Julie Ngauv, '20, 2018 Harvard Summer School in Seoul Program
Before I was even certain about my concentration or what kind of classes I wanted to take, I knew that one of the things that I definitely wanted to do at Harvard was study abroad. I’ve always dreamed of travelling and seeing the world—trying new things and altering my perspective on the mundane. Having been able to spend eight wonderful weeks in South Korea this summer, I can say that studying abroad fulfilled those expectations and taught me more than I realized it would.
People often return from study abroad experiences waxing poetic about how their life was changed or how they had a sudden epiphany that changed everything for them—Korea did not suddenly inspire me to change my career path, but it did allow me to distance myself from the usual humdrum of daily life at home in Massachusetts, and allowed me to carve out my own experiences in a brand new environment. I feel very lucky to have been able to experience a culture that is entirely new to me, immerse myself in Korean language studies, and visit amazing places (some historic, some scenic, many both).
This particular program was unique in that I was able to room with an Ewha Womans University student who also acted as my language partner. Our Korean cinema class, Korea Reborn, was also taken in conjunction with Ewha students. Over the course of roughly a month, I felt like I was able to bond and become friends with a lot of Ewha students both in and outside of class, and I think that in the end, being able to practice speaking Korean with them helped me to learn a lot. I feel like I’ve definitely been able to make lifelong friends and amazing memories!
Through things like language partner trips (or just hanging out with the Ewha students), I was able to explore Seoul in a way that I would not have been able to on my own. Our cinema class projects also allowed lots of insight into different aspects of Korean culture, encouraging us to interview people on the street in order to gauge their opinions on aspects of society (my project group researched the growing prevalence of single culture in Korea). I never felt that I had trouble communicating or getting around Seoul, despite initially feeling too intimidated to use my elementary level Korean.
Although I arrived in Korea unsure of whether I was going to continue learning Korean at Harvard, I left certain that I would continue in some way. In light of Korea’s changing political situation, being able to speak Korean might be useful for the future. But more pertinently, speaking Korean makes being in Korea and experiencing Korean culture a much more immersive and fulfilling experience.
Being abroad in a foreign country for the first time was also an important growth experience that I’m glad I was able to have as part of my undergraduate years. It allowed me to think more critically about American culture as well as the Chinese-Cambodian culture I was raised in, and allowed me to learn about the functioning of a society different from my own. Experiences that allow us to immerse ourselves in differences are valuable for the same reason that things like diversity are valuable—they ask us to challenge our thoughts and way of life, and they ask us to consider that our customs and concerns are not the most prominent ones on Earth. Studying abroad is something that I wish everyone were able to experience.
Finally, I would like to thank David Rockefeller as well as the Korea Institute for making this past summer possible for me. Just as importantly, this program could not have happened without the hard work of those at the Korea Institute, and for that I am endlessly grateful.