Ashland couple welcome South Korean student

Editor’s Note: Student Union is written by students at Hampden Academy, Brewer High School, John Bapst Memorial High School, Old Town High School, MDI High School, Ashland Community High School and Schenck High School in East Millinocket. The weekly column is a joint effort among the schools, the Bangor Daily News and Acadia Hospital. This week’s column was written by Ashland Community High School students. Their adviser is Laura Howes.

Jae Young Choi is a foreign exchange student from Youido, South Korea. Choi has traveled a long journey overseas to come and stay with Sherri and Matt Calhoun in Ashland.

In March 2002, Choi and his parents decided that Jae, as his friends call him, would become an exchange student to the United States. The Chois contacted the Korean International Student Exchange Program. The Korean ISEP then contacted the U.S. ISEP and began the placement of Jae.

Two weeks before his arrival, Choi still did not have a host family.

The local ISEP representative, Tom Hebert, approached the Calhouns and asked them if they knew a good host family for someone who is musical.

Jae plays the cello. Since Mrs. Calhoun is the music teacher for SAD 32, she and her husband decided they would take Jae into their home.

“It has been a change for us, but the responsibility is not unlike any parent would have,” said Sherri Calhoun with a smile.

Host families supply the room and board for the exchange student. The student provides funds for activities and other needs he might have.

Choi is taking a full load of classes at Ashland Community High School, including English, U.S. history, which is required by ISEP, and band.

In Korea, his morning classes consisted of standard subjects and his afternoon was spent in a four-hour art class.

He is an accomplished artist and enjoys drawing portraits.

At first, classes at ACHS were difficult. People spoke too quickly for Choi to keep up. His goal is to speak English fluently, and he has improved significantly in the four months that he has been in Ashland. His conversations with the Calhouns have helped him improve his English.

“Jae is much more confident speaking in class than he was when he first arrived,” said Laura Howes, Choi’s English teacher at ACHS.

Ashland is much different from Youido, Korea. Youido is a section of the capital city, Seoul. It is much like Manhattan, a subsection of New York City. Youido is patterned after Manhattan with only slightly fewer people. Choi lives on the second floor of a 35-story apartment building in a city of millions of people. In Ashland he is staying in a log home in a town of thousands. Jae said Ashland “is like a big family.”

In Ashland, Choi enjoys snowmobile riding and skiing. He is a member of the cross-country ski team, but prefers to downhill ski as he did in Korea.

Choi likes the Calhouns’ chicken stew and American style pizza. Korean food is much spicier than American cuisine. Even though Choi says the “Calhouns’ supper is good,” he still uses a bottle of Tabasco sauce each week.

Both Choi and the Calhouns recommend the exchange experience to other students and potential host families. “You don’t have to be perfect,” said Mrs. Calhoun. “You just have to be willing to do it.”