Ten students  and three teachers from Seoul High School in Korea came to Whitman last week through a sister school exchange program.

The connection between the two schools was established by a graduate of Seoul High School, who chose Whitman for its high standards and academic excellence, said English teacher Laurie Safran, who organized the trip.

Safran volunteered to become involved in the exchange program last year when principal Alan Goodwin asked if any teachers were interested at a faculty meeting. After travelling to Korea with junior Keegan Barber last summer, Safran undertook the task of planning the Koreans’ stay here.

Twenty Korean students applied to take the trip across the globe, however the school could only afford to take ten students due to budget restrictions, said exchange student Taenyun Kim.

One of the biggest goals of this two-week trip was to give Korean students a chance to experience the life of an American teenager.

Therefore, they spent lots of time exploring the school and learning about the different aspects of student life at Whitman. One of the biggest differences the students noticed was the large number of classes and clubs offered. In Korea, the school predetermines and sets classes for all students, said the group.

Furthermore, students can only participate in one club after school called “hagwon”. “Hagwons” are tutoring sessions that are offered on a variety of topics, ranging from music to engineering. While they are not required, many students enroll in them, some spending only a few hours after school, and others spending the entire evening.

But the differences between the two lifestyles go beyond pure academics. Seoul High School is an all boys school, which has its pros and cons, said the Korean students. While the school does hold dances during the year with sister schools, the boys said that it is hard to have relationships.

“We don’t have a lot of opportunities to meet girls. Only our teachers,” joked exchange student John Park.

Besides observing school life, the Korean students visited Washington D.C. and did some sightseeing. While they enjoyed all of the sights in D.C., the students agreed that their favorite places were the Smithsonian museums and Newseum.

Safran explained that she hopes more students and families in the Whitman community become involved in the program in the future.

“I do hope that there will be a lot more excitement for us visiting [Korea], and that there will be more host families and more activities planned for when they come here.”