Reflecting on my overall experience in South Korea, I can confidently say that this has been one of the most valuable things I have done in terms of personal and professional development. Two months ago I stepped off a plane into rush hour traffic without knowing what to expect. Now back in the States, I feel nothing but gratitude for my time in South Korea.
Personally, I was able to push myself outside my comfort zone for an extended period of time. Reflecting on the moments where I was most uncomfortable made me realize that those were also the moments that pushed me to grow the most. During my first couple of days in Korea, I was focused on just adjusting to the new environment. It did not fully hit me that I was in an entirely new country with a different primary language until I tried to purchase snacks at a convenience store and the clerk looked at me with confusion when I spoke in English. That was the moment reality hit. From there, every interaction became an opportunity to adapt and figure things out. I went on weekend trips to Gyeongju, Busan, and Suwon, explored the Han River, visited the DMZ, and tried more new foods than I can count. Each experience added something and looking back at everything I was able to do and see over two months, it is hard not to feel incredibly grateful.
Academically, I was able to improve how I multitasked and managed assignments. Every day at the internship I was given multiple tasks to handle on top of a larger final project that was due at the end of the internship. Managing both at the same time forced me to pay much closer attention to deadlines and to organize my workload in a way that I had not needed to before. I started prioritizing tasks by urgency, working through them one at a time, and making sure nothing slipped through the cracks. That habit of staying organized under a heavier workload is something I am bringing directly into my final semesters at Pitt.
Professionally, the biggest area of growth was learning to communicate more deliberately. In a country where English is not the primary language, the language barrier was something I had to navigate every single day. I would regularly be mistaken for a Korean speaker and asked for directions or spoken to in Korean, which became a very common occurrence. Rather than letting it become frustrating, I learned to stay patient, use Google Translate and Papago to get my ideas across, and just accepted that some things would get lost in translation. At the internship specifically, only the CEO spoke fluent English, which meant that communicating with my coworkers required a lot more effort and intentionality on my end. I had to find ways to make sure my ideas were understood clearly, whether that meant simplifying how I explained things, using translation tools, or just being more patient during conversations. Over time that became second nature, and I think it made me a noticeably more thoughtful communicator overall.
One key takeaway from my time in South Korea would be the ability to stay composed under pressure when handling assignments. Having a final project due at the end of the internship alongside daily tasks that needed to be completed by end of day meant that time allocation and organization were constantly top of mind. There was no room to fall behind, so staying on top of everything from day one became essential. That kind of structured approach to managing competing priorities is something I will carry with me both at Pitt and into my professional career.
Coming into this program I was hoping to grow, and I did, in ways I did not fully anticipate. I am leaving with a sharper sense of direction, a stronger set of professional habits, and a much broader perspective on what it means to work and communicate in a global environment. Two months in Seoul changed how I see the world, and I would do it all over again without hesitation. I met amazing people, new friends, and a new way to carry myself in everyday life.
