Nisreen Shiban, '17, Harvard Summer School in Seoul Program, Summer 2015

After taking Korean for a year, I applied to Ewha-Harvard Summer School Program in Film, and Korean Culture and Language, in the hopes that going to Korea would improve my speaking skills in the language. But this program did so much more. EHSSP helped me gain a profound understanding of a culture I initially thought was very different from my own and allowed me to make friendships that would not have been possible otherwise.

The film and sociology course was an interesting and effective way of combining a new skillset using a camera to film along with an appreciation of the culture. Filming a documentary about a topic related to Korean culture forced us to examine firsthand the sociological aspects we discussed in class. Topics about the rapid modernization and progress after the 1960s and the political turbulence during the Japanese colonialization and the Korean War and its aftermath could be gauged based on the interviews for our film and the conversations we had with people during our wonderful class excursion.

My filming group and I decided to film the working culture that helped Korea develop into the strong economy it is today. Filming required that we travel throughout Seoul and examine the everyday life of Korean workers. We visited the historical Bukchon Hanok Mauel as well as Gyeongbokgung Palace. The hospitality and kindness of the Korean people made the experience even more enlightening and enjoyable.

Along with the TA and my Korean friends, I went to the Namsan Seoul Tower, the Coex aquarium and the Han River; and visited and shopped at Insadong, Myeongdong, and Dongdaemun. During our class’s excursion week, I meditated in Naksansa Temple and hiked and swam under a waterfall in Seoraksan Mountain. Upon the invitation of a Korean friend, we travelled to the southern half of South Korea and spend a weekend in Busan. Swimming along the beaches of Busan and eating delicious fresh raw fish were unforgettable experiences. This journey has given me a greater appreciation of other cultures and a chance to make friendships that could last for life. The memories I have made during my time in the Ewha-Harvard Summer School Program are very valuable to me, and I truly appreciate having been given this extraordinary opportunity.