Nurturing global leaders was the goal of youth directors from a Korean Methodist church who brought a group of 11 middle school students and six chaperones to an Oconto Falls church for a week of study and touring.
They stayed at the United Methodist Church, accompanied by Sinai Chung, youth pastor from the Mok Yong Methodist Church in Yong In, South Korea.
Each morning was devoted to learning English. Afternoons were spent on outings around the area, allowing the visitors to experience Wisconsin life. Organizers said one of the goals was for the young people to experience the real culture of America. These students are more familiar with city culture and how America is portrayed in movies.
Chung said Oconto Falls provided a good first impression of the U.S., calling the city a “peaceful village, well managed and clean.”
Helping to coordinate the trip was Pastor Jerry Cho, former pastor of Oconto Falls United Methodist Church. He has many friends in Korea, and through an exchange program, the students were invited to Oconto Falls. Cindy Cho, the pastor’s wife, was the main helper and teacher. Cindy is a teacher at Washington Middle School in Oconto Falls, and the Chos live in Oconto Falls.
According to Chung, the students are just beginning to learn English, and this was a great opportunity for them to improve their skills. In Korea, they attend English worship services and study the Bible in English. Chung said church leaders believe it is important to learn English from a Biblical perspective.
Besides improving their language skills, the students also learned about the local culture, finding some things surprising. Jin Ho Hong, a ninth-grader, said homes here are low, with big yards, which prompted him to say he would like to live in a house with a yard. Hong also said he liked the “forest environment” of Oconto Falls.
“There are many shops where we live, and we can walk to wherever we need to go. Here everyone has to take a car,” said Hong, who hopes to work as a movie director some day. He said he needs many experiences in order to express what he wants to communicate.
Jung Min Lee, a sixth-grader, said the American people are kind and helpful, and he enjoyed going to the sports park in Shawano, where go-karting was his favorite. Lee said that he wants to be able to communicate with many people, and improving his English skills is important.
Eun Se Oh said living at the church was her favorite part of her visit to Oconto Falls.
She said shopping at Bay Park Square in Green Bay, on only one floor, was different than in Korea where there are many floors of shops. Even though girls in Korea play sports, Oh noticed girls seem to be more active in sports in the U.S.
After their week in Oconto Falls the group traveled to Chicago where they are staying at Trinity Christian College to spend a week experiencing a big city’s culture. They want to see a lot, listen and meet a lot of Americans.
