Going on an exchange was an easy decision for her as she had been dreaming about it for a long time. She chose South Korea as her exchange destination because of her strong interest in Asia and its cultures. South Korea is a very safe and diverse country, which made the selection process even easier.
At SAMK, all students have the opportunity to undertake an exchange abroad. Although an exchange requires a great deal of planning and preparation, SAMK supports students in these situations. Personal preparation involves mental readiness and learning about the future host country and its culture.
– I looked up information about South Korea, its culture and customs, so that the culture shock wouldn’t be so overwhelming when the exchange started.
The biggest difference compared to Finnish culture is the importance of hierarchy. In South Korea, a person’s age, status and position in the social hierarchy affect both working life and everyday life. Great respect is shown to older people and those higher up in the hierarchy; for example, food is served to older people first. South Korea is a highly collectivistic society, where family expectations strongly influence individuals’ choices, and collective opinions often take precedence over individual ones.
Vera’s exchange began in August a year ago. It lasted for two semesters, and she returned to Finland last summer. The full academic year exchange was made possible by courses that were part of the curriculum and could also be studied at a South Korean university.
Before leaving, her expectations for the coming year were high, as was her excitement. The departure itself was not bittersweet, as she had been looking forward to the exchange for so long.
Everyday life at a South Korean university
The study environment in South Korea is very different from that in Finland. The campus had numerous restaurants and cafés, and the dormitories were located right next to the campus. Vera shared a room with another Finnish exchange student.
– The evaluation is strict, and only a few per cent of the class can get a full A, which is comparable to a grade of five in Finland. The courses are not easy to pass, and grades are largely based on exams.
A large part of free time was spent on independent study or group work, but there was still time for various hobby clubs and, for example, picnics with friends on the banks of the Han River.
For exchange students, the language of instruction at the university was English, except in Korean language courses. Even though most teaching takes place in English, it is still useful to learn Korean, as you will likely need it in your free time.
Opportunity to travel and see outside Seoul in your free time
During the exchange, you can travel with friends and see more of South Korea. Vera travelled outside the capital city of Seoul to different cities, such as Busan and the famous Jeju Island. During the spring semester, she also had time to fly to Japan to visit her Finnish classmate, who was spending their exchange year in the neighbouring country. Vera had also considered Japan as a destination for an exchange.
South Korea has a good public transport system and, if necessary, it is easy to rent a car, so travelling and exploring new places doesn’t require much effort.
– The exchange experience has been enriching, as I now have a large network of friends all around the world, Vera says.
An exchange year broadens horizons and opens new opportunities
Vera feels that the exchange year taught her a lot. The exchange helped her become more independent and build self-confidence. After spending a year in South Korea, she can imagine herself living and working abroad. Studying abroad also strengthens language skills. At the moment, Vera is living in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and has just graduated from Emirates Aviation College as a flight attendant. The training is demanding and lasts about two months, so the exchange also prepared her well for this. Vera is also working on her thesis while working.
– I believe that my exchange year on my CV was an advantage for me when I was interviewed for a job at Emirates.
Vera recommends going on an exchange to everyone, as it offers the chance to learn more about oneself while seeing the world.
– My advice is: don’t doubt yourself and always stay open-minded. If I hadn’t had this attitude, I don’t think I would have experienced or seen half of the things I did during my exchange year.
Vera Karttunen
- Third-year student of International Tourism Management.
- Exchange year at Konkuk University in South Korea.
- Writing her thesis in Dubai while working as a flight attendant for Emirates.
