Tic-toc, tic-toc, tic-toc—the clock ticks closer to the Plus3: South Korea departure time. At 6 am, an adventure begins. The group departs from Pittsburgh International Airport to Incheon International Airport, where after ~20 hours I will experience my first taste of Korea.
Pre-Departure
However, before departing to Pittsburgh, I met up with all the members of the Plus3 program. Together, we shared a final feast, where we discussed the program itinerary and engaged in a variety of group bonding activities. After completing all the required tasks, a group of friends and I ventured around campus, reminiscing of the prior semester. We walked around the legendary Cathedral of Learning and captured some nice images, depicted in this post.
Korea
In Korea, I am excited to experience a wealth of professional and cultural experiences. For starters, I will have the opportunity to visit the Eaton, Hyundai and LG corporations to name a few. Learning from foreign professionals will expand my understanding of smart systems and boost my computer engineering skillset. In a more cultural sense, I will visit the Blue House, which is the Korean equivalent of the White House. Obtaining a deeper understanding of foreign politics, and by extension relations, will be rather interesting. Further, we will visit various historical palaces such as the Gyeongbuk Palace and national parks such as the Bukhansan National Park. I am particularly looking forward to touring an American base, Camp Humphreys, and hearing about soldier’s experiences in Korea. Apart from visiting places with historical meaning, we will also participate in the Korean culture through a Taekwondo class and a cooking course.
Altogether, this experience will shape me to become a better individual and a more knowledgeable engineer. Expanding my communication with a diverse culture of people and learning about local engineering techniques will prove extraordinarily beneficial to my academic and professional goals. I am eternally grateful for the efforts of my family, friends, and faculty for their support in my experiential journey. 감사합니다.
“The unknown isn’t scary, if you experience it with other people”.
-Nathaniel Reger
