Marion Westgate
Degree: Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Education
Which university abroad did you attend? Kyeongpook National University
Which city/country did you go to? Daegu, South Korea
Where did you live when you studied abroad? Dorms
What was the easiest thing when you arrived in South Korea? Getting to Daegu, there is a bus from the Incheon Airport that takes you directly to Daegu.
What did you find different about studying in a South Korea University? Class attendance is mandatory; if you miss seven classes you receive an automatic F.
There are a couple unique traditions at KNU which a birthday jump in the school fountain. While it was not my birthday during my time in South Korea I participated in the jump to support a friend.
Best things about South Korea? Getting around Korea is really easy which allows for convenient travel. There are many unique things about Korea: including Persimmon Wine found in Cheongdo, Ancient Tombs that look like grassy mounds, and lots of temples.
Which courses did you take? I took a Korean Language course, Cultural Life in Korea, 20th Century American Novel, History of Korea, and a Math course.
Which course did you enjoy the most and why? I found the cultural life in Korea the most enjoyable class since it lead to discussions about Korean culture and the difference between Western and Korean culture.
Food you miss the most and could not get in South Korea? I missed being able to bake and cook in Korea. Since we did not have a kitchen we could not cook ourselves. I attempted to bake once at my friend’s house with less than desirable results. I also missed Canadian beef.
What did you miss about Canada when you studied abroad? Weirdly I think I missed the stars and the blue sky, especially while I was taking pictures. I found Asia really grey and not really coming to life until night time. Both the buildings and the sky was grey and at night there was very few stars. I was only able to count a few.
What did you like most about studying abroad? I love being able experience a new culture and meeting other exchange students from various countries.
How many other countries did you visit when you were studying abroad? I visited two other countries: Singapore and Hong Kong/Macau (China).
Do you have any advice to future students, who may wish to study abroad? Go for it. Do not be afraid to try different and experience the culture. It can often lead to very interesting experiences from eating frogs to trying a bug or two.
