While I'm complaining (I tend to complain first, then be more positive later), I would like to also say that Yonsei is a very disorganized organization. Using their website always gives me a headache and they have consistently given me either false information or simply not enough information. Still, Yonsei is a fantastic school, so don't let me persuade anyone its anything less than the best. It is equivalent to the Harvard or Columbia of South Korea, which makes it better than anything in China or the countries south of China. Japan may have better schools - I don't know - because its a more mature economy, but outside of that, Yonsei/Korea/Seoul Universities are the best in Asia. But Yonsei is still ridiculously disorganized.
A note : during the orientation, they showed a slide show (lots of those) that listed details about Yonsei. One of the details that caught my eye was Yonsei's annual budget. It said it was $1,984,907,000. I double checked to make sure that wasn't in Korean Won, but it said USD! If thats not a mistake, then thats really impressive.
Back to today: that Korean language placement test was really hard! 너무 freaking 어려워!! It was maybe 10 pages, front and back each, and an interview. Of the 10 pages, I could do only 1.5 before it got so hard that I could only make little side notes in my translation. And in the interview, I don't think I did so well. The problem with that was that the professor was speaking in high formal, and I usually speak in informal or at best middle formal. Also, I think I was the only non-ethnic-Korean there that had not had an actual class on Korean language. Everything I know is from talking to Koreans, and everyday speaking (or at least when they speak to me) doesnt include all that proper grammar. So... yeah... not fun. Oh, and to make it even worse, I forgot about my notebook and class schedule, left on the floor next to the desk. I didn't remember until I got home, and by that time there was no way I was going to go back for it. Maybe there is a lost-and-found...
This is a view of the middle of the Yonsei campus. From the front gates, there is this road going up th middle, and big, stately buildings line either side. The building most easily visible, in the left middle, is the library.
That statue is the statue of Dr. Underwood, the founder of Yonsei University, in 1885. Dr. Underwood was a Christian evangelist, and I beleive that Yonsei University has been instrumental in spreading Christianity in South Korea. Now, S. Korea is approximately 50% Christian, 50% Buddhist. Speaking of Buddhism, I have been wanting to get a look at the inside of a Buddhist temple for a long time, and I hope to do so this semester. It is common for foreigners to stay at a temple for a couple of days, to experience traditional East Asian culture in a way not possible in the busy, modern, cities. I wanna do that!
Oh, but back to Yonsei. This statue and the building in the background are famous in Korea. The building is covered in ivy, which is currently brown due to the winter season. After orientation, several of us foreigners had our picture taken in front the statue, and we all mimmicked the statue, with palms up. If I ever get that picture, I will put it up.
Another ivy-covered Yonsei building. No idea what is inside...
The KLI building. KLI = Korean Language Institute. This is where the Korean language class is.
My legs hurt from snowboarding yesterday... and all the walking today.
I wish it could have been a more cheerful post, but it has just been one of those says.
hey this is Charles... I didn't know you were in Korea. I'll give you tips. You should join a Dong are ree bang... that is a club room. they will be on the main street for 2 weeks.
ReplyDeletethe best one is ha suk chip dong are ree they were really fun looking but I didn't join them because I didn't know what that was until too late. they are people who are not from Seoul and their families are far away so you are perfect for that. and they are all korean so that is good too.
I was in Agape dong r ree that was fun too.
but now they are really small but the door is always open. they do volunteer work at the hospital, which you can do too at 12 noon feedin g pralyized children. it was fun. and sometimes I got to eat too for free. and then at 1pm there is arts and crafts which was so fun too (at the hospital for pralyized children)