Hey everyone! My name is Erika Noda. I'm from Japan and studying Theatre Arts at the University of Oregon. I’ve always been obsessed with Korean culture. Even before heading to the U.S. for college, I wanted to study abroad in Korea. But for my future career, I decided to go to an English-speaking university first. Still, I couldn't let go of my dream of studying in Korea. Now, while still in a U.S. university, I finally decided to do an internship and study program in Seoul. I could have just taken language classes at a regular university, but I wanted actual work experience that would look good on my resume, so I chose an internship program instead.
When I first got to Seoul, I was honestly surprised. Parts of it felt familiar since it's in Asia, but I quickly noticed little differences in daily habits compared to Japan. The hardest thing for me right now is switching languages in my head. Before, I mostly just needed English, but here I have to use my third language (Korean) more than half the time, which can be pretty draining. That said, my office uses both English and Korean pretty equally, so I see it as a huge plus, and I try to talk to as many people as possible every single day to get more practice in.
Another big surprise was how international the IT and entertainment companies are here. Whenever I head out for lunch, I see people from all over the world hanging around the office. The industry is genuinely pushing to go global. At the same time, Seoul is such a fast-paced city. People are always in a rush - you can see everyone speed-walking through the subway stations and hear car horns honking on the streets. Everyone is just working hard and trying to make the most of their time.
For anyone with similar goals who wants to study abroad: don't stress too much if you feel overwhelmed by cultural differences at first. The world is super globalized now, and Korea is a place that really welcomes different cultures. Of course, that doesn’t mean you should just do things your own way. It’s super important to learn the local rules and manners beforehand and be respectful. If you do that, people will naturally be curious about your background and welcome you in.
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Study abroad life isn't always sunshine and rainbows. There are definitely rough days, but instead of just stressing out, try to roll with the punches and have fun with the process. I really believe that when you look back later, you'll smile and be so glad you took a chance on this!
-Erika Noda, Diverse Ducks Ambassador
GlobalWorks Internship in Seoul, South Korea