Now that my study abroad has ended, I can fully reflect on my experience in both South Korea and Japan. Both countries are quite different than the United States, but they are also quite different from each other. Firstly, regarding conducting business, Japan is more rigid and traditional while South Korea is more innovative and modern. For instance, during our business visit in Japan, our presenters spoke about the hierarchical structure as well as the aversion to making mistakes in the workplace. They also spoke about how the Japanese business world is resistant to change, often using the phrase, “there’s no precedence for that” when shooting down an idea. However, the presenters mentioned some of this is changing slowly but surely. On the other hand, the business visits in South Korea had a strong emphasis on innovation and fresh ideas. For example, during our visit to Techno Valley, we were able to hear from startups with ideas I had never even thought of. For instance, one idea was a way to bring more nature into one’s everyday life by incorporating moss into items like an Amazon Echo.
As for engaging with individuals in these host countries, in Japan, it felt like everyone kind of kept to themselves and it was pretty quiet in public, specifically on trains, buses, etc. However, there were times we did hear some rowdy Japanese people. On the other hand, I felt like South Korea, felt more similar to a state in the United States, especially New York. It wasn’t as quiet and it felt like people were more aggressive, honking more. In addition, I felt like I had an easier time communicating with people in Japan simply because most restaurants in Japan allowed you to use a tablet to order food. This eliminated the language barrier I often faced in Korea when ordering food.
From this experience abroad, I’ve been able to develop a more global perspective by learning more about the Japanese and South Korean cultures. This is important in the workforce because oftentimes you work with people all around the world and you have to be receptive to people being different than you. This is where the greatest ideas come from; When a group of diverse individuals come together and learn from each other. In addition, from my time abroad, I realized some of my initial impressions were right and some were wrong. For instance, it’s true that Japan was cleaner than many U.S. States and that in general, the Japanese were quieter than citizens in the U.S. However, I went on to see numerous skyscrapers, and just like Americans, Japanese people can get loud too. My friends and I realized this one night when we were sitting next to a huge party that was having a good time celebrating together. Overall, through this experience, I’ve learned many life skills that I will use for the rest of my life and I’m eternally grateful to have gotten this experience.
