I’m from Indianapolis, and anyone else who lives there already knows that there is virtually no public transportation system. I think there might be one IndyGo bus that comes within a 5-mile radius of my house in the suburbs, and even then I think it only stops there every two hours and you can only travel on one route.
I’ve never had more people tell me that I’m pretty. I’m blonde, blue-eyed, and buxom, so as much as I would often like to I don’t exactly blend in. I must have a rather exotic look to most Koreans. People my age are suddenly coveting the large, pointy nose that made me a target of the ridicule of 12-year-old boys. Just a few months ago my dad was suggesting that I visit a tanning bed, but then I wouldn’t have swarms of middle-aged women stop me on the subway to tell me how beautiful my ghostly complexion is.
South Koreans rank among the best in the world in terms of education. As a whole, South Korea’s teenagers consistently beat out all or almost all of their international competitors on standardized tests. Having heard this, I was initially terrified of what my classes were going to be like at a Korean university. Mostly I was worried about the classes that I was going to be taking with Korean students, because I was sure they were all going to be much more intelligent and studious than I am. And I was partially right, but things aren’t really more difficult here; they’re mostly just different.
I have been sick for the past three and a half weeks and it has been horrible. I feel like this might be one of those dangers of studying in a foreign country where everyone is packed in the dorms at close quarters. I went from the flu to sinus and ear infection to a throat virus all without any sort of respite. I rarely ever get sick, but once my immune system is compromised apparently I get incredibly sick. I think I now understand why we got two separate medical lectures at the beginning of the semester.
I have never been to an IU sports game. I know, I’m an awful Hoosier. It’s just that there are a lot of things I’d rather be doing than watch a bunch of sweaty guys run around on a field. One time I went to a Wabash College football game to see the half-time show, so that is my only point of reference when it comes to these things.
My university orientation in Seoul, South Korea, will start in only a few days and I couldn’t be more excited for the bit of normalcy a new school year will bring. I’ve been working and traveling in Seoul for the last two months and the absence of a support system has taken its toll on my sanity.
IU's Office of Overseas Study helps more than 2,500 students earn IU credit by exploring educational opportunities in 40 countries and in 17 languages each year.
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