As I pushed my carry-on into the overhead compartment and took my aisle seat on a plane leaving Chicago, I thought, “This could either be the greatest experience of my life, or a mistake the size of Texas.”
I had accepted an internship offer from Kyungpook National University and was flying to South Korea. I was going to be working for the university’s international affairs department and assisting with the instruction of English.
Eight Tylenol PMs and 15 hours later, I landed at Incheon International Airport near Seoul. Leaving the terminal, I then hopped on a four-hour bus ride to what would become my home-away-from-home, the city of Daegu, more specifically, Kyungpook National University. Settled in and unpacked, life in the Republic of Korea officially commenced.
Seemingly normal rituals back in America became coated in a thin layer of newness: bus rides, grocery stores and cafes all took on some otherworldly glow each time I stepped through the front door. Everything was fresh and unknown. Each day brought me into the path of an amazing person; not a day went by that I did not meet someone who offered me not only friendship, but also a new perspective toward the world around me. 
What I viewed as “normal” and “correct” lost its hold in the wake of learning to bow to those in a higher social position than myself, not to address friends older than me by their names but rather as titles such as “hyung” and “nuna”(older brother and older sister, respectively), and many other cultural aspects of Korea.
My internship position was everything I expected and more. Having chosen English as my major for the sole purpose of one day teaching at a university, I was not only working in a foreign country, but also gaining first-hand experience in the precise job I hoped one day to hold. 
I shared an office with the other intern, Katie, from Ireland, and our main responsibility was instructing soon-to-be exchange students in the composition of English essays. We also proofread undergraduates SOPs and resumes for overseas applications to English-speaking graduate schools, presented a joint seminar on MLA-APA formatting styles, and my personal favorites, photocopying and filing.
My superiors and coworkers were also significant reasons for my enjoyment of day in and day out at KNU. I had the great fortune to be working under the guidance of a department filled with brilliant, caring instructors and professors ranging from Canada to Scotland, to native-born Koreans who not only taught me how to perform my job to the best of my ability, but how to succeed and flourish in an international work environment.
Even more so than the work experience, I left Korea having met people from all over the world, who had a very deep and profound affect on me. From Russia to Finland, from France to India, the friends I left with from my time in Korea are the greatest benefit afforded to me by my internship.
In a rather ironic turn of events, many of my friends ended up being non-Koreans and added multiple dimensions to my cultural experience.
Kesiuke, my roommate from Osaka, Japan, spoke with me about the differences and similarities that exist between Korean and Japanese society.
Sandie, the French intern from Paris, discussed her country’s  history and language over coffee.
Tatu, an exchange student from Helsinki, Finland, happily spoke about his country scoring highest on international exams whilst pouring shots and serenading those around us with his rendition of “God Bless America.”
Never, before accepting my internship, did I conceive that I would be experiencing Korea as a country, its culture and its people as well as the culture and people of various countries from around the globe.
While the life of an intern differs from that of a typical student studying abroad (I was in an office six to eight hours a day while regular exchange students were free to roam as they please), I believe an internship abroad offers work experience and opportunity to immerse yourself in the business and work ethics of a country as well as culture. 
Looking back, I am still amazed at the multitude of great experiences six months in Korea gave to me. For anyone reading this and considering interning abroad, my advice to you is to get moving. If you are willing to make the first move and take on the small colossus that living in a foreign country is, internships and amazing experiences abroad are yours for the taking. To quote Ayn Rand, “The world you desired can be won. It exists … it is real … it is possible … it is yours.”The upcoming Study Abroad Fair is a great place to start, as well as doing your own research via the Internet for internship postings.
Joshua Bryant is a junior majoring in English. He can be contacted at [email protected].