Although I was very excited to visit Korea, the journey was quite a long one. My trip from Pittsburgh to Seoul included a flight to Atlanta, a seven-hour layover, and then a sixteen-hour flight to Korea. Finding ways to stay busy and was a challenge, so I mostly passed time by sleeping or watching Korean films recommended by my friends back home.

On the topic of friends, another highlight so far has been getting to bond with my classmates on the trip. Since most of us are pursuing degrees in engineering and technology, it was very easy to bond over our shared academic and career goals. During the layover, I had a really fun time playing Among Us with everyone, and it definitely helped the time fly by.

When I finally landed in Seoul, one thing that immediately stood out to me was all the high-rise buildings. The city appears to be very space-efficient, which explains the tall skyscrapers, narrow streets, and clustered buildings.

Overall, I’m looking forward to strengthening my connections and learning more about Korea!