Brandon Twp.-Two Brandon High School exchange students? lives look quite different now than they did six months ago.
In South Korea, Sinae Park lived on the 25th floor of a 27-floor building, attended school six days a week? most days until 9 p.m., and didn’t have any friends who could drive.
In Thailand, Ploipailin Pungvongsanuraks attended a boarding school, had a king and queen, ate spicier food, and went to a Buddhist temple.
In America, Sinae is 16, one year younger than she is in her home country, which counts babies as 1-year-old at birth because of time spent in the womb. Many of her friends at Brandon High School can drive, something she can’t do in South Korea, where the driving age is 21. Ploipailin, known at BHS as Ploi, goes to church with her host family now and has tried new foods like roast beef and nachos. Both girls are enjoying shortened school days and a relaxed dress code.
Ploi, from Uttaradit, Thailand, took a test to become an exchange student because she was interested in American culture. She arrived in America Aug. 4, tired from the long flight, but excited to meet the host family that had chosen her. Doug and Midge Bauman are her host parents and they have two children? daughter Lindsay, 16, and son Ryan, 20, who is a student at CMU..
Within two weeks of her arrival, the Baumans took Ploi to Cedar Point. She has been to an amusement park in Thailand, but said it is much smaller. She liked the roller coasters in particular and said it was fun. Midge Bauman agrees.
‘We’ve had a lot of fun having her here,? she said. ‘She’s the same age as my daughter? they’re friends. It’s been a ball.?
Sinae (pronounced see-nay), from An-yang, South Korea, arrived Aug. 21 in Arizona where she had orientation and learned about exchange student laws. She cannot get lower than a ‘C? grade or she will be sent home. U.S. History is her most difficult class, but the ‘A? and ‘B? student has not had any trouble with her grades thus far. Her favorite class is civics.
‘I learned new things about the U.S. government,? said Sinae, whose host family is Larry and Mary Bond and their daughter Sarah, 16.
Sinae and Ploi were required to take civics and U.S. history by Brandon High School. South Korea has math and science as requirements for Sinae. For elective courses, Sinae had gym and clay the first semester, admitting she chose them because she didn’t want homework. For her second semester, she chose gym again and psychology. She explained that she wanted to learn about psychology a long time ago, but it is not offered to high school students in South Korea.
Ploi also chose a class at BHS that is not offered in Thailand? art. It is her favorite class and though she never had it in her home country, her talent was apparent recently when she won a Silver Key in the Scholastic Art Awards for one of her drawings.
American Literature is her least favorite class because of the language barrier. Although Sinae and Ploi both took English as a required course in their home countries and Sinae’s father teaches English in South Korea, both have had some difficulties? citing accents, writing differences and the fast speed at which English is spoken. But they both say their English is much better now than when they first arrived and Sinae has learned what certain slang means, like ‘What’s up? and ‘five bucks.?
Perhaps the biggest change for both girls is the shortened school day. In Thailand, Ploi’s school day began at 8 a.m. and ended at 6 p.m. In South Korea, Sinae began school at 7:30 a.m. and her day officially ended at 4 p.m. However, most students, including Sinae would stay at school to study alone until 9 p.m. In South Korea, Saturday is also a school day, albeit a shorter one? from 7:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
Sinae said in Korea, the main focus of school is studying, while she thinks the main focus of American schools is sports. She believes Korean schools have too many subjects in one year and too many rules.
One thing both she and Ploi are appreciating is no formal dress code.. At their schools back home, not they have to wear a uniform and no makeup or nail polish can be worn.
The girls also note a difference in relationships.
‘American students and teachers have a relationship that is like a friendship,? said Sinae. ‘Sometimes too friendly for what we have in Korea.?
Both she and Ploi are sometimes uncomfortable with what they see as a lack of respectfulness of students towards teachers. But they admire other relationships, such as the one between parents and children.
‘Parents are like friends to their children,? said Ploi. ‘They listen and talk to them. In Thailand, sometimes children are afraid to tell their parents if they have trouble.?
In Korea, where her parents also work until 9 or 10 p.m., Sinae says there is not much family time like there is here. Instead, time is mostly spent with friends, and weekends are family time, when they go out to eat or to see a movie.
Both girls have seen several movies since they been in the United States. They also enjoy spending their free time in activities? Sinae was in tennis club and jazz band and plans to join track. Ploi is on the Brandon cheerleading squad. She was also a cheerleader in Thailand.
Both have been learning about money. The currency in Thailand is Bath. 40 Bath is equal to one dollar. Ploi noted that things are less expensive in Thailand. She is having fun shopping with money her parents send, however. She recently went dress shopping for Brandon’s Snowcoming Dance.
‘Now I’m poor,? she laughs. ‘I wanted the credit card, but my mom said I’d use it all.?
Ploi talks to her parents twice a month. She called immediately when she heard about the recent tsunami and was relieved that the disaster did not affect the northern part of Thailand, where her family lives.
Ploi will return home June 21, having learned a lot she says, including how to make friends.
‘I will tell my friends this is the best experience I’ve ever had,? she said. ‘It’s not just language I learned about America. It’s like having another family here.?
Sinae misses her family. Whenever she goes to sleep, she says she thinks about her parents. Sometimes she is homesick, but she wants to return next year and graduate from Brandon High School.