ETH Zurich
Spring 2022 Group Study Program
Zurich, Switzerland
As part of my Master's program at the University of Calgary, I went on a five-week study abroad program to Zurich, Switzerland with Professor Francisco Alaniz Uribe. I took a course on Urban Systems and was part of an Urban Design Studio. Even a city known worldwide for its exemplary urban planning practices, successful and engaging public spaces, and world class efficient transportation system comes with its problems! Zurich is tackling promoting and managing new growth in its already established areas, as there are very limited areas for it to grow outwards due to geographical and other constraints. In addition, that growth is expected to mesh with the aesthetical and functional character of its existing neighborhoods. The courses I took here included a plaza public realm analysis, a dissection of an existing neighborhood with a walkability study, and refabricating an existing urban space to incorporate a new community exemplifying key principles of urban design.
Ajou University
Fall 2015 Semester Abroad
Suwon, South Korea
In the fall of 2015, I decided to satisfy my urge to live in a different part of the world and chose to complete a semester in South Korea. This ended up really polishing my planning and organizing skills, as I didn't realize before this point how much paperwork is involved with living in a different country. I took courses on learning the Korean language, exploring the history of this beautiful country, as well as a course on cross-cultural management and how to work with people spanning across different countries and time zones.
Here are the top 4 life lessons I learned from this experience:
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1. Not everyone can speak conversational English, and that's OK. It takes a lot of practice to communicate with people in non-verbal ways. |
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2. Your pre-conceived notions of a country/region usually aren't all that accurate. That's why experiencing life abroad forces you to reevaluate your worldview and reconstruct it accordingly. |
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3. Putting even in a little effort into learning the local language of an area can get you really far. This ties into #1. People seem to be equally impressed with you if you can speak a little compared to speaking it fluently. |
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4. Korean food is completely delicious and I will always be on the lookout for it. Bulgogi, samgyeopsal, dakgalbi... I just can't get enough! |
