Sinan Island, South Korea

My spectacular day in Sinan could only provide a glimmer of how amazing my study abroad trip in South Korea is going so far. If you could only walk in my shoes, you just might see why I decided to study in South Korea once again. The beautiful cities, unique culture, my amazing teaching job, and interesting classes and professors make up only half of my remarkable experience living and studying in South Korea. The other half, of course, are filled with the lifelong friends that I have had the pleasure and privilege of sharing this journey with thus far. We started off as strangers but by tackling the Korean language barrier, getting lost in travels, celebrating birthdays, meeting new people, and sharing our cultures with each other, together we have picked each other up and grew along the way.

However, there is a dark side to studying abroad. Yes, we lament over financial issues we college students must encounter, grumble over cafeteria food, complain about our academic struggles, and of course, occasionally quibble with each other. But the dangerous and unpredictable nightmare that is study abroad is without a doubt saying goodbye when it is all over. We have a little over a month left with each other but this simply means that now, more than ever, we must make every day count. Visiting Sinan today is an exemplary portrayal of this.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

More pictures here!

Exams are finally over so now I have the final lap until finals. For the first half of the semester, my mind has been preoccupied with my transfer university but now all I truly care about is making sure I’m living each day by making the most with my friends!

Singapore, Australia, and South Korea: in pictures

chuuuuu

chuuuuu

Did you know that South Korea’s Spring semester starts in March? I didn’t, and as a result I’ve had the pleasure of fitting in two month’s worth of vacation under my belt. All of January was spent interning at the Smithsonian Office of Fellowships and Internships and the Museum Support Center and February was when the traveling began.

I went to Singapore not only to attend Yale-NUS’s Visit Day but also visit my cousin’s family who so graciously took us in and gave us a tour of some of the great tourist sites of Singapore such as Universal Studios, the Aquarium, and the Esplanade, amongst others.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAIMG_2624

Afterwards I spent an amazing week in Sydney with my cousins whom I met for the first time! OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Bondi Beach

Bondi Beach

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Taronga Zoo, Sydney

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Happy Birthday Andrew!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Heading downtown in Gwangju

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

lol my korean buddy

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Professor Grotjohn, American professor here at Chonnam National University, took the North American students out to dinner! Thank you!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Invited to speak at GFN Radio!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Surprise birthday present for Rizki :-)

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

노래방!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Scavenger hunt in Yeongnam!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAThe past couple of weeks have included:

  • visting Gwangju International Center downtown
  • Dinner with Professor Grotjohn
  • speaking as a guest on GFN 98.7 FM
  • visiting Seoul and Chuncheon
  • rizki’s surprise birthday visit and noraebang celebration
  • AND MUCH MORE!

Most of my adventures have been recorded on my travel blog (azurinj.studentsgoneglobal.com) including some brief commentary on North Korea and more pictures. Take a looooooooook. Also teaching this semester is going well.

More pictures here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeresnack/

Teach and Learn in Korea interview and application tips

This has been one crazy ride of a semester. From driving five hours every weekend to DC, grad school interviews, TEDxVirginiaTech, teaching, and balancing out school, work, and study abroad/internship applications, I’m glad to finally say I’m almost over. While I don’t have any final exams or assignments, I’m staying here in Blacksburg for an extra week because I want to earn some extra money because I’ll be interning at the Smithsonian again over break.

Continue reading

TEDxVirginiaTech, Pamplin Leadership Development Conference, Peace Conference

Blurry but ready to start the event!

Continue reading

Annyong Haseyo!

Don’t know if I said that right but hello from Chuncheon, South Korea! I’m in my dorm now after riding three grueling hours from the airport this morning. I’ve met some of the other students and got to go shopping for some supplies I needed since my bag didn’t arrive from the US, so I’m living out of my hand carry which consists of thre shirts, two pieces of underwear, and shorts.

SK has been good to me thanks to our hosts (especially my awesome roomate) but the homesickness is kicking in. I’m starting to feel vulnerable since my bag hasn’t arrived yet and I don’t speak a lick of Korean. But I’m not going to let that get in the way of enjoying an awesome time here in SK! I even got to taste authentic Korean BBQ!