Today, we took a break from company visits to participate in some leisure activities as a group. We started our day by visiting the Bukchon Hanok Village, which is a traditional Korean neighborhood located in the Jongno District. The prefix han- refers to any customary aspect of Korean culture. For example, the word hanbok describes…

Today, we had the opportunity to tour two more companies. Our first tour was to hy Corporation which is a major producer of probiotic drinks. In Korea, it is very customary to consume foods that benefit your daily health, so it is common to drink probiotic drinks for breakfast. The hy Corporation was extensive and…

Today, we continued our company visits with two separate tours of Hyundai and TK Elevator. As we began our bus ride to the Hyundai Asan production facility, I couldn’t contain my excitement. I have always loved automobiles, and during high school I started performing maintenance and simple jobs on my own car. Visiting Hyundai Asan…

Today we had the opportunity to hike around the Bukhansan National Park in Seoul. Similar to the United States, Korea has a national park service which maintains and conserves the sanctity of environmental sites around the peninsula. There are twenty-two different national parks in Korea, and Bukhansan features granite mountains, lush forests, and is home…

Today, we toured the Korean DMZ, otherwise known as the demilitarization zone. The DMZ runs across the Korean peninsula and acts as a buffer zone parallel to the border dividing the North and the South. The DMZ was created through an armistice during the Korean War in 1957 and relocated troops back 2,000 meters from…

Today, we had the opportunity to tour Yonsei University, one of the top universities in Korea. Yonsei University has a beautiful campus located in Sinchon. We traveled using the Seoul Metro to the campus and met up with Professor Lee, an electrical engineer who had previously worked in the United States. We started by taking…

Today, we had our first company visit and the opportunity to tour the Korean branch of Eaton. Eaton is a global power management company that produces diverse products related to energy. In the United States, Eaton Pittsburgh shares close ties with the University of Pittsburgh. Our contacts at Eaton Korea shared with us an in-depth…

My day started early to begin a two hour drive to Camp Humphreys, one of the largest American army bases abroad. Our tour began with a short orientation video which described the scope of the many operations performed at Camp Humphreys. The army installation was built in 1919 to support South Korean war efforts against…

Today was an eventful day in Seoul filled with travel and tourism. Our group started by taking a walking tour of the Cheonggyecheon Stream. The Cheonggyecheon is a naturally sourced river which flows through the city. Although our visit to the stream wasn’t too long, I was able to observe some wildlife and appreciate the…

Today, I arrived in Pittsburgh along with my group members to prepare for our departure. I am so excited to embark on this adventure to South Korea. I am looking forward to developing both personally and professionally. Additionally, I hope to gain relevant global experience by immersing myself in the diverse culture that awaits abroad….