Editor’s note: This is an occasional series highlighting George Washington University students’ experiences in the Study Abroad Program. This entry has been edited for style and clarity.
During my academic year abroad in Seoul, I had the opportunity to give a lecture at EWHA Womans University. My lecture was part of a series called “Intercultural Dialogue,” which is an event hosted by the Institute for Multicultural Studies and Office of International Affairs at EWHA.
This event is an opportunity for international students to promote mutual communication and learning among EWHA students, while sharing their experiences of university life in their home countries as well as their life as international students at EWHA. I was invited to represent GW as the guest speaker for the 26th Intercultural Dialogue held in March, and I was so honored to have the opportunity to do so.
The lecture was entirely in Korean, one hour in length total, with a 30-minute live Q & A session to wrap things up. As I was working in my second language, things took a bit longer than they usually might in English, so I began preparing for my lecture during the winter break. The winter break at EWHA lasted from the end of December until the beginning of March, allowing me plenty of time to focus on perfecting my work. Since I had to prepare a script, create a PowerPoint and practice my diction and pronunciation, I spent around a month and a half preparing for my lecture, consistently adjusting and updating my materials. This was my first time doing a project of this scale in my second language, so it took some time!
I started my lecture by sharing a bit about myself, including where I'm from and what makes my home state of Illinois unique. I went on to introduce D.C., George Washington University and my experience here. I included pictures from iconic locations such as the National Mall and boasted about how GW’s graduation commencement takes place there. I mentioned many fun facts about GW, including our mascot, school colors and even introduced the hippo statue outside Lisner Auditorium.
I promoted many of the strengths and charms that GW has, including its location, various study abroad and student life opportunities and the expertise of the professors here at GW. I also mentioned how GW has its very own Institute for Korean Studies, which the students at EWHA found interesting and were happy to hear about! Additionally, I talked about some of the various downsides to attending college in America, such as the high financial burden and heavy workload. I next talked about what first motivated me to come to Korea, as well as the various experiences I had both on campus at EWHA and off-campus exploring all the different cultural life that Korea has to offer.
I discussed what I loved about EWHA specifically, especially the female-centered support system and how studying in such an environment boosted my confidence as a young female student. I ended my lecture by comparing American and Korean lifestyles and shared my perspective on the pros and cons of living in Korea and abroad.
When I finished my lecture, I was so happy that the students at EWHA enjoyed it, and proud of myself for taking on the challenge of lecturing in my second language. Not only did I get to share my stories, I also had the opportunity to showcase my Korean language skills and improve them throughout the process. Many students showed interest not only in America but in GW as well, which made me feel genuinely honored to represent both GW and America through this lecture.
During my time at EWHA, I had other opportunities to improve my Korean skills aside from Intercultural Dialogue. I enrolled in several courses instructed in Korean, such as Advanced Academic Korean, Studies in Traditional Korean Culture, and Intro to Modern Korean Literature. I even volunteered to participate in the Korean discussion groups for my ethics course instead of the English groups, as I wanted the chance to practice my speaking!
I had the opportunity to immerse myself in the Korean language even further through cultural exchange programs offered by EWHA. I participated in the PEACE Buddy program, which links international students with Korean students at EWHA and helps them get acquainted with life in Korea through various hangouts and events.
During my second semester at EWHA, I also joined EKLES, a club that promotes exchange among international and Korean students through one-on-one mentorship and group activities at weekly seminars. Thanks to both of these extracurriculars, I had the opportunity to enhance my real-life conversational skills by getting to know my mentors and connecting with other students.
Through all of these experiences, I felt as if my Korean skills improved tremendously, and I wanted to prove it to myself by taking the TOPIK (Test of Proficiency in Korean) exam before leaving Korea. I took the 100th TOPIK exam in May, and I passed the highest level, including receiving full points on the reading portion.
I’ve been studying Korean for a little over four years now, and I never would have thought that a language I picked up as a hobby would lead me toward so many unique opportunities and moments throughout my life. My learning journey has been exhilarating, and I’ve met many wonderful people as a result. Navigating both daily life and academics in my second language has deepened my respect and admiration for international students at GW who undertake similar challenges in English. Any project or assignment I completed in Korean took significantly longer than those in English, and after experiencing this myself, I realized how much work ethic is required among those studying in a foreign language.
I truly encourage everyone who has the opportunity to learn another language and explore a new culture to do it. The amount of doors a foreign language will open for you in your life is beyond expectations, and you will be able to make so many connections with those around the world just by taking the challenge. Personally, I am excited to see what’s next on my Korean language journey, as well as the people I’ll meet and the future experiences I will have.
Julia Foland
GW Exchange - EWHA Womans University
Columbian College of Arts and Science
Economics Major
GW Office for Study Abroad offers a variety of GW Exchange opportunities to study abroad for a semester or year in Seoul, South Korea. We partner with top tier universities, including EWHA Womans University, but also Seoul National University, Korea University and Yonsei University. Learn more about our GW Exchange opportunities.
