Fatimah Bisiriyu

CONNECT

bfatimah@sas.upenn.edu

Ask Me About…

* Studying abroad as a FGLI student: Budgeting while studying abroad as a low-income student can be hard. However, by budgeting smartly, I still made time to travel, have fun, and shop! 

* Traveling as a POC in monoethnic countries: South Korea is an inherently monoethnic country, so, being someone who looked visually different was something I had to adjust to. 

* Traveling to a non-English-speaking country: Being that I had spent both a short amount of time and long amount 

* Traveling while black: Studying abroad as not only a POC but a black woman of color, especially in a monoethnic country can elicit almost a completely different experience than your peers. It’s important to be prepared. 

* Studying abroad as a STEM major: Being a STEM student trying to plan for a semester abroad was difficult. But not impossible.

* Traveling abroad for the first time: My first time traveling out of the country was with Penn!

* Making friends and being involved on your host universities campus: Some of my closest friends (at both Penn and my host university) I made abroad! I also went to almost any student event you could think of at Yonsei and was involved in student organizations.

This trip was the first time I had ever been not only to a different continent, but also the first time I have ever been out of the country. As a result, this was my first time getting a passport. I am very grateful that this was my first ever experience abroad as it was not only a step into my into my traveling journey, but it also helped me feel confident and prepared to do so on my own.

My Experience

Coming into Penn, I always knew I wanted to study abroad. However, I had underestimated the effort it took to get there. Being a STEM student meant that I had to consider GPA requirements, course schedule and timing, and being on track to graduate. However, through careful planning and utilizing campus resources, I was able to make my time abroad an eventful and fulfilling experience. 

My experience was quite unique in that the schedule I had at Yonsei was almost the opposite of what I typically would have at Penn. During my abroad semester, I took a lighter course load and focused completely on my minor courses. This allowed me to explore the country, spend time with friends, travel outside the country, and even take on opportunities I typically wouldn’t. I felt that I was not limited to my major, my job, or to a strict career path. Furthermore, I learned alot about myself. I learned more about my personal and professional goals for the future, and more about who I am as a person. Studying abroad in my experience, was truly life changing and I hope that any one who hopes to do so, can!

Other Highlights

• Going out to hang with friends at the club on a random Tuesday.
• Making friends with workers at places that I frequented.
• Going on a club retreat with the mentors club and playing drinking games till 4AM.
• Getting close with the owner of my favorite Kimchi Tteokbokki restaurant
• Getting my first tattoo