SHORT ESSAY STATEMENT:
1. Please indicate why you want to be a part of the SDSU Study Abroad team.
As a first-generation college student I have come across many challenges, including paying for my study abroad program. For me, studying abroad seemed like a financial obstacle that I would be unable to overcome. However, after applying to several scholarships and choosing a cost-effective program, I was able to pay for my trip. Therefore, I would like to be part of the study abroad team because I believe I have gained much insight on scholarship opportunities, specifically for students who don’t traditionally study abroad. I would also like to be part of the study aboard team because it would be a great opportunity for me to share my experience with prospective students and hopefully encourage other students with similar backgrounds as me to study in another country. Lastly, I would like to provide students with an enthusiastic experience when they…show more content… Therefore, I assumed that my experience would prepare me to live in Korea. However, I was shocked to see that the environment I grew up in would make it even more difficult for me to transition into Korean society. First, it was difficult for me to learn Korean because I am dependent on speaking Spanish when I am unable to understand something. Nonetheless, in Korea speaking Spanish and English was not a reliable option. The majority of the patrons in Korea speak little to no English because Korean is their predominate language and many people don’t go out of their way to say anything in English. In addition to language barrier, I felt like an outsider due to the monoethnicity in Korea. The majority of people I came across were confused by my American accent and my brown skin color. Therefore, coming from a large diverse city like San Diego to a small Korean town like Wonju, definitely shocked me and