Yonsei University

Today was a late start at 9:40, but we had a delay due to passport issues and a tandem doctor’s visit for 2 different group members.  

After leaving at 10am we were off to Yonsei University, one of the top 3 universities in Korea. Yonsei is celebrating its 140-year anniversary being founded in 1885, it is the major Christian missionary university in Korea and has close ties to both the USA and Britian. We toured both the business building and the main underground commons, which were both incredibly expansive. The business building even boasted a staircase meant for resting in-between classes and the only escalators on campus. We then had to cut our tour short of touring the medical building due to heavy rainfall. However, we were then able to tour the renound Professor Chong’s laboratory which deals with neuroscience and research into the thalamus. Professor Chong is an undergraduate alumnus of Yonsei University and a graduate school alum of University of Pittsburgh effectively being our bridge to Korea. We also got to have a Q&A with some Yonsei University undergraduate students which was interesting to see the cross- culture difference in education experiences. We were able to have a full tour of not only her lab but all technology in the Research Facilities building which included an atom microscope and neuro slicers. At the end though it was raining all day it was a highly informative and interesting tour and I was even able to get a t-shirt.  

For dinner I went out to McDonalds for a very American burger, and it was absolutely amazing. I was also able to try some mozzarella sticks as well as experience the foreign McDonalds experience. 

 After getting back I went right to sleep ready for another full day. Signing off until next time.