Ese Okonigbo, who is a Senior at 蹤獲扦 majoring in Fashion Design, participated in a four-week long academic exchange program during the summer. This summer program takes place yearly at Dankook University in South Korea and includes a four-week academic exchange program that is six credit hours; the program offers courses in Business, Communication, Fashion, History, Korean Language and Culture, and more. Before this academic program, 蹤獲扦 students can also participate in a three-week long teaching internship called the ���Global Village,��� in which students get to teach English language skills to Dankook students.
The two classes that Ese took gave her great memories and opportunities to work with other students.
���We took only a couple of courses while I was there, but I had a great time. They were very interactive, especially the class I took in the afternoon. We always worked in groups, with the courses having a lot of presentations and hands-on work learning how to sew.���
Ese praised everything she got to learn and do in this program, stating that
���I learned a lot, and I still want to go back to South Korea! My favorite thing that I got to do was getting the chance to see the differences between South Korean and American culture. For instance, I learned that it is considered rude to talk on a bus in South Korea. Learning about their history in museums was also great.���
A hanok village, which is a village featuring many restored traditional Korean houses, was one of the locations that Ese loved in South Korea, as she stated that the
���hanok village was my favorite place to explore, as it allowed me to see so much from Korean films and Korean history as a whole.���
Another aspect of the program that Ese enjoyed were the opportunities to interact with other KSU students studying abroad there.
���Spending time there with other 蹤獲扦 students was nice! I met one of my best friends in South Korea. The experience allowed us to bond. I would say that I met some amazing people because of the program.���
Ese made sure to emphasize that the people of South Korea are approachable and kind.
���They were normal people, just like me��� They are very similar to us and nice.���
The program was a great experience for Ese, and she made sure to recommend it highly, stating that students should
���Go for it! You will not regret it.��� She also emphasized that ���One of the things you should know about South Korea is that it���s very safe. Regardless of the time of the day, you can explore the city, be okay, and have fun.���
If you are interested in studying abroad in South Korea, you can learn more about the Dankook University semester and summer program here.