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February 2016

Horizons A Newsletter of the Office of International Education

In This Issue

Program Spotlight:

University College Cork

Q&A with Returnee

Wes Knowles

Meet International

Student Hyojin Min

Want to Study in Ireland? Travel to Cork!

Study at University College Cork, one of the oldest universities in Ireland! Cork,

the second largest city in Ireland, is a hub for a vibrant and youthful community.

A seaport city, Cork offers international arts, film, and jazz festivals, an active

performing arts scene, and a wide offering of culinary options. University Col-

lege Cork recommends that in addition to major studies, visiting students sam-

ple courses in Irish Archaeology, History and Modern Ireland, Literatures in Ire-

land, Irish Folklore and Tradition, Management and Marketing in the European

Union, and Irish Traditional Music in order to learn about Ireland’s landscape

and heritage during their stay. Ireland is a wonderful study abroad location as

students have access to a fascinating collection of ancient and medieval build-

ings and a stunning display of natural beauty. Don’t miss your chance to study in

the beautiful Emerald Isle!

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Meet International Student

Hyojin Min

Hyojin Min is an international student visiting from Ewha Womans University in Seoul, South Korea.

Tell us about your experience at Roanoke College.

So far, I am really enjoying my experience here at Roanoke College. I’m staying in a global residence hall, called Catawba and this has allowed me to make friends from many different countries, including the US. Also, thanks to the Roanoke College’s Family

Friendship program, I met a wonderful family here, and I enjoy spending time with them. When it comes to the academic experience, Roanoke is more challenging than my home university because there are many assignments and exams, more than I ex-pected. But, I love the classes at Roanoke College. Some advantages are that they are made up of a small number of students, so I can interact with professors a lot more than I could normally. During the week, I usually go to library after classes or just rest in my room, and on weekend, I hang out with my friends in downtown Roanoke.

How is the U.S. different from your home in Seoul?

There are many differences between America and South Korea, but the biggest differ-ence is the location, Salem is a smaller town and transportation here can be difficult. When I was in Seoul, I could travel via the metro to many different places. The metro would be the main method of transportation as due to traffic, most people don’t drive cars, especially in rush hour. As Salem doesn’t have a metro, it is inconvenient to trav-el anywhere outside of the immediate area. However, an advantage is that I feel more relaxed here, the town has a slower pace and people seem to be friendlier compared to the people in my hometown. I used to be a bit impatient and I lead a hectic life in Korea, but now I’m trying to be more relaxed and keep my composure here.

What is your favorite location in South Korea and why?

There are so many places that I love in Seoul. First of all, I usually chill in Hongdae-Shinchon district, because my university is located in Shinchon, and it’s close to my home too. There are four big universities with beautiful campuses in this district, so it’s surrounded by busy streets and beautiful restaurants, cafes, and pubs. Most people in Hongdae-Shinchon district are college students, so the vibe is very energetic and dy-namic. Secondly, I like to go to Itaewon, which is the biggest global village in Korea. There are a lot of people from diverse countries, and many international restaurants. These days, Itaewon is the most up-and-coming place to go out in Seoul especially at

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night. There are so many cool bars, loung-es, and night clubs that stay open all night long, and I can enjoy all kinds of under-ground music there. Except for Seoul, my favorite city is Busan, the biggest seaside city in South Korea. There are a lot of fa-mous beaches in Busan, so many Koreans go to Busan for summer vacation. Addi-tionally, the night scenery of the sea at Haeundae is spectacular. Also, food in Busan is so good that many new restau-rants in Seoul are originally from Busan.

Why did you decide to study abroad at Roanoke College?

Actually, this is my second time studying abroad in a exchange student program. I went to Shanghai, China, for a semester when I was a sophomore, and it was a great experience for me to improve my Chinese and learn about their culture. This experi-ence made me willing to study in America, I was excited for another new experience. Plus, I thought it would be a very unusual experience to live in a small town in the United States, because I have lived in a big city for my whole life. The city I lived in while studying in China was also a big city similar to that at home, so I wanted to expe-rience something new. Also, I wanted to go to big cities like New York or San Francis-co, and I wanted this opportunity in addition to the small town experience, so I chose to study at Roanoke College. Plus, the moderate weather and beautiful campus were appealing as well.

Where would you like to travel in the U.S.?

I really want to travel throughout America, but since I have limited time and money, I decided to go to some major big cities that I have always wanted to visit. First of all, I’m going to go to Orlando and Miami in Florida during spring break. By the end of the March, I will be going to Washington DC. I have already booked a concert ticket of my favorite artist, which is in Alexan-dria, so I will go to DC partly for the concert and partly for the tourism. Also, I’m planning to go to New York in April for about 4 days, and after this semester ends, I will go to Las Vegas, and then move to California to visit Los An-geles and San Francisco before going back to South Korea. I am extremely excited and grateful for these opportunities.

Language Corner

English Korean

Welcome 환영합니다 (hwangyong-

hamnida)

How are you? 어떻게 지내세요? (eotteohke

jinaeseyo?)

Good luck! 행운을 빈다 (haeng un eul bin

da)

Ewha Womans College

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What do you wish you'd known before you went abroad? I wish I had known how much of a challenge I was undertaking. In Brussels, I took four classes in a new academic system, I interned at a policy newspaper called New Europe, and I also trav-eled every other weekend to try and see as much of Europe as I possibly could. Combine these two factors with acclimation to a new cul-ture, attempts to hone my hilariously inade-quate French, and make friends with class-mates… I was tired all the time. I loved every second of it, but I never imagined it would be so taxing. Where were your favorite places in Belgium? My favorite place in Belgium was Parc du Cinqantenaire, an archway dedicated in 1880 to 50 years of Belgium as a country, right down near the European Commission. I enjoyed walking from Vesalius college where I stud-ied to the European Commission building just so I could see the arch and stretch my legs a little bit. After Thanksgiving, I also enjoyed the city center near the Grand Place where there was a huge Christmas tree and market where I enjoyed all of Belgium’s culinary and shopping treats. What is your favorite memory from your time abroad? My favorite memory was traveling with the editor of New Europe to Madrid. My job there was to cover the center right party of the European Parliament known as the Eu-ropean People’s Party in their party congress. I witnessed the EPP roll out some of their new policy agenda, elect new leadership, and I wrote articles and asked questions in the press room to Jyrki Katainen the former Prime Minister of Finland and current EU Commissioner for Financial Growth. However, the most exciting part was when I shook hands with Angela Merkel after her speech there. I had to lean across an escala-tor and risk her security team’s ire to do it, but it was entirely worth it. I shook hands with the Time Person of the Year. What advice would you give to students going abroad? I would tell students in general to study abroad. I am an international relations major with concentrations in Peace and Justice Studies as well as Africana Studies… A study abroad adventure makes sense academically for me. However, the personal growth that occurs when you go abroad transcends the academic. I was alone and sometimes I was afraid. However, the confidence that I have gained in myself after Brussels has been dramatic. I learned how to adapt to my surroundings, to navigate without the use of Google Maps or cell service, and to be self-reliant. Even if I surrender my pass-port tomorrow, those skills will serve me well.

Q&A with Returnee Wes Knowles

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Apply now!

The deadline to apply and pay a

$600 deposit is September 15,

2016, but we are accepting

applications now!

For more information, contact

Dr. Serota Cote in the International

Education Office: cote@roanoke.edu,

Admin 206, 375-2299

Consider a semester abroad

in the Yucatan! This new se-

mester program will be

launched January 2017. Earn

4 units towards graduation

while immersed in the

beautiful, culturally-rich Yu-

catan region of Mexico.

Travel with a faculty leader

and fellow RC students for a

special semester spent

learning about Mayan cul-

ture, practicing Spanish, studying the biodiversity and environmental in-

fluences and practices in the region, and engaging in community service.

There is no language requirement: all students will take Spanish as part of

this program. Roanoke in the Yucatan is open to ALL majors! The program

includes airfare, housing, meals, and special cultural excursions. Students

pay standard RC tuition, room and board, and all financial aid applies. The

additional program fee is $1200.

Roanoke In the Yucatan

Alternative Spring Semester Program

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Contact Us

The Office of International Education

Dr. Pamela Serota Cote

cote@roanoke.edu

Carmen Boggs-Parker

boggs@roanoke.edu

Travel Writer?

Submit your travel

writing and photos to

the RC Abroad Blog!

Send submissions to

Alexandra Reynolds

aereynolds@mail.roanoke.edu

Edinburgh , Scotland—Photo by Emily Sorenson

Explore New Worlds. Discover a New You.