MAJOR: Biological Sciences/Molecular Biology

PROGRAM: SSA – Sungkyunkwan University, South Korea

EMAIL: ashley.sosa@sjsu.edu

BIO: Hey! My name is Ashley Sosa and I’m a third year majoring in molecular biology. I am both a first-generation college student and a first-generation American. I’ve always had a strong interest in other languages and cultures, which contributed to my desire to study abroad. I wanted to experience life in another country. However, due to my major and other reasons, most semester-long programs weren’t an option for me. I was so happy to find a program in South Korea (a country I already wanted to visit) that worked with my schedule and allowed me to study a language I’m interested in. It was an incredible and highly enlightening experience! I did and saw quite a bit, and yet there’s still so much I would like to go back and do someday.

LEADER, VOLUNTEER, OR JOB EXPERIENCES: I’ve volunteered as a tutor and written for a magazine. At one point I also ran a small online business.

GOALS: One goal I set for myself before studying abroad was to explore as much of Seoul as possible, along with other cities such as Busan. I wanted to learn more about Korean culture and do well in my class. I wanted to make some new friends, but I also wanted to be more comfortable with going out and exploring on my own. Another personal and professional goal I set for myself was to be able to hold a basic conversation in Korean by the end of the summer. I believe I accomplished all of these.

ACADEMICS: I took a beginner Korean language course. There were around 20 students in the class, and the instructor was a native Korean. Most of the grade was based on the final exam. To ensure my academic success I attended all classes on time, participated in class activities and group work, reviewed my notes after most classes, and studied with friends. While studying Korean I noticed some similarities between Korean and Japanese (which I’m currently studying at SJSU). These similarities have helped me make connections between the two languages as well as better remember vocabulary and grammar structures.

At the Namsan Tower

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: Through SKKU I was able to participate in various highly insightful cultural activities, including exploring Gyeongbokgung Palace, looking for clams in Incheon, visiting the National Museum of Korea, participating in a K-pop dance class, and attending The Painters show. On my own and with friends, I explored various areas of Seoul and some of Busan. One of my favorite activities we did was going to a noraebang (karaoke) and singing together as a group. I also tried various Korean foods, such as bibimbap, and made an effort to speak Korean whenever I could. Being immersed in Korean culture helped me have a much better understanding of the culture and language overall. One of the things that stood out to me the most and gave me a new perspective was safety in South Korea. There’s obviously still crime and you should still be careful, but it was really interesting to see how people often left their belongings alone at times. I also met students from all over the world, and my fellow classmates helped further broaden my worldview and teach me more about other cultures.

CAREER: One skill I sharpened during the program was respectfully interacting with others and respecting their cultures (both Korean and others). A second skill I strengthened was reaching out to people and making new friends more easily. I interacted with a large number of new people throughout the program, and I soon learned how to quickly introduce myself. This has been very helpful now that a new semester has started, such as when meeting new classmates or reaching out to different graduate schools for more information. I know I will continue to use this in my future career. I also learned how to better adapt to unexpected situations and travel on my own. Time management and finding a balance between studying, hanging out with friends, and exploring the city is yet another skill I was able to improve that I think will be very useful during the rest of my time at SJSU and beyond.

PERSONAL GROWTH:  think one of the biggest impacts this trip had on me was increased confidence that I can travel and navigate life in a foreign city on my own. This was my first solo trip ever, and the fact that it was an international trip to a country across the world made me even more nervous. When I was first accepted into the program, I actually questioned if I should even go. I’m so glad I did because it was such an amazing experience and I was able to grow so much. At the start of my trip, I was anxious about public transportation – where to take buses and subways, how to pay for them, where to get off, how to reload my T-money card, and so on. But by the time I left South Korea I felt really comfortable commuting around Seoul by both bus and subway. I think the other big impact studying abroad had on me was in terms of how much I interacted with new people. Before going abroad I usually preferred to keep to myself, but throughout the program I talked to and hung out with so many more people than I ever would have at home. Playing cards with some of the other students in the dorms quickly became one of my favorite activities to do at night.

IDENTITIES: Each of my identities affected my study abroad experience differently. As a young woman, I feel like I always have to be extra careful when I’m out. This was still true in South Korea and I was still cautious, but overall I felt very comfortable exploring unfamiliar areas and walking around late at night (both in small groups and on my own). As someone who is visibly not Korean, before studying abroad I already expected to stand out. While walking around Seoul I would sometimes notice people staring at me. But as I became more familiar with Seoul and more accustomed to people staring at me, this bothered me less. So while it didn’t become less visible to others, in a way, it felt less visible to me. And although I’m queer, people rarely realize unless I tell them directly – therefore, it didn’t impact the way strangers interacted with me. However, it did help me connect with many students in the program. It was nice to meet so many queer people from all around the world.

FUTURE: I believe I’m better prepared to understand and respectfully interact with people from all cultures, which is something I’ll be doing on a daily basis in my intended career. Increased confidence in myself and experience interacting with new people more frequently will also help me as I apply to different graduate schools and jobs. My ability to navigate unfamiliar and unexpected situations, as well as live in an unfamiliar city, will help me if I relocate in the future.

TIPS: Talk to people, particularly other international students! Most are friendly and want to make new friends. Speak the language as much as possible, even if you only know a few words or phrases. In my experience, most locals greatly appreciate it. Explore the country as much as possible – if you can, visit cities or countries other than the one you’re studying in. Some professors might be able / willing to recommend places to visit. I also recommend keeping a travel journal of some sort and/or documenting your trip as much as possible with photos and videos – it’s something nice to look back on once you return home. If you plan on doing Summer School Abroad at SKKU, I highly recommend doing the pre-session if you are able. It allows you to form closer bonds with some of the international students, participate in more cultural activities, and stay in South Korea for longer. And no matter what country or program you choose, enjoy your time there!