Zofia about going on exchange

“The culture in Korea is really different from Europe: everyone is less individualistic and more focused on the best interests of the group. And the people are really helpful even when there is a massive language barrier.” Zofia tells about one time she and her friend needed help from an older man who did not speak any English. “We were looking for a shop and he took us there. However, the shop was closed. So we thought: we’ll come back tomorrow. The man left but came back – with the shop owner!”

Studying at Sungkyunkwan University was also different from what she was used to in Tilburg. “We only had lectures and almost no practical classes. And the material was different as well. Whereas, in Tilburg, we go deep into a few topics, in Seoul, there were more topics, but the material was easier to learn.” The exams were different too: “All the exams were open-book, so they really made you think about the material. You could open the book and read the theory, but you needed to know more about these theories to answer the questions.”

“The campus in Seoul, however, is comparable to Tilburg; I had all my classes in one place. And it was 40 minutes away from my room by public transport. Believe me, that’s actually nearby by Korean standards!” Zofia found her room on Airbnb. “It’s really popular with students. Although most of the universities here have dorms, those are all double rooms. That didn’t suit me because I value my privacy. I lived with four other people in the Airbnb appartment, but we all had our own space so I could withdraw when I wanted privacy.”