LanguBridge High School Summer Program in Seoul, South Korea

My time spent in Seoul during July of 2017 through the Langubridge program was excellent and life-changing. The primary reason that I enjoyed this program was due to how organized and dedicated the staff was to make the trip a positive learning experience. Months before we left our home country, my friends- who were also attending, were put in contact with a Langubridge representative via email. She was very attentive and understanding of any concerns we had, as she always responded with diligence to our countless questions. Prior to being accepted into the program, I was required to fill out application forms. These forms are not only made to assess the habits and personality of the student but are also to better match students with potential host families. The application process was something that caught my attention because it highlighted the effort that goes into making the student homestay program as seamless as possible. As a result of this my host family and I meshed very well together. Another cool thing about Langubridge is that they do their best to accommodate towards the needs of their students. Since this was my first time traveling abroad, I requested that I stay in a host home along with one of my friends that was going on the trip. Keep in mind that Langubridge does not guarantee that every request will be honored, however I was very grateful to have my request fulfilled. There was also a group Facebook page, and group Kakao Talk that was created by our trip leader, she used this to better keep everyone accounted for. Upon arrival in Seoul, my friends and I were easily able to make our way through customs and locate our host parents. My friend and I were made very comfortable with how kind our host family was. We each had our own room, and a super cute dog named Cream! In the following weeks, we attended language and culture classes at Hanyang University. Our group of 30 students was broken up into smaller classes based on skill level and we went from there. Overall, I will say that the classes were extremely helpful as was our professor. Our teacher was very patient and made sure to take the time to explain each lesson in detail so we got the most out of each class. Aside from classes at the university, we also had daily culture trips around the city. Whether it be to the National Folk Museum of Korea, to one of the world's largest theme parks Lotte World, we were given the experience of a lifetime. It was during these trips that our knowledge was extended beyond the walls of a classroom and into the vibrant social life of Korea. One of the most memorable outings we had was going to MBC and experiencing the technological side of Korean culture. I was even able to make friends with Korean students my age and am still in contact with one of them to this day. This coming July will mark one year since being in Seoul, the trip that changed my life as it opened my eyes to the world around me. Being an ocean away from my home, I learned to assimilate and adapt to new surroundings. I learned to be still and observe the beauty of diversity as people thrive in different cultures. I think that's one of the things that makes this program a stand out- that it's SO much more than just Korean classes. I'm forever grateful to Langubridge for giving me the opportunity to study in such a wonderful place, and gain memories that I will hold onto for a lifetime.

Doing this program I was able to visit South Korea, a country which I had been admiring for about a year. It was in my opinion a very complete program, I had enough time to learn korean and visit different places in the Seoul city (by myself or with friends and also within the program’s schedule).

As for the places visited within the program’s schedule all of them were interested and there were both modern places (as MBC World, Lotte Amusement Park) and historical and cultural destines (like the gyeongbokgung palace, a theatre where we say a musical play, etc.).

As for the language teaching, the classes where really good and varied, there was a lot of vocabulary since it was an intensive language session, and the classes were fun.

The teacher’s and program staff are really nice and intensely welling to help. Doesn’t matter how many questions you ask, they would answer and helo you politely.

Tips: Since the program is done on summer, the temperature in Korea is pretty hot, so it’s better if you take comfortable and cool clothes.
It is a really safe country, so there’s no need to be afraid.
For transportation, busses and subways are the most used, so if there is any issue with these methods, it is preferred that you communicate that to the program so that they find a way to help.
Most food in Korea is spicy, so if you can’t eat spicy foods, make sure to say that to your host family in advance (for home cooked meals) and always ask to waiters in restaurants to bring you non-spicy foods.