Kayla Johns- Blog Abroad

Blog #1

Landed in Korea

September 2025

I’ve spent a long time dreaming about traveling, and as I got older, I found myself venturing into the music, the language, and the culture of South Korea. It was an amazing experience that helped me grow as a person. It was so inspiring from learning so much about a place so far away. It sparked the desire in me to try new things like dancing, singing, and picking up a language so different from English.

Of course, it wasn’t always easy. My family would make side remarks as they didn’t like that. I was more interested in a country so far away. Once I told them I wanted to visit Korea or maybe even live there they were worried. They would say things like, “ It’s such a far away country, you’ll never be able to go there and afford it”, or “ It’s too far away and bad things can happen to you and I won’t be there to help”. Then as I got older, I mentioned it again saying that I wanted to go to college there. Again, they discouraged me, saying I wouldn’t get a job or be able to afford it. So I ended up going to UNM because my family liked that it was close and I could get a good amount of scholarships there.

I am very thankful to be a UNM Lobo and even more thankful for the opportunities they have given me while in school. Because of choosing to be a Lobo and pursue my academic endeavors at UNM, I’ve been able to hold onto my dream of studying/ living abroad in Korea. I landed last Friday! And it has been amazing–the food, the culture, and the people. It just seems to get better since arriving, although there have been some challenges. The locals have been helpful even when they can’t speak English. Getting to Korea was the hardest part but once I arrived, the opportunities just kept coming. I have learned so much and gained so much knowledge before my classes have started.

I am so excited to experience and share more with you all (soon)!

Kayla Johns Plane Vid 

Blog #2

Week 3: Realizations, Challenges, and Festival Fun

September 2025

This week marks Week 3 of my classes, and so far, they’ve been great! Some teachers are harder to understand than others, and a few are blunt sometimes to the point where it hurts my feelings. But what’s helped me is learning to recognize those differences, not taking things too personally, and instead figuring out how to work around them. This is similar to going to get food but not knowing how to order, and not being able to ask because you don’t speak enough of the language. That happened to me today, and it really hit me. This is the reality of what being an international student feels like. But something that did make me feel like I’m back at my home university was seeing the red bull truck! 

Being an international student means being brave. You do a lot of things alone. You step outside your comfort zone constantly and have to figure things out for yourself. That might sound miserable to some, but honestly, it is exactly the opposite in my experience. I’ve already felt that since being here I have developed a level of independence that takes some people years or even decades to build. I’ve gained experiences, confidence, and self-motivation that I know I’ll carry with me for a lifetime. Every day, I feel more and more grateful for this experience that I am having. 

This week on campus is Festival Week, and it’s been fun. Each day brings something new. I’m especially excited about the upcoming concert. One of my favorite idols, Ha Hyun Sang, is performing here on campus and for free! My favorite song by him is "Burning Sunset", and I really hope he sings it. His music has helped me through a lot, so getting to see him live feels surreal.

So far, I’ve watched several amazing dance and singing performances by Chung-Ang University students. It’s been exciting to see different music and dance styles that are so unique to this country. There were also delicious food trucks lining the campus and I enjoyed seeing the many different options.

Studying abroad has already given me so many unforgettable experiences. Good or challenging, like when my phone decided to stop working and I had to figure out how to get my screen replaced and where, the range of experiences are worthwhile. I’m really looking forward to all the future opportunities this journey will bring.