Korean Exchange Program bridges cultures
This past summer, 20 teenage boys from Seoul, Korea (and its surrounding regions) came to Utah State University as part of the Korean Exchange Student Program.
The program, headed by Andrew Hong, marked the first time in USU history Korean students took part of the exchange student program on such a large scale.
Previous exchange students from Korea came to USU on a “small scale, private level,” Hong said.
This year’s program was originally intended to allow 40 students to participate, but resources and lack of host families only allowed for 20 to actually participate, he said.
Kookmin Card (Korea’s equivalent to the USA MasterCard) was this year’s sponsor and has expressed interest in continuing and expanding the program.
“This is only the beginning,” Hong said.
Dave and Michelle Israelsen of Providence participated in the program as a host family for two 16-year-old boys.
The Israelsens said they learned about the program through a mutual friend at USU.
Although the exchange students spoke some English, there was a bit of a “language barrier,” Michelle said.
To overcome that barrier, the boys would often read children’s books to the Israelsens’ six children, she said.
Michelle said they, and their neighbors – who also hosted two students – spent time with the boys during the week doing such activities as hiking, horseback riding, driving go-carts, going to church and attending a rodeo.
The Israelsens still keep in touch with the two students they hosted via e-mail and describe the experience as “rewarding,” she said.
“The boys, my husband and I were all crying at the airport when they left. I didn’t expect to be so attached to them after only three weeks. My toddler still walks around the house saying their names,” Michelle said.
The students last names were both Kim, although they were not related, she said.
The Israelsens named the newest addition to their family Kimberly in honor of the experience.