Hello! My name is Emily Jimenez, and I am a Biotechnology major. During my third year, I had the incredible opportunity to study abroad at Yonsei University in South Korea. My fascination with studying abroad started at a young age.
I began to dream of studying abroad when I was in middle school. I vividly remember the moment my sister told me about her friend who was studying abroad in Spain. The idea of exploring a new country while enhancing your education completely captivated me. From that point on, I couldn’t stop imagining what my adventure might look like. I researched tirelessly, hoping to make it happen one day – and that dream finally became a reality.
I remember begging my sister to tell me everything about her friend’s experience in Spain – how they managed it, what social life was like, and how long they’d be there. I must have asked a million questions! Eventually, my sister decided to take the leap herself and studied abroad in Spain during her sophomore year of high school. I was thrilled for her and couldn’t wait for her to return home with stories and pictures from her week-long adventure. Her experience fueled my desire to create my very own journey abroad. I even tried to take that step in high school when I heard about the Spanish department organizing a trip to the Dominican Republic, and I was immediately intrigued and eager to join. Unfortunately, life had other plans and I had to move away from my childhood home and finish high school in a new city. It was disappointing, but I never let go of my dreams. I told myself I would find another way, even if it had to wait until college.
After high school, I chose the community college path to save money before transferring to a four-year institution. I knew my time as a transfer student would be limited but my determination to study abroad never wavered. As soon as I arrived at UC Santa Cruz, I attended Cornucopia and finally found the Global Learning team to ask about more information and resources available on getting started. I could feel myself getting closer to finally making my dream come true. Jumping from appointment to appointment, I finally decided to study abroad during my summer break in South Korea with UCEAP. The reason behind my decision to go to South Korea was through the media, the cinema, music, food, and culture, really, was what captivated me and I wanted to experience it all myself. The moment I received my acceptance letter, I couldn’t wait to share the news and immediately called my whole family to tell them. When the day came for me to leave, it was bittersweet. My family struggled to accept that I’d be so far away and while I was excited, I also felt a wave of sadness knowing I’d miss them terribly. My family and I are very close and my move to UCSC was hard on them. Nonetheless, they supported me because they knew it was going to benefit me in the future and were proud of me for achieving this long-term goal even if it meant not seeing each other for 3 months.
After a grueling 12-hour flight, I was hit with another wave of anxiety as the reality of being so far from home, in a country where I didn’t speak the language, began to sink in. Thankfully, a friend I knew from UC Santa Cruz lived in Korea and offered to pick me up from the airport, which made all the difference in easing my transition. In Korea, I was fortunate to stay in the SK Global House dormitory on campus, which had amazing amenities including a cafe, restaurant, and 24-hour convenience store all in the same building. My roommate, a UC Irvine student, and I immediately hit it off and discovered we had much in common. With just one day to settle in before classes began, I quickly realized the academic environment would be a bit different. For instance, attendance is crucial because even missing one day of class could impact your grades significantly.
One of my professors was a UC Davis Alumni who grew up in Santa Cruz, which made the transition easier. While the teaching style was familiar, the class content was personally challenging, and balancing coursework with the urge to explore was tough. I often had to dedicate nights to focus on studying even when I wanted to enjoy the new life around me.
During class, I used every chance to make friends, inviting people to hang out to make the most of our short time together. Those moments were unforgettable and I cherished every connection. My roommate and I created a personal itinerary to explore Korea during our six-week stay. We visited unique cafes, explored an aquarium, and went to the country’s tallest skyscraper, Lotte World Tower, which stands 123 stories high. The two of us interacted with exotic animals and even traveled to Busan, four hours outside of Seoul. Korea’s public transportation system was surprisingly easy to navigate, feeling just as familiar as it would in the U.S. Using Naver, the country’s navigation app, I could easily find bus, train, and subway routes. While exploring, I was aware of the language barrier, but I refused to let it stop me from creating meaningful memories. I reminded myself that many other international students were in the same position, navigating the country with limited Korean knowledge. I practiced patience and relied on body language to communicate. Over time, I picked up more words, though not enough to form complete sentences. Despite the excitement, there were moments of homesickness. I missed my family, home-cooked meals, and my favorite comfort snacks. To ease those feelings, I sought out similar foods and drinks. Also, talking to my roommate helped a lot since she felt the same way, and sharing our emotions made us feel less alone. Acknowledging these feelings as normal, I reminded myself to embrace every moment of my journey before heading home.
Studying abroad required sacrifices. Fortunately, those sacrifices transformed into life-changing experiences, opened my eyes to new perspectives, strengthened my independence, and enriched my understanding of the world, making every challenge along the way truly worth it. Coming from a first-generation, financial aid recipient, Latinx, and transfer student background, I refused to let this opportunity slip away. I knew I would have to work a little harder but that drive kept me motivated every step of the way. Now, as a peer advisor from the Global Learning team, I have the privilege of sharing my story and helping other students pursue their own study abroad dreams. It is incredibly rewarding to guide and inspire other students to take the leap and experience such a transformative journey, one that forever changed my life.