Making New Friends — and Making a Difference — in Korea

It has been about a month since I arrived here and I can’t believe it has been that long. I must admit that I miss my parents, my friends and my school.

Despite the nostalgia, I could not be happier about finally accomplishing my dream of studying in South Korea. I am loving my experience so far and I am anxious to keep learning and discovering more about this beautiful country.

At SDSU, I had never taken a proactive role to be part of the campus community — not because I didn’t care or want to, but because of other responsibilities. However, to make the most of my experience in Korea, I decided to be part of a club where I could feel involved and establish friendships with Korean students.

This New Korean Life! 🇰🇷

“Why Korea?!” was the most common reaction when I told my family and friends about my desire to study abroad in South Korea. But honestly! There are many reasons to why I chose to come here.

During high school I was able to meet a few Korean international students who I became really good friends with. My friends were eager to learn about American culture and my Mexican culture just as much I was to learn from them and get a peek at the other side of the world. I was introduced to the tangy flavor of kimchi and their colorful cuisine, and got also invited to spend some family dinners with them and talk about life in Korea and places to visit.

Before I knew it, I was in love with their culture!