A student’s homecoming, 21 years in the making
SUNY Oswego student Micah Shahoud (fourth from left) and other students from the Q4 South Korea “Korean Wave and Media” try some traditional Korean outfits. For Shahoud, born in South Korea but adopted to a U.S. family at five months old, this represented an emotional homecoming and wearing a traditional hanbok was a real highlight. (Photo provided by the Office of International Education and Programs)
For SUNY Oswego student Micah Shahoud, a study-abroad experience became more than just a trip; it became a homecoming 21 years in the making.
Shahoud was born in Jeollabuk-do, South Korea, but adopted by an American Family at just five months old. He grew up in Upstate New York, always knowing where his story began. Since he was about eight years old, he dreamed of one day returning to South Korea.
This spring, thanks to SUNY Oswego’s Q4 South Korea “Korean Wave and Media program,” his dreams became a reality. The program was led by communication studies faculty members Teajin Jung and Woomi Shim who led the group through Seoul and Busan. Students got the opportunity to experience Korean media and culture firsthand, from K-pop to K-dramas to exploring historic sites and even watching traditional performances.
For Shahoud, this experience carried more weight. It meant more to him.
“I vividly remember getting emotional when we entered over the Korean Peninsula and shedding a tear thinking, ‘After 21 years, I have returned to the country I was born in’,” Shahoud said.
Emotions and connections
Throughout the trip, moments both big and small brought Shahoud closer to a culture he once had to admire from afar. During a traditional theatrical performance, for him, seeing the performers dressed in colorful hanboks created a visceral connection he had never experienced before.
“I found myself identifying with what I was seeing,” he said. “By the end, I shed a tear seeing the culture so prevalent.”
That connection became even stronger on the group’s final day at Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul. Shahoud rented a hanbok and wore it while exploring the historic grounds.
“Wearing the hanbok was the most special moment for me because this is where it felt like, ‘I fit in,’” Shahoud said. “I walked around in that hanbok with a lot of Korean pride.”
With that pride and appreciation, he purchased his own hanbok to bring home as a keepsake.
For him, returning to New York was bittersweet. After years of imagining South Korea through just photographs and videos, Shahoud had finally experienced its traditions and formed his own relationship with the place where his life began.
Shadoud also appreciated the efforts and support of Jung and Shim in leading the trip and making it run smoothly. He believes this trip was an answer to his prayers and childhood dreams.
“I know the eight-year-old version of myself would be happy to see where I went,” added Shahoud.
Shahoud doesn't see it as a goodbye. He hopes to return to South Korea throughout his life. He hopes to continue a connection that, after 21 years, he finally had the opportunity to experience for himself.
For more information about SUNY Oswego’s international opportunities and experiences, visit the Education Abroad website.
– Written by Jose Vazquez Nava of the Class of 2027