Yesterday, I visited N Seoul Tower, and it ended up being the perfect day to go. After basically two weeks of nonstop rain, the weather finally cleared up. It was sunny, the sky was blue, the birds were chirping, lalala. For the first time in what felt like forever, you could actually see the mountains surrounding Seoul in detail. I went with my boyfriend, who had flown to Korea the day before, so it was a really fun way to start exploring together and catch up after two months apart!! Taking the cable car up was really fun, and it gave us a great view of Seoul before we even reached the base of the tower.

Before going up to the top, we walked around the base and looked at all of the heart locks covering the fences. There were thousands of them, and it was cute reading some of the messages people had left behind. It was also super duper hot, so I made myself a vitamin drink from 7-Eleven with a cup of ice. Just holding it definitely helped cool me down, along with my handheld fan which has become an unexpected necessity this summer.

Of course, we also had to take a photo booth picture. They’re everywhere, so it felt like a requirement to remember this joyous moment. The only downside was that the tiny booth had absolutely no air conditioning. It was literally over 100 degrees in there, so instead of joyous it was more like shared adversity. The pictures turned out cute though!

After that, we headed to the top of the tower. The 360-degree view was beautiful! Since the weather was finally clear, we could see so far across the city and out toward the mountains. I’m really glad we went during the day because the scenery was stunning. The mountain views were honestly my favorite part.

I lied…maybe my favorite part was actually the air conditioning inside. After walking around outside in the heat, it was resurrecting. Between the views, the perfect weather, and getting to share it with someone special (hehe), it was one of the best days I’ve had in Seoul and the perfect final weekend to end my time abroad.

During my internship, I’ve learned that technical skills are only part of the job. Of course, having strong research, design, or programming skills is important, but the people who are most respected in my lab are also dependable and willing to work well with others. Since the projects involve researchers, doctors, engineers, and designers, being able to collaborate across different fields is just as important as doing your own work well.

I’ve also noticed that professionalism and respect are a big part of workplace culture in South Korea. People come to meetings prepared, stay focused, and are respectful of everyone’s time. My coworkers are always happy to answer questions, but there’s also an expectation that you’ll try to figure things out on your own first. I like that balance because it encourages both independence and teamwork.

Compared to the United States, I think the biggest difference is how success is viewed. In the US, people are often encouraged to stand out, share their ideas, and highlight their individual accomplishments. In my lab, success seems to be more about consistently doing good work, being dependable, and helping the team succeed. People are proud of what they do, but they don’t brag about it or try to draw attention to themselves.

Working in this environment has shown me that there’s more than one way to be successful at work. Every culture has different expectations and values different qualities, but being dependable, respectful, and willing to learn are important everywhere. It’s also reminded me that some of the best work and progress happens when people with different backgrounds and areas of expertise come together to solve a problem!