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Korean exchange student calls Poland home
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Neighbors | Eartha Terrell.South Korean foreign exchange student, Hye-Yong Lee, dressed in a hanbok, which is a traditional Korean-styled attire Aug. 31.
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Neighbors | submitted.Neighbors | submitted.Foreign exchange student, Hye-Yong Lee, from Seoul South Korea said she was excited to live with Jon and Suzanne Homrighausen and attend Poland High School for her senior year.
By EARTHA TERRELL
Hye-Young Lee may appear to be a typical 17-year-old girl, but the South Korean native is anything but. She has embarked on an experience of a lifetime, traveling miles away from the only home she’s ever known as a foreign exchange student.
Lee journeyed from Seoul, South Korea, as part of the non-profit international educational organization Youth For Understanding (YFU), and will attend Poland Seminary High School as a senior student. She will return to South Korea in June 2013. Lee is living with Poland residents Jon and Suzanne Homrighausen, who are excited to be part of her learning experience.
“When we read her letter and saw her picture, within 10 days, she was in Pittsburgh waiting on us. This was a new chapter for us and it’s very fulfilling,” said Suzanne.
Lee, who has aspirations of becoming a teacher, was initially apprehensive about coming to the United States, but eventually decided that the experience would help her reach her goals.
“When I was in Korea, I was scared about coming to the States, but it’s good and very fun. I’m very happy. I have dreams. I want to be an English teacher or work for the UN. I wanted to experience other people and America has a lot of different people and cultures,” Lee said.
The shy teenager has slowly begun to come out of her shell and has even gotten a cat named Butterfly. Though she misses her family back in Korea dearly, she takes comfort in knowing that she is making them proud.
“My parents are so proud, but they are still worried about me. But they trust me and my host family,” Lee said.