From Hanyang to America: You Can Live in the U.S. Too!

"American Dream." It refers to a vague dream that anyone could lead a good life in the United States. With globalization, there is a greater opportunity for moving to the U.S., but can we truly lead a good life if we move to the U.S.?  

To learn more about life in the U.S., we spoke with Hanyang students who finished internships in the U.S.

Kim Soo-bin (Department of Media and Communication, Senior) started her life in the U.S. with an exchange semester in Georgia. It was initially a semester-long program, but she wanted to stay longer and decided to extend her stay to a full year. During this time, she applied for an internship along with her local friends who were seeking a job and worked as an intern for nine months from May 2024 to January 2025.

Kim interned near Chicago. Kim was in charge of marketing and sales at a beauty and cosmetics company called "SN Beauty." "SN Beauty" is a Korean-owned business and a small wholesaler that supplies cosmetics for black consumers. 

Kim had about nine months. She struggled to secure a position so she used an agency to get an internship position. As much as she wanted a workplace where she could use English and experience American culture, more than half of the employees were American and all business communication including meetings was conducted in English.

The work culture in the U.S. allowed for open discussions to the extent that she could call her senior colleague by saying "Hey, Sarah." The horizontal structure enabled direct and comfortable communication with even the highest-ranking managers. It was an environment where she could easily point out her own mistakes or give feedback to her superiors.

Her wages were set according to Illinois’ minimum wage, and she received approximately KRW 3 million each month. She spent $300 renting a place with a big room and a bath through the company. It was an incredibly lucky deal considering the average rent was about $2,000. Moreover, it's impossible to live in the suburbs without a car, and she was able to use a company car for just $50 per month.

Kim spent about 18 months in the U.S. as a "tourist, student, and worker." She couldn't speak a word in English when she first came as an exchange student, but over time, she became more comfortable with the language. Moreover, she expanded her perspective by being exposed to various viewpoints on one matter. She got gradually used to American food, which she didn't like much in the beginning.

Kim described the U.S. as a "truly free country." She was shocked by overly free people, but she got used to it and felt freedom. At the same time, she also hit the reality of life as a foreigner. Watching international students worrying over green cards made Kim look back on the life of a minority. Despite America's status as the "biggest superpower," she experienced several inconveniences, such as narrow-minded people, frequent power outages even in rain, and hospitals that could only be reached after making appointments 2 weeks in advance.

Kim rated her internship experience a perfect 10 out of 10. "Considering the impact my 18 months in the U.S. will have on the rest of my life, it’s undoubtedly a 10," she said.

She continued, "Without the economic downside, an internship in the U.S. is the perfect place for people who want to throw themselves into a new place," adding, "I highly recommend it to those who value experience." Lastly, she concluded by saying, "An internship in the U.S. was an irreplaceable and truly valuable part of my life."

Lee Ji-yu (School of International Studies, Senior) interned in Los Angeles for five months from August 2023. She was dispatched as a local intern through the "Ministry of Foreign Affairs Diplomatic Mission Internship" program. She interned at the Public Diplomacy Division of the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea, where she assisted with cultural events, policy work, public diplomacy seminars, translation and interpretation, and digital public diplomacy projects.

Having maintained a continued interest in diplomacy, Lee learned about the overseas internship program through a friend. She said, "Since the business environment varies greatly depending on the region and its characteristics, I thought I could broaden my view and grow as a person."

LA is a hub for cultural diplomacy events. In a place with infinite possibilities, Lee gained meaningful experiences by planning content and writing reports in the field.

She received a monthly stipend through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs field internship program and partial support for airfare, medical expenses, and insurance. Considering it was an internship at a public institution, it wasn't as free as a public enterprise, the Public Diplomacy Division where she worked provided interns with significant autonomy. By working outside the office, she communicated with locals and experienced working abroad. "I fully experienced a 'small talk' culture by interacting with locals," said Lee. "In both private and public, there was a lot of communication there." She not only improved her English skills but also expanded her worldview by interacting with people from diverse cultural and racial backgrounds.

She earned about KRW 2.6 million per month and spent most of her salary on food, transportation, and accommodation. Her company was located within the Korean Town so she found housing within walking distance. It was a shared house where multiple residents lived together, with private rooms, a common kitchen, and a common bathroom.

"I was worried a lot about LA, which is infamous for drugs and homelessness, but I'm satisfied that I managed to stay safe," said Lee. "LA is a culturally diverse core city with lots of events so it's great for sightseeing." 

For her, life in the U.S. was a defining experience in her 20s. Lee rated her life in the U.S. 7.8. She was not particularly adventurous but the U.S. internship helped her develop the courage to embrace new experiences and possibilities. "This will be a good experience for those who want to work in a challenging and flexible environment or gain professional experience abroad," said Lee. "In particular, I recommend to those who want to work in diplomacy like international business or trade."

Lastly, Lee said, "Looking back, five months felt incredibly short," adding, "There were many moments where I struggled to handle things alone, but I'm satisfied with my experience in the U.S. thanks to an unexpected meeting with good people and the fact I could work abroad."