Many students travel or vacation over spring break, but a group of 20 University of Idaho students got to experience a truly memorable week in South Korea. Thanks to a collaboration between the UI History Department and the Idaho Asia Institute, a group of 20 students spent 10 days exploring South Korea during spring break.
The group consisted of Professor Jeff Kyong-McClain and 20 students from many different majors who were all connected by their interest in South Korean culture and history.
Laney Kinnick, a sophomore studying business, explained that she was drawn to the trip due to her love for Asian media and her interest in the opportunity to explore new cultures.
“I have consumed a lot of Asian media, like K-dramas and just Asian music in general,” Kinnick said. “I actually originally wanted to go to Japan, but Korea was the trip we were taking, and it ended up being such an amazing trip.”
Luke Goodwin, a junior majoring in political science and history, did not have a previous interest in Korean culture like many of the other members of the group. He saw the trip as an opportunity to learn about a culture he didn’t know much about and travel to a unique place.
“I just really wanted to travel, and frankly I didn’t know much about Korea. It wasn’t a country I had considered travelling to,” Goodwin said. “But I had a previous study abroad trip to Germany last summer, and I wanted to go abroad again for at least a short amount of time, so when Jeff mentioned he was going to South Korea, I kind of jumped into that opportunity.”
One of the main focuses of the trip was visiting and learning about historical places in South Korea. The country has a long and rich history that the group was able to explore over the duration of their trip. Hanna Valentine, a freshman environmental science major, enjoyed the opportunity to experience the culture and see the historical buildings.
“My favorite part of the trip was probably when we would get free time and be able to explore all the night markets that were in the cities that we went to, and then also getting to see the old buildings and old palaces,” Valentine said. “Because South Korea is significantly older than America, and it was really cool to just see and be around these older buildings.”
Each day of the trip consisted of lots of walking around the area, going on tours and guided outings and having free time to explore things that interested individual students so that everyone could have a unique experience.
“It was a lot of touring, which is awesome. So, we got to explore a lot of really cool museums and historical sites all over the country,” Goodwin said. “Also, a couple of us went to a baseball game in South Korea. It was my first ever major league baseball game, which was so great because I love baseball. We had a lot of fun going, and that was a unique experience.”
The food was also something to remember for these students, as many were able to experience foods that they had never heard of before. The group became fully immersed in South Korean culture in a way that many Americans may never get to experience.
“A lot of the food was amazing. Having authentic Korean food was absolutely incredible, and my favorite was probably gimbap, which is similar to sushi,” Kinnick said.
While many students may feel as though travelling abroad while in college might be too expensive or difficult, the group from this trip seemed to agree that not only is travel abroad possible but also well worth it. Trips like this allow students who might not be able to study abroad for a whole semester to get the experience of travelling abroad with peers.
“I think absolutely anyone should do it. Before going abroad, I was hesitant because I really didn’t know if I had the ability or money, but it was doable,” Goodwin said. “I absolutely recommend it for students because it was a lot of fun, and there’s also a ton of support out there from the university to provide financial aid. It’s the perfect time to travel, so you might as well.”
Kinnick explained that having a chance to leave the country and experience the world beyond her immediate community was an unforgettable experience.
“If you ever do get a chance to do any kind of study abroad, or even just something like this spring break trip that I did, just do it,” Kinnick said. “It’s an amazing experience. Just getting out of this small town, Idaho, and being able to see a different culture… I do highly recommend it.”
Grace Giger can be reached at [email protected]