Hi! My name is Lindsay and in the spring I’ll be studying abroad in Seoul, South Korea.  I’m majoring in International Politics, so naturally I’m studying abroad (in a place that seems to be having some political issues… good for my major?).  Currently I’m a junior at Penn State, and hopefully after studying abroad I’ll still be able to graduate on time.  My family lives in State College, so this will be a pretty big trip for me (other than the previous two times I’ve studied abroad).  This will however be the furthest I’ve ever been away from home.  I’m really going to miss my family and friends, but I’m excited to do something different for a semester away from Penn State and State College.  So everyone should come visit me while I’m gone!

I decided I wanted to study abroad a long time ago, however it took me a long time to decide where I wanted to go.  I’ve already studied abroad in Germany twice, so I wanted to go somewhere different.  However, other than not wanting to go to a German speaking country, I had no clue where I wanted to go.  After looking at programs in Senegal, Norway, Australia and as a last resort, even Germany, and after finding reasons why I shouldn’t go to each of those places, I finally decided Korea was where I wanted to go.

I looked at the program page and the pictures they had on the page looked pretty cool.  The one problem I had, and still have, with studying abroad in a place like Korea is that I don’t know any Korean.  I’m hoping with the time that I have before leaving I’ll be able to pick a little bit up, but really I’m going to rely on the kindness of Koreans to help me with the language barrier.  I’m really excited to be going somewhere so different and exciting, but I won’t lie, I’m a little nervous to be going to a place that seems to be having some sorta scary problems.  But I’m hoping by February things will have calmed down enough that my mother will allow me to go without worrying too much, and things will be safe there for me as well.  As far as I know there’s only one other student from Penn State (UP) going to Sogang University, so I’ll definitely be making some new friends while I’m gone!

I’m excited to go to a place unlike any other I’ve been to before, and I’m looking forward to all the new things I’ll get to learn about and experience. Hopefully my next post will be from somewhere exciting in Seoul!

This is going to be my home for five months! Just a little bit different than State College…
I think Seoul is bigger than any place I’ve ever been before.

Location: State College, PA