Spending Winter in Korea
Homestay is for our students during winter vacation in which a student will go to a Korean blessed family's home for a week to experience the local flavor. The students share some of their insights and happenings in the following questions and answers:
QUESTION: How did your actual experience compare with your expectation?
ANSWER: I thought I would be lonely, frustrated and unable to eat the food. I was very wrong. It was a nice wholesome family which gave me excellent food, egg drop soup was my favorite so I got a lot of it. I was rarely bored and had a lot of fun. Young IL Loew
ANSWER: I expected the food to be better than our dorm's food. I was right. I expected that I wouldn't become friends with the children. I was wrong. I became good friends with the twins. I expected their home to be far away. I was wrong because it was an easy walk home. Jin'ae Mitchem.
QUESTION: What was your best experience?
ANSWER: My best experience at homestay was visiting the tiny church of 12 people. It was cozy and as we watched a video about True Parents I could feel everyone really proud of them, beaming and gazing at the movie. It was moving and cute. Miwa Krishnek
QUESTION: How was your experience using the Korean language?
ANSWER: I was surprised because I could understand more Korean than I expected. I learned a lot of Korean words and phrases. It was good that they only spoke Korean because before I hadn't tried to speak it, and since that's all they spoke I was able to practice what I knew. Jin'ae Mitchem
ANSWER: I used about everything I could. I said when I was tired, hungry (though they usually would ask me), wanted to watch a movie, buy gifts and hello and thank you. But there was one weird thing: every time I said "Hello" when the dad came home, the mom and two sons would laugh at me. I still don't know why. Young IL Loew
QUESTION: What did you learn about the Korean way of doing things?
ANSWER: I learned about the Korean way of eating meals at the table. I did a lot of rude things that I didn't realize, so I learned from these mistakes. I also learned that their schedule is different and they do a lot more things in their spare time. Mamina Turegano
ANSWER: I learned that Koreans put a lot more heart in the things they do. They are very humble, too. In Korea, everyone will take off their shoes at the door. They study so much more than we Westerners. Everything I learned at homestay is how I would like to live. Miyoung Brogan
QUESTION: What most important lesson did you learn about the heart of God?
ANSWER: I understand the mother's heart of God, the mother's side. She is humble and loving and always giving her best for her children. She is always happy for her children. Then they try their best. Betty Moloney
ANSWER: I learned that God made His children all very different. Thought it doesn't look like it sometimes, we all have hearts, no matter the country, race, city or household we may be from. Miwa Krishnek