Bachelor of Science student Yasmeen Daniels has completed an unforgettable year abroad after studying in South Korea on a New Colombo Plan scholarship.
The New Colombo Plan scholarship is funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and is open to Australian undergraduate students for study of up to one year in a country in the Indo-Pacific region.
Yasmeen said living in Seoul and studying at Korea University was an exciting experience that enabled her to learn and grow.
"It was a lot of fun but there were a lot of challenging moments. The university system is quite different there. But it was a really amazing experience and Korea University made me feel really welcome," Yasmeen said.
"Being able to fully immerse yourself in a new culture and way of life was great. I had always wanted to learn another language and that full-time immersion allowed me to achieve that."
As an international student, Yasmeen was able to connect with Korean students as well as people from across the globe and learn about their cultures.
Some of the highlights of her trip include walking along the Han River, experiencing life in South Korea in all four seasons and seeing the cherry blossom trees bloom.
"My favourite thing about my time abroad was that I saw snow for the first time. A lot of my favourite memories include having snowball fights with friends, building a snowman and seeing the snow sculptures that people would make on the sidewalks," she said.
Yasmeen's international exchange also enabled her to deepen her learnings in environmental science.
"At Korea University, I studied a really interesting subject on climate change science. I got to have a very intense focus on the atmospheric science behind that which was really useful to my Bachelor of Science degree," Yasmeen said.
She said her time abroad enabled her to expand her horizons.
"I'm definitely a more confident person now. I've got a bit more faith in myself. I think forcing yourself to get outside your comfort zone, especially in a different country, helps you grow.
"You don't realise how beneficial that can be until you jump in."
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