One of the nice things about
Aquinas is the diverse mix of students. Throughout the course of the day we may
interact with people from the farthest corners of the earth and not even
realize it. There are quite a lot of foreign exchange students, and I have found
that it is natural to be curious about what their lives are like, to wonder how
they got here and why they may have wanted to come. I know I have tried
countless times to put myself in their shoes without much success (and asking
your friends too many questions at once can seem pesky.) So, I sat down with
Zoowoo “Andy” Yu and Daeul Hwang to ask the pressing questions that we don’t
normally get to address.
What was life like back in your
home country?
Andy and Daeul
are both from South Korea,
so the popular subject that came up for this question is a place called
Academy. Apparently, academics can tend to dominate the time and attention of
Korean students more than they do here in the United States. “High school students
have to go to school from 7:00 am to 10:00 pm, which is crazy. But it is very
normal in Korea,”
writes Daeul. Academy is a place in addition to school, where kids go to study
after school or on weekends. Students may have tutors as well.
How did you end up in Rochester?
The
decision to participate in an exchange student program is monumental. The
surprising thing about it is that the students themselves are often the ones
who take the initiative to find agencies and choose countries to study in. They
also have to convince their parents that the experience will be beneficial,
since there is the whole issue of tuition. Exchange programs offer a bevy of
different locations. “My first international student [program] was when I went
to the Philippines.
Then I came back to Korea,
where I lived. I studied in Korea
for one year, then I felt that I wanted to go to America,” says Andy. What ultimately
brings people to Rochester
is our school, Aquinas. Students who are not citizens of the United States
cannot go to public school for more than one year. So, that makes private schools
like ours all the more appealing. For Andy, Aquinas was actually his first
choice. “I saw the school website; I took a test, and I felt like Aquinas was
actually my place; I still feel that.”
What is it like having to use
English so frequently?
Students
learn English as early as first grade, in school, the same way we learn
languages like French and Spanish. However, seriously pursuing English as a
second or third language is a personal responsibility. “I never really studied
[it] until I was in 8th grade...During summer break of 8th grade, I actually
started to learn English,” writes Daeul. Using it often is evidently something
that becomes easier over time. “When I first came to America, it was very weird
and uncomfortable for me to speak English because I had never used it in Korea
as much. It was also very stressful because I had to write a lot of essays and
study everything in English,” she continues. For students like Andy, who have
been doing this for years at a time (six, to be specific), English can feel
better than their native language at times. It becomes increasingly comfortable
with time.
What do you think of Americans and
American life?
This
question brings up many interesting points. One thing both Andy and Daeul agree
on is that our lifestyle permits young people to be more outgoing. For Daeul,
it is the school system that provides opportunities. “I love American school
system[s] because we get to choose what classes to take and there are many
activities I can participate in.” What permits Andy to be more outgoing is the
culture and nature of the people here. He says that in a new country there is a
tentative feeling in learning what is acceptable. But here in the U.S., people do
not care too much about what others do. This is not always the case in other
countries. “Sometimes I have a hard time questioning [and asking] myself if
it’s okay for me to do this in America
because I don’t know all about America.”
He finds reassurance in the people here. “I’ve met people who are very friendly
to me, very kind to me, who offer me a lot and help me.”
What is it like living with a host
family?
Surprisingly
enough, living with a host family is not uncomfortable. According to Andy and
Daeul, it is a wonderful experience regardless of whether the family is up to
par or not. “Families are your friends,” says Andy. It is good to spend time
with them and have a mind to give and take because the goal is to have a
healthy relationship with the family. Sometimes the cultural differences living
with a host family can present challenges as well. “The first year and second
year in [the] US,
I was double hosted, so I had to live with another exchange student. [I] had
[a] hard time because of the cultural differences, but after several months, we
became like real sisters…” writes Daeul. For Andy, there was a huge cultural
difference concerning his independence. “In Korea, parents still think that,
until you are age 19, a kid is a kid, not really a grown up adult.” Parents do
most of the things that would require responsibility, and kids rely on them. In America,
parents gradually allow us to do things on our own (i.e. chores, driving,
cooking), which was different for Andy. “I never really cleaned my room myself
in Korea.
But here I get to know [how to.]”
What will you learn from this
experience?
Participating
in an exchange program is a great way to better yourself. On the surface, it
gives students a chance to strengthen their English skills and an opportunity
to learn about different cultures and traditions firsthand. The most important
thing to take out of any experience like this is the character building.
Students who do the program are learning more about themselves everyday. They
develop social skills beyond compare and learn what they can truly accomplish.
“Honestly, I have enjoyed my life here and don’t want to leave,” writes Daeul.
I think it’s safe to say she speaks for the majority of international exchange
students.
By: Jasmine Benjamin
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