2012 Graduates Bid Farewell to WLHS - West Lutheran High School

4
Meet the West Lutheran Exchange Students
These are the last in a series of interviews with the eight foreign exchange student at West Lutheran for the 2011-2012 school year.
Adam (Hak) Yu comes
to West Lutheran High
School from South Korea.
He is a quiet, pleasant
young man, who has
a great sense of style.
One of Adam’s favorite
pastimes is shopping at
the Mall of America and
he always looks very
fashionable. Adam’s
host family lives in Chanhassen. There are
also two other international students in his
home who attend other schools. Adam is a
sophomore at West Lutheran High School and
plans to return as a junior next fall. Adam’s
hope is to continue his high school education
in the US and complete his college studies in
the US.
Q and A with Adam
Q: How did you decide to come to the US
for school
A: My parents asked if I would like to attend
school in the US and I said “yes.” I knew it
would be a good opportunity to learn English
and to go on to college.
Q: What is different about West and the
school you previously attended
A: Last year I was in the US and attended Minnetonka
Christian Academy. It was a much
smaller school and half of the students were
international students.
Q: What is your favorite thing about the
US
A: The education system. In South Korea the
education system models the Japanese school
system. It is very intense. High school is usually
8am to 10pm every day. Many students
board at school because of the long hours. My
middle school at home was 8am to 4pm.
Q: What do you enjoy doing here
A: I like going to the Mall of America. I also like
the food – there is so much variety and foods
from all different countries are available here.
I enjoy trying new foods.
Q: What is your least favorite thing about
being in the US
A: Being so far from home. I only get to see
my family if I travel home in the summer. I talk
to them once a week – either on the phone or
via Skype.
Q: What do you miss the most from home
A: I miss the family meals – we always had
breakfast and dinner together as a family.
Q: What differences do you notice between
the US and you home country
A: I have more free time which I enjoy.
Nick (Zhou) Yuning
comes to West Lutheran
High School from Nanchang
City, China where
he attended Nanchang
No. 2 High School. Nick’s
father suggested that
Nick come to the US to
study and Nick saw it as
a great opportunity to experience
a new culture
and continue his studies. Nick is a very polite
young man with a great sense of humor who
loves to learn. He is hosted by the Terry family
who he describes as very hospitable and kind.
He has enjoyed his stay with them immensely
and is grateful for the wonderful experiences
they have provided to him. He especially enjoyed
his trip with them to Florida during spring
break where he got to visit Universal Studios
Theme Park. He also loved the white sand
and the ocean and the green, lush, grass and
vegetation.
Q and A with Nick
Q: What was your first impression of the
US and WLHS
A: It is very different – especially the testing is
very different than in China.
Q: What is your biggest adjustment
A: Being far from friends. I do miss them but
I have not been very homesick. I like the new
experience. Also relationships have been hard
to establish in the US.
Q: What are some of your favorite things
about the US
A: Grass. In my city in China there is pavement
everywhere. I also like the variety of food –
especially barbeque, all the activities that you
can do and shopping. I have been to the Mall
of America a few times and often go to Arbor
Lakes in Maple Grove.
Q: What is your least favorite thing about
the US
A: Lack of good public transportation. If you
do not drive, it is hard to get anywhere. The
distance to travel from place to place is further
and so is not easy to walk.
Q: What do you miss the most from home
A: Family and friends.
Q: What are you most looking forward to
during your stay in the US
A: Continuing my college studies at Missouri
State. I will major in marketing and hopefully
get a job and stay in the US.
Falice (Yu) Wang
came to West Lutheran
High School mid-year
(our 2nd semester) from
Nanchang City, China.
She is staying with
Kim & Linda Class and
daughter Rachel, who is
a senior at West. Falice
has already earned her
high school diploma in
China, but is hoping to add some high school
credits to her accomplishments and continue
in the US for her college career. Falice is a
very polite, poised young lady with a ready
smile and an eagerness to learn.
Q and A with Falice Wang
Q: Why did you decide to come to the US
for your education
A: I believe that the college education in the
US is better.
Q: What was your first impression of the
US
A: It is not crowded. There is more countryside
and rural areas – just more space.
Q: What is the biggest adjustment for you
in the US
A: The language and the culture. Personal
relationships are different. They are harder to
establish. People are more guarded in the US
than in China.
Q: What is your favorite thing about the
US
A: I have more freedom and more free time.
Q: What do you miss the most from home
A: Friends and family.
Q: What is the major difference between
your country and the US that you see
A: People have more activities that they are
involved in.
Q: What is the major difference between
your school at home and West
A: Of course, all of the activities and sports. My
school at home has PE twice a week and that
is the only sports in school. If you want to play
a sport you join a league or team outside of
school. Also the school day – at home school
is 7:30am – 5:30pm, a much longer day. We
also do not change classes. We are always
in the same classroom with the same classmates.
Our teachers rotate in and out of the
classroom.
Q: What are you most looking forward to
during your stay in the US
A: Continuing my education and finishing college
in the US.
West Lutheran High School • 3350 Harbor LN N • Plymouth, MN 55447 • (763) 509-9378 • info@wlhs.net • www.wlhs.net