Yonsei – Where My Heart Is

 

 

Kotryna Calova

Lithuanian

Parsons School of Design

 

 

 

It takes a great deal of courage to study abroad in a country you have never visited and which you know little about. Kotryna Calova, a Lithuanian nationale who has lived and studied in the U.K. and France, is enrolled this semester as an exchange student at Yonsei. Although there was an adjustment period, Kotryna is thoroughly enjoying her Korean language studies and exploring Seoul.

 

Kotryna has been studying strategic design management in Paris, but she is planning to transfer to Parsons School of Design in New York next semester. One of the aspects she enjoys most about Yonsei is the campus and its learning community, which provides students like her with a sense of belonging. Thus far, Kotryna has found her courses in Business and Arts, Advertising, and Media and Communications useful for her major, while giving her a better understanding of Korean culture.

 

“There are so many spots around campus where I can take a little break between classes,” she recently said. “My favorite spot is the rooftop of Yonsei- Samsung Library where I can enjoy the scenic skyline of Seoul.” Despite the large student population, Kotryna was impressed by the bonding and sense of unity she witnessed during the Yon-Ko Sports Festival. “We have nothing like that in Europe,” she explained. “I was basically mind-blown when I saw the cheering and dancing.” Kotryna is an avid soccer player herself and has joined Yonsei’s soccer club.

 

Her goal for the remainder of her stay at Yonsei is to improve her Korean language skills enough so that she has basic conversation skills. While she finds the Yonsei community to be quite cosmopolitan, she has noticed that many Korean students on campus are not very comfortable with English. However, she sees this as a positive: “I don’t really mind the language barrier since that motivates me to study harder.”

 

In the future, Kotryna can envision herself working and living in Korea. Next summer, she plans to return for an internship, as she now sees this country as a “home away from home.”