Exchange Student Sends Thanks and Video Greetings

Posted by Patrick Kelley 
on Dec 04, 2013
 
On Wed, Dec 4, 2013 at 5:13 AM, Jenny Sur wrote:
Dear Rotarians, 
 
I want to start by saying Thank You. Without your help I wouldn't be where I am right now. Although I'm just 1 kid out of the hundreds you have assisted on sending abroad, you all will always be the people who helped change my life. I often think about how different my life would have been had I not left just 3 short months ago, and how happy I am that I left the States. Of course my trip has been bumpy, but I always knew you all would do your best to help me. Knowing I had the support of my new friends, family, and Rotarians meant a lot to me. 
 
I remember my first day like it was yesterday. My journey started off with me almost missing my 1st airplane due to a mix up of gates. Thankfully I got to my plane on time and I made it to Chicago where I met up with other exchange students coming to South Korea too. I knew that by stepping on each airplane I was further giving up my version of "comfortable" and "normal" for the unknown. Nothing was a guarantee. I stepped on each airplane with my back straight and all the confidence I had. I spent the 14 hour plane ride talking with the other exchange students, we compared our different "correct" versions of saying each word, and sleeping. Once we arrived in Seoul we took a few extra minutes to say our goodbyes to each other, knowing once we walked out of the terminal we would be instantly separated. My host family treated me to a large feast at their daughter's favorite restaurant my first night. It all tasted delicious. 
 
 
My first month was spent settling in. I started school on my 3rd day in Korea. The first day of school was such a rush. I barely left my desk because during each class break people would crowd around my desk to talk with me. Some of my teachers couldn't recognize that I was an exchange student. According to Koreans I have the perfect balance of Asian and Foreign facial features that makes my face the type of face people have plastic surgery for. I spent as much time as I could with my school friends so I wouldn't think about home, and it worked. 
My Korean has improved immensely that by my 2nd month in Korea I could spit out a few sentences in Korean. By this time I finally got the opportunity to meet other exchange students in South Korea. It was so weird that after being in Korea for almost 2 months I met other people who felt exactly what I was feeling. Other people who I could talk with about the difficulties of this confusing culture, and try our best to "de-puzzle" the culture. 
 
Now that I have hit 3 months in South Korea I can say I am proud of myself. I can feel myself changing and growing. I look forward to the rest of my exchange. I have been able to visit so many places in Seoul and experience the city. I feel like a native here, I have my favorite places and coffee shops to go to.
Though the thought of living in another country has never fully hit me yet, I do sometimes get feelings of "what am I doing". I remind myself I am doing something important, I'm living. Living away from home, with another family. As much as I try to live as if I'm never leaving the thought of my inevitable return is always lodged in the back of my mind. I try my best to live in the moment and forget about the bad. I've made tons of memories with my new friends and made unbreakable bonds with many of them. I'm okay with the fact that I'm missing my American Senior Year, because I couldn't imagine a better Senior Year than this.   
 
View a video about my first 3 months in South Korea:
 
Thank you to all of you and happy holidays. 
 
Thank you,

Jenny Sureemee
Rotary South Korea Inbound 2013-2014