Travel the World: United States

written by 20204 Kim Eunhwan, 20306 Kim Yena & 20326 Hwang Yerin 

The 18th generation of Sawlians went on a trip in May. Aside from the Russian majors, they were sent to a country where their major language was spoken to experience the culture and use the language they had learned. The Russia-Ukraine war has caused the Russian majors to travel to the U.S. again this year for their study abroad experience. The 18th generation of English majors and Russian majors went on a trip from May 3 to 10 with different itineraries.

In Boston

Both majors had the opportunity to take a local tour of the Boston Freedom Trail and learn about historical sites in Boston. Sawlians were able to walk around and learn about the history leading up to the American Revolution. Afterward, students visited Quincy Market and had some free time.

A day later, Sawlians went to Harvard University to listen to a lecture from a Korean student attending Harvard Law School. Then, they had a campus tour with Harvard students but were unable to tour the entire campus due to protests on campus related to the Israeli-Palestine conflict. However, they did explore various parts of Harvard, including the library area and the law school building.

In New York

The students traveled to Manhattan to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art, a famous art museum. After viewing various works of art, the students moved on to Times Square, where they saw the musical Wicked on Broadway.

The next day, the students traveled to the United Nations headquarters, where they were given a tour by a UN staff member. After touring Wall Street, Sawlians boarded a Statue of Liberty cruise, where they enjoyed the refreshing breeze and took pictures with the statue. Students visited Ground Zero, the 9/11 memorial, for a moment of silence and then traveled to One World Trade Observatory for a panoramic view of the city.

In Washington, D. C.

Traveling to Washington, D.C., Sawlians visited the White House and Washington Monument before heading to the Capitol building for an inside tour. The inside tour gave students a chance to get a feel for the history of the U.S. and the reverence for the Founding Fathers that Americans feel.

Afterward, students traveled to the Smithsonian for a tour. The Smithsonian is composed of 17 museums and galleries, covering a wide range of knowledge, including natural history, aerospace, Native Americans, etc. Students visited the Natural History Museum, where they saw a variety of gemstones and various animal fossils.

The students then visited the Jefferson Memorial and the Lincoln Memorial to deepen their understanding of historical figures and the development of democracy. Afterward, they visited the Korean War Memorial to realize the value of peace.

Sister Schools Reunite

On their last day in New Jersey, the English majors had an exchange program with students from Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School at William Paterson University. The students ate tacos and then listened to a lecture given by William Paterson University’s Korea Club members.

Sawlians and students from Korea Club held a panel discussion on the Korean Wave and answered each other’s questions. After the international exchange program, English students attended Professor Danielle Wallace’s “Social Justice in the United States” lecture to learn about social justice movements and discrimination based on race, economics and gender.

Russian Majors’ Unique Experience

Since the Russian majors did not have an exchange with a sister school, they were able to experience something different. On day two, they traveled to the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, where its current students gave them a campus tour. They went to Independence Hall in Philadelphia.

They visited the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on the second-to-last day of their trip. At MIT, the Russian majors were taken on a guided tour of the campus and even got to go inside. They visited the campus gift shop to purchase cute souvenirs and delicious snacks.

English Major Kim Soeun

I remember when I visited a souvenir shop in Times Square in New York City to buy magnets for my family. I went to the checkout to buy two magnets and a key ring, and after I paid, the clerk smiled and said “Thank you” in Korean. I didn’t expect to hear Korean in the middle of New York City, so it was an interesting experience. I also remember paying a dollar for a souvenir coin at the One World Trade Center observation deck. I remember my friends and I gathering around the vending machine and pulling out the coin with high hopes, but we were all very disappointed when it came out as a thin piece of metal.

Russian Major Lee Jungjin

We went to eat a Philly cheesesteak sandwich in Philadelphia, and I urgently needed to use the restroom, so I went to the basement restroom and tried to get out, but no matter how hard I tried to open the door, it wouldn’t open. I shouted “Help me” as loud as I could, but no one came... I was just sitting there wondering what would happen, but five minutes later Jeon Minkyung teacher came and saved me. It was a day that made me realize how important to have your phone with you abroad, even if it’s just to use the bathroom.

The School Life and Events department of the PRESS will report on the 2024 second-grade exchange program in a four-part series.