Lovel Lee, ’25, is a Graphic Design major studying at FIE London this Summer 2023.
Coming to London after studying abroad in Korea for a month was definitely a change. After boarding the flight to London and closing the chapter on Korea, I felt a sense of excitement knowing I’d be going to a whole different place from where I was before.
One thing I recommend is doing a dual city study abroad program because it allows you to appreciate each place even more. After being abroad for a month in Korea, talking in Korean, taking Korean transport, and eating Korean food, going around exploring as many places as I could, London was a nice change of pace.
I think after being in the sweltering heat and sticky humidity of Korea for a month, I was able to immediately recognize the difference in weather. Before going abroad, when I pictured London it would be a sleepy city with whisps of fog and drizzling rain. There would be a red telephone booth bringing about a pop of color in the otherwise grey city with buses splashing along the damp streets.
To be totally honest, I was a bit hesitant about choosing London. However after my study abroad advisor told me about how the program would be perfect for a graphic design major like me, I decided that it could be a nice contrast.
Unlike a busy city filled with lights and tall apartments and stores like those in Korea, as soon as I stepped foot onto the London streets I realized how spacious the streets are. The sidewalks felt so free and the sky stretched as far as the eye could see. The air was so crisp and the weather was absolutely stunning.
I’m really glad I chose to study abroad in two places and more specifically these two places. They contrast so much. One country is in the busiest cities I could imagine and feels so different from home. You speak a whole different language and experience a whole different culture. The other country you feel a bit more relaxed, and the language and culture feel more like home. However, the atmosphere is different enough to be exciting.
Also, the duration of the programs was just right. After boarding the plane from Korea, I said to my friend “It’s not over yet” and was happy that we weren’t going home just yet but on to another adventure. Although I know I would have enjoyed staying longer, I think having two countries each a month long is perfect for one to not feel too burnt out but also keep you on your toes.
I think when I was initially researching studying abroad, going to two different places didn’t really cross my mind. However, I’m so glad I did because it allowed me to have a lot more experiences and was also really helpful in my academic path.
