Finding Myself in Busan: A Journey Beyond My Comfort Zone
Hear from Darien Lima BSc (Honours) in Culinary Management student, as he recounts his unforgettable exchange experience at Dong-A University in Busan, South Korea.,
For my exchange, I decided to go to Busan, Korea. The reason for my decision was because of my interest in Korean culture and lifestyle. I had previously lived in Seoul, Korea, at a younger age, so the environment was not entirely new to me, yet this time I was moving to Korea for 4 months alone without knowing anybody at all.
In terms of academics. I would say the classes were well taught, and the professors were very knowledgeable and helpful to our every need. It felt somewhat different compared to back in my home country, as I was in a different environment and dozens of Korean words were written everywhere, which felt a bit overwhelming.
The culture was a lot different compared to Malaysia. First, the way people dressed was a lot more different. In Malaysia, everyone wears whatever they feel like wearing, but in Korea, there is somehow an unwritten rule to wear only plain colours like black, white, blue, and grey. I also noticed that there were karaoke rooms everywhere, and the nightlife there was bustling with designated streets where bars, clubs, karaoke rooms, marts, and restaurants were open until early morning.
I faced a few challenges, with one being the language barrier. With my poor knowledge of the Korean language, and as most locals were unable to speak English, it was hard to communicate. Even though I had a basic understanding of how to read Korean, I had trouble speaking it as well as understanding it. Over time, I picked up more of the language and became more comfortable while conversing with the locals, and I learned that it would be better to learn the language of the country you are about to study in.
I also faced a challenge where I鈥檓 usually a very introverted person, so making friends from different countries with different cultures and personalities was extremely hard for me. But it was lopsided when I went out of my comfort zone to converse with the others, which ended up with me having more friends. I learned that no matter how hard it is to reach out and connect with people that you have never met before, it is important to be confident and open to new friendships, as it would make your exchange life so much more fun.
Throughout this exchange, I feel like it helped me to feel more comfortable with being myself and to have the confidence to go out there and make new friends. I believe that after partaking in this exchange programme, I managed to learn a lot from other cultures, and that in itself is a memorable journey of growth I have gone through as a person.