Journals from Abroad – Linfield students studying around the world

June 25, 2025

Everything I Didn’t Know I Needed

Hello! For my last blog entry, I wanted to take this time to reflect and share some photos my friends and I that I met throughout this semester.

Going into South Korea, I didn’t know what to expect. I was the only one in my school studying abroad, going to Korea, so I didn’t know anyone at all. I only knew a little bit of the language and was not sure how I would communicate if I was by myself. Overall, I just didn’t know how it would turn out.

But, I believe that God placed everything and everyone in front of me that He wanted to, and I am grateful for everything I experienced.

It was such a great time, and I believe that everyone should study abroad if they have the opportunity to do so.

Getting to meet many different people from different backgrounds, schools, and cultures really helped me expand my view of the world and make connections that will last a lifetime.

Although my study abroad time in Korea is finished, I will continue to cherish all the people and memories that I have made through my time there.

Photo of beautiful Yonsei Sinchon Campus Underwood building in the spring — Last photo I took of famous Yonsei Underwood Building

My friends and I in AirBNB in Busan South Korea — Busan Friends photo

Last photo with spiritual family that I met in Korea after our dinner — Last photo with spiritual family group

Photo of me along with my teammates in a huddle before football match — Photo of me before football match

Photo of my friends and I in front of a building at the Gyeongbokgung palace — Photo with friends at the Gyeongbokgung Palace

Photo with my friends and I with Yonsei merchandise at the famous Yonsei Sinchon campus underwood building — Last group photo with friends at the Underwood building

South Korea, thank you for everything. I will see you along with everyone else soon!!!

Riley Rama

June 24, 2025

Free Concert?

In Korea, the concert culture for K-pop is huge. That also means there are concerts almost every week, some of which are also free!

My friends and I were able to catch one that was near where we stayed. It was at SKKU, which is about 40 minutes away from the Yonsei Sinchon campus. I had a class at 9 am and went straight to line up for the event after.

We stayed in line for a couple of hours because we wanted to get tickets for the event. The festival started at 8, and we got there at noon. After getting our tickets, we found out that we didn’t have to get there that early. It was pouring down rain and our legs painful, but we were happy we made it inside.

SKKU students standing in the rain preparing for the festival to start — SKKU Students standing in the rain before the concert

It took about 2 more hours until the actual performers came out, but it was very worth it!

JANG WONYOUNG and girl group IVE performing — Girl group IVE performing one of their songs

Just like I mentioned for previous concerts, it was crazy to see the performers that close. I would always see videos online and couldn’t believe they were real when I saw them in real life for the first time.

IVE was the first group to perform, and they took about 25 minutes in total. I enjoy their music, so it was good to see them.

The second group to perform was a 2 person band, JANNABI.

Band JANNABI on stage performing one of their songs — JANNABI on stage performing

I only knew one of their songs going into the festival, but my friend is a really big fan of them. They were probably the best performers of the night and their live performance was amazing. I definitely added more songs to my playlist after…

Lastly, the icon himself, PSY…

PSY on stage before performing his songs — PSY on stage

Hearing all his hits live was amazing! We all grew up on Gangnam Style, and I felt like I was dreaming hearing it live and seeing him perform it.

Photo with my friends in the pouring rain having a good time at the concert — A pouring rain picture during the concert.

Overall, it was an amazing time. The rain was pouring, our legs were hurting from standing in line all day, but it was a great experience with friends and to see a concert for free, too!

Riley Rama

May 27, 2025

Supporting the University of Strathclyde

It is easy to Imagine that moving to another country or university would be difficult, however Strathclyde University offered support at every step of the process from navigating the application process, to applying for housing, to moving in. I always knew I had a mentor I could turn to with questions.

Despite University of Strathclyde being a large school, I never felt like “just another number.” After requesting quiet housing and having my request met tenfold, to borrowing professors personal copies of textbooks, to conversations with maintenance personnel, I always felt seen and heard.

Academics at Strathclyde are rigorous and the information is engaging. I have learned so much over the five months spent there! So if you are looking to study abroad, I would definitely recommend Strathclyde!

Isabella

May 27, 2025

Adventure of a Lifetime!

Just last month, I was blessed to see so many concerts. The dates to see these concerts were so close to each other that I was able to see 2 in a span of 4 days!

The first concert I saw in this span was for a group called Le Sserafim. They are a very popular girl group in Korea and consist of 5 members. The concert took place in the INSPIRE ARENA, about an hour 30 away from where I stay in Korea.

Entrance to Le Sserafim concert at the INSPIRE ARENA, billboard of group on top of door — INSPIRE ARENA entrance for Le Sserafim concert

As expected, there were many people, and we got there just in time before the concert started. The concert started at 4 p.m., which is quite an early start, but I found out that they do that on purpose because people either have work or school the next day.

Stage set for Le Sserafim concert, preparations in place and people moving to their seats — Stage set before the concert

It was a great concert, and I was sitting in the same section as another girl group in Le Sserafim’s label called ILLIT. They made a very popular song called “Magnetic” that caught a lot of attention online. Another notable person there was JIHYO from TWICE. TWICE is my favorite girl group, so it was really cool to see that she was there.

Le Sserafim saying bye to fans after concert — Le Sserafim post-concert goodbyes

About 4 days later, I went to the Coldplay Concert! My main reason of going to this concert was to see TWICE, who I got to see perform live!

Big video screen showing the performance of popular girl group "TWICE" — TWICE performing one of their hit songs, “FANCY”

It was so cool to actually see them in person for the first time, since all I saw previously were videos online.

There wasn’t much reaction from the fans, because they were just opening acts, but I was very happy that I saw them.

The next part after they finished, was the main event, Coldplay. I didn’t realize how popular they were in Korea until they came out of the tunnel and started to perform their songs.

Coldplay singer, Chris Martin, performing a song — Chris Martin singing a song

Audience preparation for Coldplay concert — Crowd waiting for Coldplay

Fireworks blooming through the sky after Coldplay concert for celebration — Coldplay Post-Concert Firework Celebration

I already liked Coldplay, but after this concert, I enjoyed their songs even more. I would say this is probably one of the best concerts I have been to so far. They are very good live performers and I hope that you would get to see them live one day as well!

-Riley Rama

May 22, 2025

Traveling the Highlands – Part 4

One of the longer tours I took was a two night, three day trip to the Isle of Skye. The drive from Glasgow to Skye was an adventure itself with many stops along the way. And it was on this drive that I finally fulfilled my life-long dream of seeing highland cows!

Two Highland Cows eating grass in the mountains. — Highland Cows

One stop was Eilean Donan Castle, an iconic castle used in various films and featured on postcards. While here, I learned the reason that the majority of Scottish castles are in ruins. There was a time period where Scotland and England were engaged in warfare, and the English armies would destroy the castles they left behind so that the Scott’s couldn’t use them as defense later. It is a shame to see such magnificent structures in ruins, but the history contained in these locations is awe-inspiring.

A castle on a peninsula with mountains behind it and a the sea in front. Lots of clouds in the sky. — Eilean Donan Castle

Skye was beautiful. We stayed in Portree, the capital town of the isle. While there, we visited souvenir shops, ate too many fish and chips, and hiked the Old Man of Storr. We were lucky enough to have good weather on the day of our hike- it wasn’t cloudy or foggy – so we were able to see for miles in every direction. It was a bit of a steep hike (so make sure you’re ready for it), but the views make it more than worth it.

Girl stands with mountain and lake in background — Enjoying the Views

Steep Rock Formation with dark blue sky and clouds above. — Old Man of Storr

On our way back to Glasgow, we stopped at Kilt Rock. Some say the rock is shaped like a kilt (hence the name), but I couldn’t see it. However, it was a pretty rock with a gorgeous waterfall.

Participating in tours is a great way to meet new people and make new friends. It was on this trip that I met the girls who would become very good friends and future traveling companions.

– Isabella

May 22, 2025

A Conversation With an International Programs Coordinator

I recently had the chance to sit down with Shannon Hersage, the Study Abroad Manager at the University of Strathclyde, to learn more about her background and what brought her to Scotland. Originally from the Bay Area in California, Shannon’s journey to the UK began during her junior year of college, when she spent a semester abroad in Ireland. She loved the area so much that she returned to the UK when she decided to pursue her master’s degree.

With lower tuition and one-year programs, European universities offered a faster, more affordable path than those in the U.S. Remembering her positive experience in Ireland, she focused her search on the UK and ultimately enrolled at the University of Edinburgh. Since then, she’s built a life in Scotland and worked at various universities before taking on her current role at University of Strathclyde. Scotland has been her home for the last twenty years. Over time, Shannon has fully embraced her life in the UK. She’s adapted to the culture, picked up a Scottish accent (at least on most words), and built a career in international education.

Located in Glasgow, the University of Strathclyde presents a bit of a commute from her home in Edinburgh. We chatted about the cost of intercity travel—surprisingly, a forty-five minute train ride can cost upwards of £30. However, Shannon pointed out that traveling during off-peak hours can cut that cost in half, which helps manage the commute. This was good information to have as I had noticed that the price for public transportation was a bit expensive for a university student and had been trying to find the most efficient way to utilize it.

One particularly interesting topic of our conversation was about the people of Glasgow. Shannon described Glaswegians as friendlier than elsewhere in Scotland – as if rather than being simply polite they go the extra mile to be kind. We talked about how Glasgow’s working-class roots may play a role in this strong sense of community and empathy This story about the kindness of Glaswegians is similar to what I have heard many times.

Talking with Shannon reminded me why study abroad can be such a life-changing experience. It opens your eyes to different ways of living and helps you realize that, while people around the world may have different customs and cultures, we all ultimately seek the same things: stability, fulfillment, and connection.

There’s no single right way to live a good life, and being exposed to diverse perspectives makes you more open-minded, adaptable, and grounded.

Isabella

May 20, 2025

Easter Break

Easter Break:

For Spring break (Easter break, since it is fall here right now), I took a trip down the Eastern coast of Australia. I visited Cairns, Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast, and Sydney. It was amazing! I only spent a few days in each of these places, but they were all super beautiful and warm.

In Cairns, I took a scenic flight over the Great Barrier Reef in a small plane; it was beautiful! The next day I went scuba diving and snorkeling. It was so neat to be able to see the giant coral formations that had formed, and I saw so many different animals too. There were several fish, stingrays, a turtle, huge clams, sea cucumbers, and I even saw a reef shark!

The Great Barrier Reef view from the scenic flight over the reef. Blue sky above and green ocean with coral formations. — Great Barrier Reef

A (small) reef shark seen swimming under our group when we were snorkeling. — Reef Shark

A giant clam seen when scuba diving (at least a couple of feet wide and sitting wide open) — Giant Clam

Most of the Brisbane trip was spent exploring the city since I had already been there once before. I did go on a tour of a koala sanctuary, though! They had so many koalas everywhere, and it was adorable to see them moving around (and mostly sleeping)! Also, Brisbane has lots of little lizards everywhere. They’re very cute, though, and they move so fast!

A koala sitting on the ground in the sanctuary. — Koala

A large lizard seen in the sanctuary. — Lizard

The Sunshine Coast was also super sunny and beautiful with really nice beaches. The tide was out when I went, so most of the time was spent exploring lots of tide pools. But swimming in the ocean also felt nice! It was certainly a popular tourist destination.

A sea slug in the tide pools of the Sunshine Coast. — Sea Slug!

A view of the Sunshine Coast beach - dark blue sky above blue ocean with waves crashing on rocks with some greenery. — Sunshine Coast

Finally, Sydney was amazing! I loved being able to see the opera house! It was so cool to actually be able to see it in person and walk around it! I went to another koala sanctuary here and saw some other fascinating animals. I learned what an echidna is. They’re adorable too! Next was Bondi Beach, with an outdoor pool right by the ocean. It was amazing to swim there! (Definitely cold and salty though).

Sydney Opera House from across the Harbour. — Sydney Opera House

Sydney Opear House reflecting in the water at night from on the Harbour bridge.

Sleepy koala in its tree. — Sleepy Koala

Echidna seen in the koala sanctuary (a bit like a hedgehog). — Echidna!

View of the Bondi Beach pool next to the ocean. The waves were crashing on the rocks. — Bondi Beach

This was definitely a nice break from school work, and it was absolutely amazing to see so many different animals and places that Australia has to offer!

– Caley

May 20, 2025

Exploring Scotland – Part 3

One of my Favorite ISTours was the Outlander Castle Tour. Even if you aren’t a fan of the show, I would recommend going on this tour because the castles are absolutely gorgeous.

First, we visited Dean Castle, which featured as Beaufort Castle in the Outlander series. Dean Castle is one of the rare castles in Scotland that is still in one piece – many of the others having been destroyed by British armies.

A Stone castle at the end of a long concrete path — Dean Castle

Statue of a knight riding a horse, displayed in the Dean Castle. — Exploring Dean Castle

After Dean Castle, we traveled to Dunure Castle. Dunure Castle and the surrounding area served as three separate settings in Outlander. While the castle itself is in ruins, the grounds are well cared for with an outdoor maze and miniature bee farm.

Castle in ruins on the edge of a cliff overlooking the ocean. — Dunure Castle

Girl in navy blue jacket waves Scottish flag while standing .on the edge of a cliff with beautiful views of the ocean. — Raising Scotland’s Flag

Our final castle stop was Dunskey Castle which is set right on the edge of a cliff with beautiful views of the ocean.

On the way home, our tour guide surprised us with a stop at the beach right as the sun began to set – a perfect way to end the day!

Isabella

May 20, 2025

A trip to Busan!

Busan, a city in South Korea outside of Seoul, is a large port city known for its beaches, mountains, and temples. I was able to travel there with some of my friends!

Our travel time from Seoul was about 2 hours and 30 miunutes on a train. We made the trip at night and arrived at our Airbnb to settle in for the night.

The first place the group wanted to visit was the Miffy Cafe. I didn’t know much about Miffy, but apparently, she is very popular in Korea and around the world.

Miffy Cafe in Busan. A counter where people can order their food and then go sit down. — Miffy Cafe in Busan

There were a ton of souvenirs and collectibles that were Busan exclusive, as well. I left the cafe with some gifts for my family and an understanding of who Miffy is.

Later that day, we went to the Haeundae Beach.

Haeundae Beach - blue sky over a big blue ocean with a walkway out to the water. — Walkway in Haeundae Beach

Being born and raised on an island with many beaches, it was nice to see this sight again. The weather this day was great and made it very enjoyable for the experience.

Right next to the beach was the BUSAN X The Sky tower. It is a very nice tourist attraction to where you can see the beach and city of Busan at a high elevation.

City of Busan is a major port city known for its vibrant maritime industry, beautiful beaches, and cultural attractions, including the Busan International Film Festival and the world's largest department store, Shinsegae Centum City. — City of Busan at the BUSAN X The Sky

Friends at BUSAN X sky tower overlooking a beautiful ocean. — Friends at the BUSAN X The Sky tower!

It was cool to see how big the city was. They also had locations of other places of the world on the glass to show how far it is from Korea!

As the night started to close in, we went back to the beach and saw the city lights at night!

City of Busan at Night with dark blue sky overlooking tall skyscapers. — City of Busan at Night

Friends in Busan looking out over the water with a dark blue sky above. — BeReal with friends in Busan

A day later, we went to visit the famous Gamcheon cultural village.

Busan Gamcheon Village which is made up of several colorful houses and buildings against a tall mountain range. — Busan Gamcheon Village

Busan Gamcheon Village which is made up of several colorful houses and buildings against a tall mountain range with students overlooking city city of a tall deck. — Family photo in the Gamcheon village

It was nice to see all the houses and how they all fit perfectly into this one space.

Though our trip was only 3 days, I had a very memorable experience and would love to travel there again!

-Riley Rama

May 20, 2025

Aix Marks the Spot

As my incredible semester in Aix starts to come to an end, I wanted to spend some time recounting a few of my favorite places I’ve visited . I hope this post will be useful to any future students coming to Aix-en-Provence. Consider this a list of my recommendations!

After trying over ten different bakeries in the city, I think the best croissant comes from Le Pain Quotidien. It’s a local bakery owned and run by two sisters, and their croissants are perfectly buttery and flakey.

A croissant with powdered sugar dusted on top sits on a grey plate. To the left is a latte with a heart design in the foam sitting on a smaller white plate with red and green trim. The two plates sit on a grey marble table.

Two pieces of chocolate cake sit on plates. Whipped cream, brown powder, a cherry, and a circular purple paper labeled Weibel sit on top of the cakes. Behind them are two jars of lemonade with mint and lemons slices inside the glasses. They all sit on a circular table with gold trim.

My overall favorite bakery would have to be Weibel; it’s well-known for a reason. The first day of my Food and Culture in the Mediterranean class my professor said we all had to try their pastries, and I couldn’t agree more. Their tiny cakes are intricate, unique, but inexpensive! I have so many great memories of meeting friends there for an espresso and a treat after class.

I really enjoyed visiting as many museums and art exhibits as I could. Most museums in Aix are free if you show your student ID, or are at least very discounted, and they are absolutely worth the visit! My favorite museum is Musée Granet, particularly the sculpture room on the bottom floor! It’s such an incredible experience to have so many impressive artworks that are easily accessible.

Additionally, as a cat lover, Aix does not disappoint. The cat bookstore Mon chat Pitre is the perfect place to pick up a french book and pet some adorable cats. I found the cats here are incredibly friendly and always willing to say hi.

A white and grey cat sleeps curled up on a white and cream striped sofa, with a pink pillow underneath the cat An orange tabby cat with darker stripes is sitting on a wooden shelf among various cat-themed mugs and boxed products in a store. The cat is looking downward with a slightly curious expression. The shelf above has additional boxed mugs, and there is a strip of warm yellow LED lights illuminating the display.

I am not ashamed to admit I would go there sometimes just for cat cuddles . There’s also a cat cafe called Meows Cats Cafe. This is also such a fun time, although be prepared for more expensive prices and the possibility of having to wait. Also, there was no shortage of cats wandering the streets to say hi to!

For me, the city of Aix could not be more charming. I discovered so many gems around the city by aimlessly wandering or taking a different path home from class. I highly recommend taking time exploring and staying curious. I am going to miss living in a city so rich with history and beautiful artwork.

À bientôt !

Ella