A student exchange at Jeonbuk National University (JBNU), South Korea, was part of my academic experience as a 2023 student of Agricultural Engineering at the Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Universitas Gadjah Mada. During the program, courses were taken at the Department of Bioindustrial Machinery Engineering, with the exchange running from February 28 to June 19, 2026.
The courses included Energy and Environment Technology, New Energy Industry, Food Microbiology, Mental Health Problem, Environment and Health in Modern Korea, and Korean Reading. The subjects covered a range of topics, from energy and environmental technology to food microbiology and Korean language. Several of these topics were also related to Agricultural Engineering, particularly those concerning energy, food, and the environment.
The academic environment at JBNU was different from the one at UGM. Classes, assignments, and daily routines required some adjustment. Having students from different backgrounds in the same learning environment also created opportunities to communicate and get to know people with different experiences. 
Outside the classroom, getting to know local students became part of everyday life at JBNU. Conversations often covered university life, studies, and differences between living in Indonesia and Korea. These interactions made it easier to become familiar with the campus environment and daily life in Korea.
One of the campus activities was the school festival. Various activities were organized by the students, creating a more relaxed atmosphere around the university. Spending time at the festival with friends and other students was a nice break from regular classes.
During the exchange period, Eid al-Fitr was also celebrated at the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia (KBRI) in South Korea. Being away from home during Eid made the gathering especially nice. Meeting other Indonesians, having meals together, and talking about life in Korea brought a familiar atmosphere during the holiday.
A visit to a paper-making museum was another activity outside the university. The visit introduced the traditional process of paper making, including the tools and techniques used. It was an interesting way to see a part of Korean traditional craft firsthand.
Living in Korea for several months also meant getting used to everyday things, from navigating a different academic schedule to communicating in a new environment and managing daily activities independently. These experiences became part of the routine throughout the exchange.
The courses at the Department of Bioindustrial Machinery Engineering also offered a different perspective on topics related to Agricultural Engineering. Energy, environmental technology, and food were approached from an engineering perspective, which helped connect the courses at JBNU with the field of study at UGM. 
The exchange period at JBNU brought together regular academic activities with everyday experiences outside the classroom. Classes, conversations with local students, campus events, Eid at the KBRI, and visits to places such as the paper-making museum were all part of the four months spent studying in South Korea.
This international exchange was made possible through the generous funding of the “Hibah Pertukaran Mahasiswa Internasional untuk Inbound dan Outbound (Skema EQUITY) tahun 2025/2026 Tahap 2”, for which I am profoundly grateful.
Written and Reported by: Syrin Alia Zahra Marin