Students forge ties with US neighbors

Kim So-yun, far right, receives her certificate of completion of the Good Neighbor English Camp from Gen. Paul Hurley, second right. From left are Col. Amy Hannah, Kenneth Philips, Col. Michael Masley, Kylan Philips and Kimberly Alexander. / Courtesy of USFK Public Affairs Office

By Tracie Barrett

Kim So-yun was one of 40 Korean high school students to graduate from the United States Forces Korea Good Neighbor English camp at Yongsan Garrison, Saturday.

The Good Neighbor English Camp (GNEC) evolved from a recommendation by the Korean Advisory Council to the USFK commander for a program to immerse Korean youth in an English-speaking environment.

Beginning in 2005, the camp invites Korean students chosen by local school boards to live with an American host family for a week, attend Seoul American High School and learn about the South Korea-U.S. alliance.

So-yun, a 16-year-old student at Mokdong High School, said she saw a notice on her school board about the camp and was the only student selected from some 20 applicants at her school.

She and another student, Kim Joo-young, were hosted by Kimberly Alexander, her husband Kenneth Philips and their seven-year-old son Kylan. Each student was also matched with a student escort from Seoul American High School who accompanied them to classes three days a week.

“I was super excited because I really wanted to join this camp and there were so many competitors,” So-yun said.

The 40 students also visited the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and the Joint Security Area, attended concerts and sports activities, and spent time getting to know their host families.

So-yun said her favorite part of the week was going with her host family to feed homeless people at Seoul Station.

“Our homestay family goes to feed them once a month and we went together and we’re going to make it a monthly occasion,” she said.

Her host mom, Alexander, learned about the English Camp from a friend who had previously hosted Korean students at the camp and remains in touch with them.

“I thought that was really neat, to form some sort of bond with Koreans outside of our every day work life,” Alexander said.

Her favorite part of the week, she said, was watching the girls’ reactions to her food, that she joked her family is now used to.

Gen. Paul Hurley, at the students’ graduation ceremony, thanked them for volunteering for the program.

“Your openness to experiencing another culture is truly remarkable,” he said.

For So-yun, who wants to eventually work in international trade and would love to study at a college in the U.S., this openness will continue.

She and her fellow students are planning to return to visit their host families to celebrate the July 4 festivities, and So-yun and Joo-young will accompany the Philips-Alexander family on their monthly visits to feed Seoul’s homeless.