“Scenery is quite different from home university and very beautiful”

Student of Cultures and Languages of East Asian Countries// VMU Bilateral Exchange studies in Republic of Korea, Chonnam National University

Describe how you value your experience abroad.

Although there was a limit of English courses at Chonnam National University for my study field personally, the overall learning experience is good. Accommodation is nice, the rooms are bright and comfortable, and we all have our own separate bathrooms as well as a balcony. There are excursions as well as all kinds of offers for students. The coordinators are helpful and usually answer very fast. Overall, this experience is an amazing opportunity and I could not be happier to have chosen to do this.

What surprised you the most in the beginning?

How polite some people can be although they are shy or can’t speak English. Also, since in Lithuania we do not have any mountains, South Korea is a country of mountains. Even though my window, I can see mountains in the distance so the scenery is quite different from my home university and very beautiful. Overall, it was kind of a shock to see everything written in Korean around you in the beginning, as well as see the change in scenery and surroundings, but I grew accustomed to seeing the Korean language everywhere and it feels like it can’t be any different.

Describe study quality abroad and its differences from Vytautas Magnus University.

I am unsure if it’s because I am an exchange student in South Korea or not, but studies here are easier than at Vytautas Magnus University. I do not get a lot of homework, not all lectures have midterms so it takes off some stress living in a new country gives you. However, the time I spend in lectures here is longer than in VMU, my classes start at 15:00 usually and end at around 20:00 with barely any breaks in between. So, although the studies are quite easy, you do get tired from continuous learning with short breaks.

Did you have a mentor abroad? In what kind of matters did he/she help you?

I did have a “buddy” and she helped me with registering for classes as well as dropping out or adding classes. Also, buddies can help with everything that bothers you, even something personal.