Before starting a job as a software engineer at Bloomberg in New York City, Alexander Perez-Herrera was an international exchange student at Kookmin University in Seoul, South Korea.

The experience last spring changed his life.

“Before going to Korea, my long-term plans were so different,” said Perez-Herrera, who recently earned his bachelor’s degree in computer science and engineering. “I had planned to stay in New York City (working at Bloomberg), not travel as much and (continue) learning Mandarin, as I once had in high school. Now, none of this is the case, all because I took a chance and put myself out there.”

Initially unsure about studying abroad, Perez-Herrera was convinced by College of Engineering International Exchange Program Coordinator, Julie McMillin. Visiting a place as a tourist will never be the same experience as living there, she told him. 

Her advice was sound. In his four months in South Korea, Perez-Hererra immersed himself in local college life, from waiting in the rain to see K-pop artist PSY to a Korean Costco run with newfound friends. 

Here, he shares a few details about his experience (edited for length). 

Q: Can you share some of the highlights of your time as a student at Kookmin University in Seoul? 

About a month into my stay, the cherry blossom trees finally bloomed, painting many spots in the city with their pink petals. Over the roughly two-week bloom, my friends and I made various trips to view cherry blossom trees. Some of my favorite experiences and photos were from this time, including when I went to the top of Lotte World Tower. 

Another highlight was in April. During this time, a number of universities (including Kookmin) host music festivals featuring K-pop artists. These festivals are often open to students from other universities. A group of friends and I went to one at Hongik University, enduring hours of rain to briefly catch a performance by PSY (of “Gangnam Style” fame).

About halfway through the semester, I had learned enough Korean to order at restaurants by myself. This led to an incident where a waitress mistakenly believed I spoke more Korean than I did. I found myself not knowing how to say “I don't speak Korean” in Korean. I made great use of my skills when my parents came to visit (at the end of June). It was rewarding to take them to any restaurant they pleased and order on their behalf.

A majority of the students in the exchange program, many of whom I befriended, were European. At one point, I mentioned I had a Costco membership. After many requests to visit the store, I had to plan a group trip to a Korean Costco to show said Europeans what it’s like (there are very few Costco stores in Europe). We ended up filling a shopping cart with Korean skincare.

Q: What did you study at Kookmin University? Was the academic experience similar or different than your experience here at the University of Nevada, Reno?

At Kookmin, I took courses very different to what I had back at the University of Nevada, Reno, thanks in part to having already finished my degree requirements the semester before.

This primarily included classes related to Korea such as Korean Basic (a beginning language course); Korean Society and Culture; and Korean Tea Ceremony, the latter of which turned out to be very fun. All three gave me a deep appreciation of Korean culture and the motivation to continue learning Korean.

I found the academic experience was similar, but easier, than my experience at the University of the Nevada, Reno. I suspect that the classes for exchange students differ from native classes, as we didn’t endure the long study sessions we saw Korean students going through around midterms and finals.

Q: You only recently returned from South Korea, but do you think the experience has had an impact on your life?

Before this trip, I’d only been to visit family in Mexico City. But Mexico never felt unfamiliar to me because I grew up surrounded by Mexican culture, traditions and cuisine. South Korea proved vastly different and immediately stoked my curiosity. I found myself wanting to learn as much Korean as possible, not just to get around but to communicate with newly made Korean friends. I loved learning the language so much that I continue to study Korean. I plan to take the Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK) sometime in the near future to benchmark my progress and to, hopefully, one day use those skills in a job.

My time at Kookmin also made me realize that I enjoy being in school. While my current plans are to keep working, I suspect I will pursue a post-grad degree in a few years, possibly in Korea. I truly enjoyed my time there, so much so that I likely would move there for work if the opportunity presented itself. In the meantime, I'll continue to learn Korean to better converse with my new Korean friends. I’m already planning a trip to Seoul, and I suspect it will be the first of many.

Q: What advice would you give to students thinking about international exchange?

It’s an opportunity to throw yourself into a completely foreign culture and discover new people, traditions, songs, food — things you never would have found out about otherwise. You’ll learn more about that country than what any book, movie or classroom could ever teach you. At the very least, you’ll find a new dish to love.

I made deep friendships: people I am still in contact with and will be visiting for the rest of my life. (Not to mention the new friends who cannot wait to stay with me in New York City).

It’s also a chance to experiment a little when it comes to your studies. Even without the freedom I had when it came to choosing courses, you may find yourself loving learning a new subject or language.