After a couple of hectic days as an unadjusted stranger in a new place, we finally got settled in the Republic of Korea (ROK). Now I have been atPukyong National University for two weeks. Here are some of my thoughts and impressions:

Life-wise, Pukyong National University provides cozy and convenient accommodations for international students. The canteen in our apartment serves three meals a day. At first, I looked forward to the delicious food off campus. But after the mid-autumn break when the canteen was closed, I realized how important it was to provide us with nutritious and affordable meals regularly. I didn’t even have to worry about what to eat! My dormitory is a double room with great sound insulation and an all-around-the-clock supply of hot water. The comfort and convenience in life seem to have improved my learning efficiency.

Language-wise, before coming tothe ROK, I was confident that knowing English was enough. However, it turned out I was too naive. Although at school I usually communicate in English withteachers and classmates, I gradually found out that the Japanese and Korean students around me can speak at least three languages. For example, in my group, the Korean and Japanese students can speak each other’s languages, which makes it much more convenient for them to get the message across. Secondly, when we do shopping outside the campus, it is difficult to communicate with business owners simply in English. We had to cram for a few daily expressions in Korean. With the help of photo translation and software for speech recognition interpretation, we no longer had to worry about any language barriers.

Figure 1 Group photo with Chinese and Japanese exchange students from the CAMPUS Asia program at the gate of Pukyong National University

Figure 2 Photo of me at theinternational student apartment (double room) of Pukyong National University