Hye-min (Korea)"Despite everything, I'm so happy with my life in France that I'd like to stay longer"

Hello ! My name is Kim Hye-min and I come from Busan in South Korea.

I've always been interested in studying abroad. A friend suggested that I go abroad with her, so I took the plunge and went to France!

I wanted to have a really different experience to the one I could have had in Asia, which is why I chose Europe, France, with its many cultural differences. The Saint-Étienne IUT offered a number of programmes for exchange students, which confirmed my choice. As well as loving the French language, I particularly appreciate the French pace of life, which contrasts with the speed of life in Korea. I can also discover many world-famous tourist sites and the beauty of the French language.

My ‘buddies’, with whom I had communicated by telephone before my arrival, picked me up at the station and accompanied me to my accommodation, which was very reassuring. As soon as I arrived at the school, I felt a different atmosphere to Busan University, and meeting new people was an exciting experience. The teachers were very welcoming. As for the students, they came up to me to say hello or tell me about Korea, which made it easier for me to integrate.

Little anecdotes that surprised me.... Waiters only look after their own area in restaurants; you have to close the menu to show that you're ready to order... And yes, the cliché about bread is true: even the bread in supermarkets or bakeries is incredibly good! Sunday is a surprisingly quiet day. Finally, I always knew that Korea was very trendy and that people often had similar styles, but in France, the diversity and originality of people really impressed me. I hope that Korea will one day adopt a more open and individualistic mentality.

As for the difficulties, there haven't been many... cooking every day... that can be a bit tiring; feeling frustrated when communicating with my French friends and I've been subjected to racism on the outside, which has also upset me.

Despite everything, I'm so happy with my life in France that I'd like to stay longer.

Personally, meeting Kenza and Enna was my greatest opportunity. I've noticed that the other buddies aren't around as much as mine. They help me so much, I'm really grateful to them ❤️.