First of all, I am very grateful to my university for giving us the exchange opportunity during COVID-19 so that we can study at Pukyong National University, a world-renowned university, as exchange students!

Pukyong National University, as its name implies, is truly a highly-internationalized school. After a week’s study, I found out that my classmates were all very good at English, and they did not have much Korean accent when speaking because many of them had studied as exchange students in countries such as Canada and the United States. Nonetheless, many of them are very friendly. Seldom have I met any “cold fish.”

The biggest challenge we have encountered since arriving in the Republic of Korea (ROK) is the language barrier. If you hope to communicate in English all the time, then you might be disappointed. We basically did not have the chance to speak English except when communicating with teachers and classmates, so it is very important to master a country’s language when you are there. Many people may wonder if we can understand what is taught in class. It depends on the instructor. English teachers articulated clearly, so we had no problem understanding most of the contents. However, in specialized courses, since the instructor speaks fast with plenty of terminologies, to be honest, it is difficult to keep up with them, which is challenging.

Lastly, in ourdaily life, the local canteen serves buffet-like meals. There is not much variety, but dishes change almost every day, except kimchi. Although the ROK is facing severe COVID-19 situations, we protect ourselves well and remain active within a safe social distance, hoping to learn valuable lessons here!

Figure 1Sehei (from Japan)on the right and me on the left

Figure 2 Atthe gate of Pukyong National University

Figure 3 With my friends

Figure 4 Mom’s Touch, Wallace of the ROK