12/23/2021 | Vanessa Le (She/Her), graduated with a major in Education Sciences and a minor in Korean Literature and Culture, and specializing in English Language Learning. During her time at UCI, she was involved with the Antleader Mentorship Program, Badminton Club’s competitive sport team, Dr. Young-Suk Kim’s Language, Literacy & Learning Lab, and served as ASUCI’s International Student Advocacy Officer. As a Fulbright recipient, Vanessa is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Korean Studies at Yonsei University in Seoul and hopes to one day work in higher education to inspire students through the intersections of international education and Korean culture and language.

Found below are Vanessa’s personal stories and experiences during her Fulbright:

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After graduating from UCI earlier this year, I officially began my Fulbright Korean Studies Master’s Degree Grant at Yonsei University’s Graduate School of International Studies (GSIS) in August. Coming in, I felt nervous about the academic rigor I would be facing and a bit disenchanted by the prospects of having to return to “Zoom university,” but my studies went smoothly. Also, with any pitfalls and struggles I have encountered living in Seoul, Fulbright’s Korean-American Educational Commission (KAEC)–one of the few Fulbright commissions that owns an entire building for its operations–has provided me with a wonderful support system with solid and reliable on-site services.  

One plus side of virtual schooling is the added layer of convenience to daily life. I do not have to waste too much time commuting to and from school, and I have more opportunities to explore different parts of the city. I have also been able to cook much more often than I expected, which is something that I basically never did during my year abroad here as an undergraduate. However, I have been taking advantage of the wide selection of Korean cuisine here as well. 

After wrapping up my first semester, the biggest takeaway that I gathered is that the global issues we face today demand collective collaboration. Because Yonsei GSIS is an international institution, our student body is composed of people from all walks of life and various cultural backgrounds. I have not only been exposed to more Korean culture, but also that of many other countries, too. It really is true that once one leaves their home country, they are able to take a much better, closer look at it. Many non-Americans that I have met in Korea associate the US with a place of ultimate power. Personally, such a thought never crossed my mind until studying abroad. My newly acquired “outside” perspective of the US includes mixed feelings related to pride and entitlement but also criticism about its need to be more environmentally-conscious and socially and culturally inclusive. However, there is no perfect nation or government, and I have learned that some issues of importance to many South Koreans include xenophobia, discrimination, wealth inequality, lookism, hyper-consumerism, and high levels of pollution in metropolitan areas. As someone from a background in education, I’m inspired by the cross-cultural exchange I have engaged in here, which has intensified my ambition to promote multicultural awareness and tolerance in my future career. 

When not listening to lectures at home, I like to study at cafes; the places with especially large windows are my favorite! Before moving into the Fulbright building, which is located in a much denser, more urbanized area of Seoul, I lived in a quaint neighborhood called 망원동(Mangwon-dong) for about a month. It is filled with cute cafes and a lively local market as well. I highly recommend anyone to take a stroll around 망원동(Mangwon-dong) to experience a quieter, more laid back atmosphere of Seoul. 

My hobbies outside of school include playing badminton and going to concerts. I frequently participate in Yonsei badminton team practices and events as well as play with other, non-school-affiliated clubs. I have been playing badminton for over 8 years and find it to be the best form of exercise while being able to socialize at the same time. I do not know much about Korean pop idols, but rather love the music of Korean singer-songwriters and bands. Despite the pandemic, I have been privileged to attend concerts from some of my favorite artists of all time.

One random, fun fact that I would like to share is that I appeared (virtually) on my favorite Korean TV show ever! “Superband 2” gives skilled musicians, from classic violinists to indie buskers, an opportunity to collaborate across multiple stages, experiment with diverse genres of music, and ultimately create a unique band. I participated in a live audience voting panel for the final stages of the show and had my few seconds of fame from the comfort of my bedroom, too. The image below is a capture of when the audience members displayed messages of encouragement for one of the bands. My (quite embarrassing) appearance includes the message, “Guitar avengers, please save the world”. The specific band that was about to perform is made up of four guitarists, two of whom are also vocalists, hence, “guitar avengers”!

I am always grateful for the time I get to spend here in Korea, and I am continuously working to expand my comfort zone to encompass this new home. The bits and pieces of my life in Korea that I have chosen to share are part of my humbling journey of learning. Thanks for taking a peek at it! Here is one last healing picture of an autumn sunset~

12/15/2021 | Mando Eijansantos (They/Them), graduated from UCI with a major in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Mando spent their time as a UCI undergraduate conducting research on radioactive bone cement for treatment of spinal metathesis under the guidance of Dr. Joyce Keyak. Currently abroad in Japan researching radiation dose rate and DNA repair under the guidance of her affiliate Dr. Yoshihisa Matsumoto at the Tokyo Institute of Technology, Mando plans to return after the grant and continue working on the radioactive bone cement project while pursuing a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering at UCI.

Found below are Mando’s personal stories and experiences during their Fulbright:

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My first month in Japan taught me how to transition from thinking like a tourist to thinking like a resident in this country. When I moved in to my apartment in Omori, Shinagawa, I found that my neighborhood was a charming, peaceful place that was popular for raising children – which meant that tourists and foreigners were almost entirely absent, and no one in the neighborhood spoke languages other than Japanese. I had to get my rusty Japanese language skills up to speed very quickly to get myself settled here. It was especially difficult to accomplish tasks such as opening a bank account and registering my address at the ward office. In the beginning, I started every conversation with, “I’m terribly sorry, but I am not good at Japanese…” Though, now, I think it has been at least a week since I began a conversation that way, so I am definitely becoming more confident in my speaking skills! 

Fortunately, outside my home neighborhood, I’ve been able to communicate in English. At TITech, I’m gradually getting to know my lab mates. This is the first experience I have had in a large lab group, of about 25 students. I’ve found that because of COVID-19 precautions, it is much more difficult to talk idly with my lab mates than years before. I was told that the students used to relax and socialize in our lab space, but because of the pandemic, nowadays students only come in to work and then go home immediately. Hopefully, despite this barrier, I’ll be able to make strong connections with my lab mates.  

Though I’ve been getting used to living in Japan as a resident more than a tourist, I did do a lot of sightseeing during my first month! I had to check it off the to-do list before my lab work becomes busy. I tried to go somewhere new every weekend, and I visited Ikebukuro, Kagurazaka, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Kamakura, Kichijoji, and mount Takao. I also met up with some of the other Fulbright grantees, which was especially fun because we could share our experiences and relate to each other easily. When I was exploring Shinjuku-ni-chome with another Fulbrighter to check out the popular LGBT hotspots we had heard about, I accidently missed the last train back to Shinagawa. But I heard that staying at a bar overnight was a popular thing to do in Tokyo on the weekends, so I ended up spending my entire night at a small lesbian bar. When I explained to the bartenders how I got stuck there, they laughed and told me that everyone else is here intentionally, so it will be fun. The other guests were doing karaoke and were impressed that I knew so many Japanese songs, so I was able to join them. I think that was the most fun I’ve had in a setting where I could only speak Japanese. 

Thinking about the personal goals I set for this grant period, I think I’ve made a decent start. In terms of research, the progress is slow due to the training period and learning period, since I have never worked in a lab like Matsumoto-sensei’s lab. I think my training will be complete after December, so I wonder what I can accomplish in the remaining eight months. I also had a goal of making connections with people in Japan, which I think I achieved by joining the dance club at TITech and by meeting people in my neighborhood in a local public chatroom. Though there is a bit of a language barrier, the people I’ve met in these spaces are friendly and encouraging. I hope I can improve my Japanese conversation skills to become more connected with them. Lastly, I wanted to be a contributor of my local community. I tried searching for volunteer work in LGBT resources or English lessons, but due to the pandemic, it was difficult to find available positions. I eventually caved in to a somewhat selfish desire and began volunteering at a pet shelter near my apartment. I’ve been missing my dog so much since I left the USA, so working with these animals has been my favorite weekly activity so far. I’m still rather new, so I hope the staff will eventually trust me to communicate with their English-speaking customers.

Looking forward, I see some challenges ahead that I aim to accomplish. First and foremost, I want to improve my Japanese conversation skills to strengthen my relationships with the people I’ve met so far. I also want to explore places outside of Tokyo, such as Hokkaido or Kyoto. Lastly, to further my research goals, I hope to travel Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and Fukushima sometime soon and visit the nuclear history memorials and museums. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Left: Playing Taiko Drum arcade game in Kagurazaka, Tokyo with another Fulbright Young Fellow from Stanford.

Middle: View of Mt. Fuji from the peak of Mt. Takao. hiking trail.

Right: Myself with a beautiful Momoji tree on Mt. Takao