When the idea of exchange became known to me, there was no question about what university would be the best fit for me and provide me with the best opportunity. Being born and raised by Korean immigrants in Canada, I feel as though I have lacked a large part of who I am in terms of my Korean identity. It was the summer of 2018 before I would be entering my first year of university when I had an unforgettable trip to South Korea. Growing up in a predominantly white community, I had always felt a bit out of place. Being in South Korea made me feel as if I finally belonged in a place that I had for so long been deprived of. So when my grandmother had said to me, “study hard and try to come for exchange in your third year,” that was all I could look forward to and think about. I would have the opportunity to make Korean friends and have an authentic experience as a Korean student, all while improving my own amateur Korean skills. Not only would I be studying in South Korea, but I would be studying at one of the most prestigious universities in the country.

As soon as I was able to apply for exchange for my third year, I had applied for a full-year term at Korea University. Unfortunately, this was also a time when COVID-19 had erupted and changed all of our lives. The full-year term was no longer an option for me as exchange continued to get deferred and I would be graduating next year. It was the waiting game as I had anxiously awaited the decision of the university to inform us on whether exchange would be proceeding or not. It was June 2021 when I had finally received the email that I had been anticipating - the news that exchange would resume! I had begun to prepare and imagine what my new life in South Korea would be like. Of course, the journey of traveling here amid the pandemic with the 14-day quarantine and the ongoing lockdown measures is tough and one that was not in my imagination when I had first applied. Nevertheless, it was and still is worth the experience that I am currently living. It doesn’t affect the ability to study at nice cafes around Seoul, go on lots of walks, and eat great food. Public transport has definitely made it easy for me to explore and make my way around the city. The ability to communicate with lots of Korean friends has definitely been robbed from me as classes have been remote, which is one of the elements that is a great pity. Although COVID-19 has made an impact on the expectations versus the reality of studying and living in Korea, it hasn’t been too much of a disappointment. Classes have been great so far and my love for Korea hasn’t changed. Although it is a shame that I am only able to spend one semester here without the full experience, it has really opened my options of potentially applying to universities in Korea for my graduate studies as well.

This may not have been the exact exchange experience that I had imagined, however, I have learned to make the best of it and will continue to do so. I feel as though I have already benefitted greatly in my two months here as I have improved on my Korean greatly and living here has only strengthened my desire to live here in the future. It still hasn’t hit me that I have been so blessed with this opportunity to live here now; I am truly living my best life despite the pandemic. Being in South Korea and a student at Korea University in and of itself is an opportunity that I am so grateful for.

About the Author

Anna is an exchange student from Queen’s University, Canada. She is a senior who majors in Film and Media.