Meeting new people in Korea has actually been pretty easy. People, especially students, are much more eager to interact than I had expected before coming to Korea. Although there is a language barrier, preventing me from communicating with non-English speakers, much of the student population here knows a good amount of English (enough to hold at least a conversation). From my understanding, it is difficult for Koreans to meet one another, however Koreans are more open to making exceptions when talking to foreigners because societal norms don't apply. As a result, as international students we may have not experienced the typical Korean social structure, however instead we experienced an easier exchange in which people here are actively wanting to meet us.
On the other hand, for international students visiting the United States it may be more difficult. While Americans tend to be very outgoing and willing to meet new people, the international students may be the ones holding themselves back from meeting people. For example, a Korean student going to study in the US may feel overwhelmed by the social structure; it is completely different from the one they are used to and may have trouble adapting. Without knowing people, the student may feel that they have no one to introduce them to new potential friends; instead, it is assumed they must put themselves out there to meet new people. Being bold and outgoing is a different concept for these students, which may take some getting used to. However, once students get over the initial hurdle of becoming outgoing, I believe that it is not difficult for them to meet new people in the US.
Overall, I feel the two exchanges share similarities and differences. In each situation, a person enters a different social structure from the one they are accustomed to and must adapt. The ability to adapt is determined by the students own perseverance along with the openness of the society they are entering (which varies country by country).
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