Sophomore Sang Hyun Lee came to Hays near the beginning of this school year as a foreign exchange student from Yŏsu, South Korea. Lee explained how her school is very unlike Hays High.

“It is a lot different,” Lee said. “Right now I’m in high school, back home I was in middle school.”

According to Lee, students at her school were required to wear uniforms that she described as tight and uncomfortable. She also said exams were majorly important in her country. Another difference is classes in South Korea begin in March instead of in August.

Getting used to the differences between South Korean schools and American schools may seem like a challenge, but Lee has had to face a much more difficult task during her time in Hays- being far away from friends and family.

Lee explained how she used different apps on her iPhone to keep in touch with her loved ones back in Korea.

“Once I Face-Timed them and it felt kind of weird because I missed them and I saw them,” Lee said. “I almost cried. My eyes got watery and it felt like a dream to talk to them.”

Along with Face Time, Lee uses an app called Kakaotalk which is used commonly in her country.

Because her friends are currently on Spring Break, it is easier for Lee to find time to talk to them, but when they are in school, it is a whole different story.

“When they go to school our conversations don’t last long because of the time and sometimes I get a call from them at 4 a.m.,” Lee said.

Lee said the things she misses the most from her country are the food and her friends, but she seems to have enjoyed her experience in America so far.

“It’s been amazing,” Lee said. “It’s really cool how it’s so different here.”

16bmathias@usd489.com