Hi everyone! My name is Sophia Chang and I am a rising sophomore majoring in molecular biology. I am so excited to share that I have the privilege of studying in Seoul, South Korea this summer.

Tomorrow, I will be flying out to participate in the Yonsei International Summer School (YISS) at Yonsei University. While in YISS, I will be taking three non-major-related classes to explore some of the interests I haven’t been able to pursue during the busy school year. As someone with a partial Korean heritage, I chose YISS to further explore my culture and to boost my extremely minimal Korean skills. YISS’s extensive course offerings were exciting to me and the campus’ location is amazing for seeing all Seoul has to offer.

Outside of class, I plan on exploring the dynamic city of Seoul. Seoul’s unique blend of sleek modernity and traditional Korean culture will give me more than enough to do, see, and eat during my six-week program.

This trip will be the first time I’ve been to Korea in over 12 years and my first time flying solo. I think it is going to be a great opportunity for my personal growth and getting me out of my comfort zone. I also hope this experience will help me decide if I want to pursue a Korean minor at Pitt. No matter what, I am definitely going to take advantage of this opportunity and try to do as much as I can in my summer abroad!

-Sophia