Kim searched throughout the Midwest for a school and decided on BSM because of the challenging curriculum and the opportunity to play the violin in BSM’s orchestra. Aside from orchestra practice, you might find Kim wearing jersey number 36 on the junior varsity soccer team.
Kim said that students live and breathe school in South Korea. Daily routines are drastically different from a student at BSM. Classes are twice as long as here at BSM and begin at 7 a.m. and are not let out until 9 p.m. Students eat both lunch and dinner at school.
Choi previously attended a school in Chicago, Illinois after coming from South Korea and becoming an exchange student for the first time. After loving her first American school, year she choose to stay in the USA, and her next destination became Minnesota.
Upon coming to BSM, Choi was happily surprised to see so many exchange students from her home country. “I like the opportunity to speak Korean,” she said, which was something she didn’t have back in Chicago.
Even with the comfort of fellow Korean-speaking students, Choi hasn’t wasted any time involving herself in sports and activities like math league. “I also tried swim team, but it was so hard,” she said. Choi also hopes to become a member of BSM’s track team.
Choi has been impressed with BSM students involved in sports. “People who do sports,… they do sports but they’re also good at everything. They’re good at so many things,” she said. She also said this doesn’t intimidate her because she likes the change and is here to stay.
Overall, Choi does admit that she sometimes misses her home — all the relationships between friends, family, teachers — but doesn’t miss it enough to want to leave. (shannon cunnien)
Hugh and his mother have decided to become legal immigrants to “stay close to my sister,” Lee said. Lee plans to attend college in the United States as well and insists he “will live here forever.”
While most of his immediate family has moved to the USA, his father still lives in South Korea. The separated family stays in touch with daily messenger and online video chats. “I’ve gotten used to it… It’s like I’m living with him, really,” said Lee.
Like many students at BSM, Lee is attracted to the sports and activities and also really likes the teachers. But his favorite part of school is his fellow students. “Students are nice to me. I’m a different race but they treat me like a real friend,” Lee said. He has become so comfortable and has felt so accepted at BSM that he doesn’t even see himself as an exchange student anymore; “I’m an immigrant,” said Lee. (shannon cunnien)