NEWS

The 2016 Freshman Intercultural Relations Study Trip, or FIRST, took place from Wednesday, June 1 through Sunday June 5. This year 111 domestic students from APU participated in this study program in South Korea. Leading up to their departure the students selected and prepared their research topics, studied the Korean language with the help of Korean teaching assistants (TAs), and prepared to put everything into practice when they arrived in Korea.

In order to navigate their way around Korea to their different destinations– decided by drawing straws – participants had to work hard and bravely put everything they had learned into practice. Completing a survey after the program, participants spoke about their experiences: "I experienced another culture and learned to like Korea" and "While I experienced some conflicts with the members in my group, my communication skills improved through discussions about our assignment.”

APU has developed a range of off-campus study programs that encourage students to engage in practical and hands-on learning experiences. One such program, the FIRST Program, is held for new APU enrollees, and is designed to encourage students to deepen their understanding of different cultures, raise their communication skills, and help them develop goals for their time at APU.