Amber Davis
England, South Korea, South Africa
When I boarded the plane for England, I was exhilarated. This was the moment I had been anticipating for month
s, for years, for a lifetime. As I tried to fit my carry-on into the compartment above the seats, I thought back to my mom waving and crying from behind the security checkpoint and of all of the friends that I was leaving behind. At the same time I focused on what was ahead. I was about to fulfill my most desired goal; I never thought I would be able to afford going to college, let alone out of the country. It took so much determination, perseverance, and strength to get to the point where I knew that it was really going to happen. And at that moment when I took my seat on the plane, I entered into a new phase in my life. Studying abroad was singularly the best decision that I have ever made. That is why I chose to work at the Center for International Studies and why I am writing this now: because I believe that studying abroad is something that you not only can do, but should.
Studying abroad in England presented a series of ups and downs. Financially, it was a huge obligation for me. I live very frugally and did not have very much monetary support, which when spending British Pounds Sterling certainly became an obvious concern. However, I anticipated this deficiency and saved as much money from working as I could, and talked in advance with my friend who would be my roommate about how we could try and conserve our spending and still have fun together. I also ended up doing work-study in the Castle to help offset costs. The Center for International Studies and the Office of Financial Aid really helped with this, as I had never previously qualified for work-study as a part of my award package. While I focus on finances a bit, and it was a more difficult aspect of the program to tackle, I did not let it stop me from achieving my goals. I just think that it is important for people planning to study in England to understand that it is a big commitment and requires forethought.
While in abroad, I did more traveling within the United Kingdom during breaks and weekends to further cut down on costs. I also decided to take advantage of the community in Alnwick and I volunteered during the two-week break instead of going to Italy or other countries in Europe as was popular with the rest of the group. In this way, my memories are more focused to where I was living and those local experiences added so much to my studies abroad. Furthermore, I had the honor of being recognized by the Alnwick District Council in Northumberland for my volunteerism and thus formally helped foster the positive relationship between our British Studies Centre and the people around it.
In England, I really appreciated being able to take classes that taught about subjects we would then be able to go explore further on our Friday fieldtrips. Every fieldtrip was to a different location, so you really get to see most of England and the big cities in Scotland as a part of your experience. My favorite field trips were to York (it is a beautiful city), the Lake District (also extraordinarily lovely) and Hadrian’s Wall (a vestige of the Roman Empire).
On the fieldtrips and in Alnwick the British faculty added a lot of cultural expertise, and the two SCSU main campus faculty that went over were always very supportive and continue to be to this day. My home stay family, who invited me over for dinners frequently and took me on outings (such as a celebration of Guy Fawkes Day) were also supportive and just downright amazing, and I only wish that I had told them so more often when I was over in England.
The nightlife in Alnwick provided an opportunity for the students to bond in addition to being able to integrate with
the locals. Popular hangouts included Dirty Bottles, the Squash, and the Hairy Lemon, all of which are shown to you on the town tour during the beginning of the semester. For daytime activities, there are many shops and historical sites in and around Alnwick, it is only a few minutes from beaches on the North Sea, and there are always Saturday markets or festivals coming up. Aside from that, you live in a castle that not only has a great history, but also has been popularized by the media due to productions such as Black Adder and Harry Potter. The Duchess of Northumberland also initiated the creation of one of the most remarkable gardens in the United Kingdom, which are free for SCSU students to visit. There never has to be a quiet moment in Alnwick, but if you want you can always have some down time in the small town.
Alnwick was an incredible opportunity and it having studied abroad not only makes for interesting conversations and great memories, it also opens doorways and gives you a foot up in almost any endeavor. Finances were my biggest personal obstacle, but they are ones that are surmountable. Alnwick is one of the programs that has the most scholarships available from the Center for International Studies, and it is unique in that it is also one of the most cost effective programs because meals and extensive fieldtrips are included with the program cost.
Studying abroad in England was such a sublime experience that it changed my life and also made me want to do it again. It opened my eyes to the wide world out there and I began to research in earnest for another amazing opportunity. What I found was the Global Village Program at Yonsei University in South Korea.
South Korea was never a place I thought to go to, I first heard about it while looking into programs in Japan. What attracted me to the program in South Korea was the fact that it was a culture that I did not know very much about, although it was surrounded by countries I identified as the “East Asian” countries – Japan and China. Furthermore, as I researched the program and the country further I learned about the dichotomy between North and South Korea – one a communist and isolationist country labeled as part of the “axes of evil,” and the other as a modern, technological society that is growing economically at a rate comparable to its neighbors. The thought of going to such a dynamic part of the world became increasingly attractive the 
more that I researched it.
Aside from the culture and society, the actual program I went on was very attractive as well. Yonsei University is one of the three most prestigious universities in South Korea, the other two being Seoul National University and Korea University. In addition to that, the Global Village is part of the Wonju Campus of Yonsei, which is about an hour and a half outside of Seoul. This location was appealing because it was close enough to the city that I could drop in whenever I wanted to (especially with the easily accessible public transportation) but also far enough away from Seoul as to place me in the Chiak Mountains, which would make for some great views and hiking.
The culture, academics, location… everything that makes this program so perfect is augmented by the fact that 
Yonsei University offers a scholarship to every participant in the Global Village Program. This made the goal of studying there even more attainable. Every student on the program is awarded a 3 million Won scholarship (roughly $3,000), and furthermore housing is not charged as part of the program. So all I had to pay for was SCSU tuition and fees, and the flight over. This made it, cost wise, less than a semester here at SCSU while living on campus. The living situation over in Korea was a bit different though – the reason such a nice scholarship is offered is because you are expected to take part in cultural activities and language.
The program has Korean students as roommates of the international students, to help facilitate cultural exchange. While on paper this sounded very nice, in practice it made me a little nervous because I had never really lived with anyone except my good friend from high school who I roomed with in England. I knew that living with people from another culture, who I did not know if I would really even be able to communicate effectively with, might present a challenge. However, I figured that college freshmen do it all of the time – room with a complete stranger. I could manage it as well!
It turned out that not only could I manage it, I ended up becoming very close friends with my roommates. We had so many fun nights sitting up and talking – not only about academics or our living situation, but also about fun little things like similarities and differences between the way people treat dating, women’s rights, politics, and other topics in the US and Korea.
In addition to living with Korean roommates, another stipulation of the Global Village Program was that I would have to take two Korean language courses and a Korean culture course. The two language classes worked hand-in-hand with each other, as they were taught by the same professor, and so they really ended up feeling like one class. We learned how to read, write, and speak basic Korean. While this was not necessary to getting around, it certainly helped in the few occasions we met someone who did not speak English. Also, people love it when you make an attempt to speak their language, and it really helped you connect with the community.
For the Korean culture course we learned Taekkyon, a Korean martial art, and the drumming used in Pungmul, or traditional Korean music. The Korean culture courses were very interesting and were often a time of bonding as the international students 
worked together to learn techniques in the two areas. Some of my favorite class memories come from sitting under the trees and playing drums, with our professor trying to teach the rhythm of a song by teaching us little phrases like “Superman, superman, dut da-da da-da da-da, I am superman!”
Aside from the required courses, most students took one or two additional classes to make 12 or 15 credits. I took a Social Philosophy course and a Korean Political Ethics course, but there were also courses available in Film Studies, Economics, and others. There was a good selection of classes to take in English, but if I had been further along in my major I might have chose to 
go to Yonsei University in Seoul, which has a whole college devoted to courses taught in English. As it is, I was quite happy with the selection. The Social Philosophy class had an amazing Professor who would take us on field trips to the local market, his friend’s restaurant, a temple in the mountains, or even just on trips around campus where we would sit on a hill and discuss the homework and order takeout. The Political Ethics course was a great chance to learn about the political history of Korea and contemporary issues, especially with regards to North Korea.
The weather where I stayed in Korea was pretty comparable to Minnesota. I went during the Fall Semester, and it was hot when I got there and snowing when I left. So when I packed I made sure to bring layers, although there were always good deals on clothing in the various markets and in Seoul. There was air conditioning available in the rooms when we first arrived, and when it got cooler it was really neat because the floors in the dormitory are heated as opposed to central air or hot water pipes.
The Global Village Staff in Korea were extremely helpful in everything. They planned fieldtrips that allowed the GV students to experience cultural treasures and life in Korea and they were always available if any concerns arose. They often had opportunities for additional scholarships to be awarded for helping out around campus with various activities, and provided fun events like the photo contest that was held every week. Overall, I felt extremely taken care of in Korea and out of anywhere else I have been in the world I experienced the most overall hospitality – not only from the staff, students, and university, but also from the culture as a whole. I hope for the opportunity to return someday.
Before I left for Korea, I had already planned to travel to South Africa the semester afterwards with my friends; otherwise I would have tried to stay the whole year in South Korea. I came home from Korea near Christmas time, and was able to meet the newest addition to my family – my nephew Jaedon. It was nice to have the time to visit before I headed out to South Africa in January, and I think that studying abroad really makes you appreciate 
your family a lot more.
Going to South Africa was a new experience not only because I had never been to Africa, but also because I convinced three of my close friends to study abroad there as well. I knew going into the program that because of that fact my experience would be very different. I was worried that because I was going with my friends, I would not feel the need to go out and make new ones or get as involved.
Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University was a great opportunity, though, as I could take any class that the University offered that I met the prerequisites for. I took French, Chemistry, South African Politics and Policy, Intro to Film Studies, and Microeconomics. I hoped to get the last of my general education requirements out of the way while still getting a chance to go abroad. Plus, I could take classes that would apply more directly to my major, since they had the same departments that I needed to take courses from here.
NMMU is located in Port Elizabeth, which is a beautiful coastal city. I had never lived so close to an ocean I could go swimming in every day if I wanted to. I had vague memories from when I went to Florida for vacation as a child, and how much I had disliked the ocean due to its salty taste when it got on my lips. Living in Port Elizabeth really helped solidify a change in my thinking, and now I long for the warm beaches and laid back lifestyle I found there.
The campus at NMMU was a mix of 80’s concrete, square buildings and flowing green tropical trees and shrubbery. Monkeys were as common a sight on campus as squirrels are here at SCSU. The international studies office was helpful and the faculty members were approachable. Class sizes varied from small to auditorium style, similar to here, and testing also varied (although more emphasis was placed on testing in most classes as opposed to homework or attendance).
Because it is in the southern hemisphere, even though I went for our Spring Semester, it was the Fall Semester in South Africa. The weather was very hot when we first arrived and one of my friends ended up getting very sunburned, so we learned quickly to cover up, wear sunscreen, and drink lots of water. While at first it was too warm for me (my favorite season is winter), I adjusted within the first two weeks. Port Elizabeth is known as the windy city, and the breeze certainly helped with the adjustment. By the time I left, I was shivering if the temperature dropped to 60ºF. Luckily, I got to come home to a warm Minnesotan summer – more humid and buggy than the weather was in Port Elizabeth.
Overall, South Africa did turn out to be a great time to bond with my friends, learn about South Africa and the African continent in general, and have a better understanding of humanity. The extra curricula and night life in Port Elizabeth were also a great chance for me to try things I never had before – my friends and I tried everything from ballroom dancing to shark diving to a good South African braai (that is, barbeque). I also did end up making friends outside the group I went with, especially our housemates from Kenya, Namibia, Ireland, England, and Germany.
While I could continue talking about any of my study abroad experiences, I will conclude with the advice I started with – study abroad is something every student should take advantage of. I only brushed the surface of my experiences in England, South Korea, and South Africa. If you ever have any questions, you can always feel free to contact me or the Study Abroad office at studyabroad@stcloudtstate.edu.
Also, if you are interested in England, definitely check out Sierra’s and Adam’s stories, and if you want to go to South Africa you can look at Laura’s. If you’re not sure – pick a place you think you’d like to go and start exploring it now!
