For 8 immersive weeks over the summer, I had the amazing opportunity to study abroad in Seoul, South Korea — learning more about my own culture, studying with new faces from Harvard, and making lifelong friendships with intelligent and empowering women from Ewha University.
Growing up in a predominantly white neighborhood, I was never given the opportunity or resources to explore my Korean identity. By engaging in this program, I was able to not only visit my home country for the first time, but truly experience all aspects of life in Korea. Whether it be exploring Busan on one of our weekly field trips, trying yukhoe (Korean seasoned raw beef) in authentic Korean restaurants, exploring the nightlife in a city that never sleeps, or even just stopping by a GS25 to pick up a late night bowl of ramen with my friends, I know that these will become fond memories that I will keep with me for a lifetime.
Having already taken two semesters of the Korean language course at Harvard, I was excited to enhance my speaking, listening, and writing skills with Korean 120A. Not only was every class filled with laughter and smiles, but this course has allowed me to grow immensely in my Korean proficiency, and I was able to apply what I learned to my everyday conversations. Speaking with taxi drivers about their lives in Korea, conversing with new friends on the streets of Hongdae, or even asking strangers for directions became a new norm that I never thought possible. Taking Korean 120A in Korea was truly an unforgettable experience, and reassured my desire towards attaining a Korean citation in my final two years at Harvard. Added bonus: being able to show off my full potential in rapping Lisa’s verse in “DDU-DU DDU-DU” at late night noraebangs was also a huge plus!
Taking Dr. Park’s “GOVT S-1763: Thinking Out of the Box — Exploring New Insights into North Korea” was another fruitful and unforgettable experience. As a biology concentrator, and having never taken a government course before, I was overwhelmed with feelings of
nervousness and excitement coming into this class. But I can confidently say that more than a “government” course, it is a course about thinking critically, growing as a public speaker, and learning how to effectively work with your peers. Whether it was discussing and presenting
about the primary sources we had read the night before with our fellow classmates, engaging with guest speakers (one of which was an actual North Korean defector!), gathering information for our research papers, or digesting the fascinating developments of North Korea-China
relations and the North Korean economy, I not only gained valuable insights about the contemporary state of affairs in North Korea, but also learned what it truly means to be a student and team player, taking skills with me that I know will serve useful in and outside of the classroom.
As I enter my junior year of college, and serving as the Harvard Korean Association President this coming year, I cannot wait to share my experiences with my peers and take what I’ve learned to create exciting new events for the rest of the Korean community on campus. Furthermore, coming back home and being able to hold a meaningful conversation with my grandparents has made this experience all the more worthwhile. I cannot thank this program
enough for the way it has allowed me to learn, grow, and appreciate my Korean identity, and I cannot wait to apply what I have learned — both academically and personally — throughout my life beyond.
Thank you to the Harvard Summer School, Harvard Korean Program, Korea Institute, Ewha Womans University, and all of the professors, program directors, and teaching fellows that made this experience possible. This was truly the best summer of my life, and I know I will
forever remember the amazing memories I made with everyone in this program.