South Korea was a blast! From the moment I got off the plane, I was shocked by all of the smells around me. Bibimbap, various pastries, the most aesthetically pleasing cafes, everything was beautiful. I was lucky enough to go on this study abroad program, with the intention of learning about how much culture can influence the workplace. I want to work at a global company, and getting to see various large Korean companies allows me to see how much culture can influence people. I visited Samsung, LG, and Hyundai. Each large company gave us gifts and made us feel like global CEOs with their hospitality.

I regularly spent hours planning out my next travel adventure, and South Korea was not top of my list. It wasn’t intentional, but I have had other goals I wanted to accomplish first. I was extremely excited as soon as I arrived, to see how much I didn’t know about the culture. The food was always the best thing I had ever eaten (saying “this is the best thing I have EVER had” was a daily occurrence). There was so much to do, it felt like the city was constantly alive.

One of the myths I would say about studying abroad is that one week over spring break isn’t enough. It can feel like you want to be able to do a longer study abroad, but there is so much intentional planning that goes into the week. You will learn so much and be ready to sleep in your own bed by the end. It feels like there is so much time to enjoy the experience. If one week is all you can do during your time at MSU, it is worth it. I can’t wait to go back!

Name: Cassie Lynn Thomas
Status: Senior
Major: English
Hometown: Okemos, Michigan
Program: Human Resource Practices and Employment Relations in South Korea