Hello! It’s great to meet you all in this class. I’m an exchange student from South Korea, and being here in San Diego has been so much fun! I actually studied in California when I was 11, but it has been seven years since I last visited the U.S. Experiencing both the Asian and American education systems has shown me how important interaction with professors can be. In our first class, I was surprised at how active and lively the discussion was. I hope this exchange experience helps me become more extroverted and gain many new perspectives by talking and sharing ideas with all of you.
I also really enjoy learning new languages! These days, I’m interested in Japanese and Spanish. I believe language has a lot of power, especially being able to communicate with others in their own language is truly wonderful. When I travel, I can feel the difference between knowing and not knowing the local language, and I think it opens the door to various opportunities. It also allows me to connect more deeply with a culture and understand better and embrace its differences.
I’m especially happy to be in San Diego, where I can use my English, even if it’s not perfect. I love hearing different stories from people of various cultures, and I think that is what really helps me expand my knowledge and perspective. The weather here is also amazing and I’m so jealous! In South Korea, summers are so humid that it sometimes feels hard to breathe. One big difference I’ve noticed between South Korea and the U.S. is that in America, people seem less concerned about what others are doing. I think that’s why it feels easier to just be yourself here, which I find really impressive.
Finally, I should mention that I love music so much! I grew up listening to Taylor Swift, and she’s still one of my favorite artists today. Music is such a big part of my life that I almost always have my AirPods in. I hope we can share some great songs with each other and have many interesting conversations throughout this semester!