When I was first applying for my AmeriSpan program I wasn't sure if I wanted just the lodging house or a host family.  After talking with one of the representatives from the "Live Help Chat" on the AmeriSpan website they explained that I would be getting more practice if I was with a host family.  I was also apprehensive because I don't know any Korean and I would be going to the country with no language abilities except for English.  I asked if that would be a problem and the representative said that it wouldn't be an issue and I would benefit the most because I would be engulfed in the culture and language.  With the reassurance from AmeriSpan I decided to go for it, and boy am I glad I did!

5) Having a Family Away From Home
The host family I'm staying with is household consisting of a grandmother, mother, (mother's) brother, and a baby. It is a comfort to come back from school, or from exploring Seoul, to see the hustle and bustle of normal family life. Everyone is so welcoming and happy to see you that very quickly you start to feel like part of the family.

4) The Other House Guests
I am not the only student staying with my host family.  There are three other students who are attending the school where my Korean classes are held.  We each have our own room and live on the second floor while the family lives on the first.  It's nice to have others in the same program because we walk to school together as well as go out in the evenings just to walk around Seoul as tourists.  It also helps in studying because we are at different levels in our classes.  During meals sometimes we will help each other explain the homework or even practice for an upcoming quiz or test.

3) The Rooms
In my room there is a bed, desk, free-standing closet, and 2 built in closets.  There is plenty of space to call my own for the summer.  I also have internet and a television with cable. 

2) To Come and Go as I Please
Each of us staying at the house have our own set of keys that get us into the front gate, house door, as well as our individual rooms. We are allowed to go and come back at any time which is nice when you want to discover the night life of Seoul without waking anyone up upon your return.

1) Home-Cooked Meals
Everyday, including weekends, we get breakfast and dinner at the house.  It is cooked by our host mom and normally Korean food.  This gives us the opportunity to have real Korean food without going out to a restaurant everyday.  If for some reason we are going to miss breakfast or dinner all we have to do is tell our host mom so she doesn't make extra portions.   However, nothing beats eating together at the house where we are able to enjoy good food with good conversations.

AmeriSpan note: Homestay in Korea is no longer available. Please feel free to contact our office with any questions or updates regarding your options.

For more information, go to AmeriSpan's Korean school in Seoul

Read all of Josephine's blogs from Seoul Korea.

By Victoria C., Guest Blogger from Seoul, Korea

Today I am going to discuss the lodging options at AmeriSpan's Korean Language School in Seoul, Korea. The Korean school assists with housing. Students can choose from private apartments, shared apartments or host families. The homestays and apartments are very close to the school. The apartments that I visited are only one subway stop away from the school. 

Seoul apartments are very small. Students share a bathroom or can choose to have a bathroom in their rooms for an additional cost. The apartments have shared common areas and kitchens. If a student would like to save on the cost of food, they can choose a meal plan with their housing for an additional monthly cost. The meal plan provides two meals a day; breakfast and dinner.

 
Kitchen & Common Area of Shared Apartment 

Laundry service is also available for additional cost. If you choose not to use the laundry service, you have access to a washer and they provide a drying rack for your clothes. There are also private apartments for students who only want to share living space and kitchens with less people. These apartments are higher costs then the other student apartment buildings.

Kitchen in Private Apartment (kitchen shared with 2 – 4 people max) 

AmeriSpan note: Homestay in Korea is no longer available. Please feel free to contact our office with any questions or updates regarding your options.

Click for more information about AmeriSpan's Korean School in Seoul.

I met with the school director at the Korean Language School in Seoul, Korea. She was very professional
and nice, and like many Korean women she was very reserved. I was greeted and
offered something to drink. We met in
the lobby of the school at 2pm. I was not able to see any classes in session
but the school director and I were able to discuss the most commonly asked questions sheet
to make sure the information was up to date. My mother, who is Korean, was with
me and was able to translate and clarify many of my questions.

Building and School Location
The Korean school is located in a university town called
Donggyo-Dong. Hong-Ik Univeristy is
located here and is a very well known University in Korea. I loved the area the school was located. The
school is conveniently located near the subway and bus. It took me only 5
minutes to walk from the subway to arrive at the school. Next to the school is a restaurant, where
students can get lunch after classes are over. The area also has many other restaurants near by and lots of good
shopping as well. The building has elevator access, bathrooms on each floor and
are very clean and well maintained.

The school is on the 3rd
floor of the building. Classrooms are located on the 2nd and 4th floors. The
3rd floor is where the lobby and teachers office is located as well as a
computer area where students have access to emails and the web at no cost.

The classrooms hold a maximum of 11 students. On average a classroom has about 7 students. The school is available to accommodate 150 students which is the maximum capacity for the school.  The most common country in which students are from is Japan. The teachers are all mostly young in age ie; mid 20’s to mid 30’s.

Language Program

There are 6 different language levels. Methods used for teaching are books, audio and video. One of the American students I met in housing, informed us that this Korean school is stronger in their text method then other schools and that their intermediate level of teaching is the strongest. When discussing with the school director on how she felt about their highly advanced levels she said she was very comfortable with this. After my discussion with the student I met in housing, I can say that this seems to be very true. 

The Korean school offers private classes to any student. They are available for 1-on-1 sessions in which a tutor is arranged during any time it is convenient to the student. The school organizes excursions for the students such as city tours, art performances and other group activities. The excursions are available at an additional cost to the students and are mostly conducted in Korean. The students are allowed to invite friends to come with them if they would like.