Exchange student learns of sisterhood and Twinkies
January 19, 2011
By Sebastian Moraga
Some hopes and dreams are bigger than others.
Fresh off the airplane after a grueling trip from Korea, teenager Eun Seong confessed to one big objective for his monthlong trip to Snoqualmie.
“I want to eat a Twinkie,” he said during a reception at Mount Si High School in Snoqualmie, sister city of Seong’s hometown of Gangjin.
Korean teenager Eun Seong is flanked by his Snoqualmie friends Alisha Palmer (left) and Jesse LaTourette. By Sebastian Moraga
Seong was filled with wholesome happiness to be in America. It’s his first time here, but also a reunion.
Last year, Seong’s family hosted Mount Si High student Alisha Palmer in Gangjin. Palmer’s mother is a coworker of Andi Reyes, Seong’s host mother this month.
When Seong arrived at Snoqualmie’s City Hall to meet his host parents in person, Palmer was there waiting.
“It was awesome,” said Palmer, a 2010 Mount Si grad. “The way his family took care of me made it feel like it was my family, so this is like seeing my brother again.”
This is the third time students have traveled from one sister city to another. This time, politicians from Gangjin accompanied them.
Ro Deu Leun, vice-mayor of Gangjin said through translator Agnes Shin that he hoped both cities had a chance to learn from each other’s culture.
Snoqualmie’s rural landscapes are similar to Gangjin’s, said Deu Leun, who traveled in lieu of Gangjin’s mayor.
“It’s very homey,” Deu Leun said.
Eun Sik Kim, chairman of the Gangjin County Council, said through Shin that Gangjin could learn much from how Snoqualmie uses its green resources and how its City Hall works.
At least one person will get to see the latter. An employee from Gangjin’s equivalent of City Hall also came along with the 13 students.
Nine of the students will attend Mount Si High School and the rest will attend Eastside Catholic in Sammamish.
Contributed Dignitaries from Gangjin, Korea, pose in front of a table filled with Korean food at Mount Si High School. Politicians and businessmen said they hoped for a closer relationship between their hometown and Snoqualmie.
Host families first contacted their students weeks prior to their arrival in America.
Reyes said she and her husband had been e-mailing Seong for about three weeks and exchanging pictures, so the in-person meeting was “not too unfamiliar,” she said.
Having learned some English in Korea and having practiced with Palmer, Seong caught on quick to what was happening around him, particularly when a visitor approached and started asking him questions.
“It’s the newspaper,” Palmer told him.
“I’m famous!” Seong replied.
Comments
Got something to say?
Before you comment, please note:
- These comments are moderated.
- Comments should be relevant to the topic at hand and contribute to its discussion.
- Personal attacks and/or excessive profanity will not be tolerated and such comments will not be approved.
- This is not your personal chat room or forum, so please stay on topic.
