Being in Korea sparked interest in language

My study abroad experience was amazing. I got to meet people from different countries and explore incredibly different food and culture.

Studying abroad gave me the opportunity to study at one of Korea's best institutions, Yonsei University. This university is part of SKY which are the top three most prestigious universities in Korea which gave me the ability to get the best of the best Korea has to offer for my degree.

I feel in love with Korea and its culture and now, I will be studying Korean for the next three semesters at MSU. My experience abroad helped me learn Korean and I was ultimately able to speak and read Korean as well as talk with non-English speakers.  

I learned how respectful and polite Koreans are which is interesting to me coming from Mexico and then moving to the USA where people are not as respectful or polite.

My story will relate to people that are open to trying new things.  Being in Korea, I tried so many different foods and creatures, some of them include live octopus, penis fish, and sting ray. Being in a different culture and food excited me and gave me the opportunity to try new things and experience what life is like for Koreans. I was raised in Mexico, and I am Mexican so being in Korea was fun. Mexican people are friendly and always open to making new friends, and when I went to Korea, most Koreans were open to talking to me and being my friends. I would also say that the drinking culture in Korea is very similar to that of Mexican culture where drinking with friends and making a person drink is the way to become good friends.

Name: Alan Fierro
Status: Sophomore
Major: Computer Science
Hometown: El Paso, Texas
Program: Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea