US teens savor Korean culture
Published on | Source
By Aileen Kim
Flashing cameras, sounds of laughter and gazes of pure amazement were the scene at Korea's historic Changdeok Palace in Jongno-gu, Seoul, Tuesday. Exclamations of awe came from 99 high school students from the U.S., who were participating in the "Korea-US Youth Network" program organized by the Korea Foundation.
"It's amazing. I love the ornate decorations, it's very colorful. I'm impressed by how well it is preserved", said Meryl Kus, 16, from the state of Maryland.
Changdeok Palace wasn't the only hotspot on the itinerary. With Korea's history and culture as the theme of the day's agenda, the students visited other well known historical and tour sites in Seoul, including Cheonggye Stream, the presidential Cheong Wa Dae and Insadong shopping district.
The city tour, sponsored by Yonsei University which also coordinates the program alongside the Korea Foundation, is aimed to provide the youths with an insight into Korean history and culture
"The locations we chose showed both the historical and modern Korea", said Lee Hyun-joo, a coordinator at Yonsei. "Through the tour, we wanted to show them Korea's traditional and modern beauty".
After a nearly 9-hour tour that ended at 8 p.m., the students seemed to have enjoyed the field trips a lot.
"They were fantastic", said Alyssa Donovan, 15, from the state of Maine. "I couldn't have asked for anything better. This was the best day of my life".
They were also fascinated by the Korean culture. Torey Jackson, 16, from the state of Virginia said, "I really love [Korea]. The culture is just so vibrant. I like how it's very traditional, but very modernized at the same time. It's a nice combination".
The "Korea-US Youth Network" invites qualified students from 33 states in the U.S. every year, many of them first-timers in the country.
Admission to the program, however, is highly competitive. Students, from both high schools and universities, are to meet stringent eligibility requirements consisting of an essay, short answer questions, letters of recommendation, and their school transcripts.
"This program is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for American students to experience the best that Korea has to offer. We hope that by the end of this program, the students will have a better understanding of Korea and remember us as a rich and vibrant country", a Korea Foundation official said.
The "Korea-U.S. Youth Network", which began last Sunday, is a two-week program scheduled to end on Aug. 21.
Aileen Kim is an intern for The Korea Times.
Flashing cameras, sounds of laughter and gazes of pure amazement were the scene at Korea's historic Changdeok Palace in Jongno-gu, Seoul, Tuesday. Exclamations of awe came from 99 high school students from the U.S., who were participating in the "Korea-US Youth Network" program organized by the Korea Foundation.
"It's amazing. I love the ornate decorations, it's very colorful. I'm impressed by how well it is preserved", said Meryl Kus, 16, from the state of Maryland.
Changdeok Palace wasn't the only hotspot on the itinerary. With Korea's history and culture as the theme of the day's agenda, the students visited other well known historical and tour sites in Seoul, including Cheonggye Stream, the presidential Cheong Wa Dae and Insadong shopping district.
The city tour, sponsored by Yonsei University which also coordinates the program alongside the Korea Foundation, is aimed to provide the youths with an insight into Korean history and culture
"The locations we chose showed both the historical and modern Korea", said Lee Hyun-joo, a coordinator at Yonsei. "Through the tour, we wanted to show them Korea's traditional and modern beauty".
After a nearly 9-hour tour that ended at 8 p.m., the students seemed to have enjoyed the field trips a lot.
"They were fantastic", said Alyssa Donovan, 15, from the state of Maine. "I couldn't have asked for anything better. This was the best day of my life".
They were also fascinated by the Korean culture. Torey Jackson, 16, from the state of Virginia said, "I really love [Korea]. The culture is just so vibrant. I like how it's very traditional, but very modernized at the same time. It's a nice combination".
The "Korea-US Youth Network" invites qualified students from 33 states in the U.S. every year, many of them first-timers in the country.
Admission to the program, however, is highly competitive. Students, from both high schools and universities, are to meet stringent eligibility requirements consisting of an essay, short answer questions, letters of recommendation, and their school transcripts.
"This program is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for American students to experience the best that Korea has to offer. We hope that by the end of this program, the students will have a better understanding of Korea and remember us as a rich and vibrant country", a Korea Foundation official said.
The "Korea-U.S. Youth Network", which began last Sunday, is a two-week program scheduled to end on Aug. 21.
Aileen Kim is an intern for The Korea Times.
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