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The five-year-old Winona school is hosting its first international exchange students this year. The group comes from China, South Korea and Turkey.
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Foreign exchange students, John Kim, 17, far left, of South Korea, and Umutcan Gun, 16, of Turkey, work on an assigment Monday in their Biology class at Hope Lutheran High School. |
Huffman said the experience has been as eye-opening for students as it has for his family. Last year he hosted a German student who went to another school and was amazed by all the drive-in services: banks, pharmacies, coffee, food.
Huffman always encourages learning. “I tell these guys, ‘If you have any questions at all, even if it sounds stupid, ask,’” he said.
But the experience, and the close bond formed over time, can make it heart-wrenching to say goodbye.
Huffman and his wife swore they would never take another exchange student after last year.
Then they learned two new students needed homes, and decided they would do it.
“The experience is well worth the goodbyes,” he said.
Three families this year are hosting four students — two with the Huffmans, and one each with the other two families.
Administrator William Schatte said having the students in school has been eye-opening. Hope Lutheran students are inclusive, patient with language differences, and helpful to the new students, Schatte said.
He hopes to continue the program. “It’s exciting that we’re branching out into new areas, that we’re able to accommodate people of different cultures,” he said.
Here is a bit more about the students who are new to America — and new to Winona — and who will be here for the rest of the school year.
Name: Umut Can Gun (pronounced “Oo-jay”)
Still, some things about life in Winona are similar to life in Turkey — he listens to music, reads books and surfs the Internet.
Whether similar or different, he’s enjoying his time here. He’s on the soccer team and wants to play basketball and baseball. When he made the decision to fill out forms and come to America, not knowing where he’d go, he ended up in Winona — and that’s a good thing. “I’m so happy with that,” he said.
Name: Kang Zherong
He’s noticed that Hope Lutheran’s entire student body is the size of one of his classes in China. But he really likes it and thinks it will improve his life because he’s getting to know new people and a new place.
“It’s exciting and everything is new,” Kang said.
Name: Ma Zhaoxin (or, Joyce Huffman)
So far, the food is so-so and she’s met a few people. She plans on playing paintball and she’s watched some sports games, like soccer.
For a girl who struggles with English, she finds math the easiest to understand.
“It’s all the math words, no English,” she said.
Name: Chulki Kim (or, John Kim)
So far, he can’t necessarily pinpoint one thing he really likes about Winona. Not yet, anyway.
“Everything is exciting,” he said.
