about Exchange and study abroad opportunities here

By Ross Clark

Got an SHLS or GSBS story? Email me at Ross.Clark@gcu.ac.uk