Students are derailed by storm, wind up at EHS

Published 12:01 pm Thursday, December 11, 2008

By Brenda Sexton

The Courier-Herald

To Seong-Min Kim and Ka-Ting Au the United States is the United States.

In the last couple weeks, the Hong Kong and Korean high school students were headed for a year-long exchange in Louisiana and Mississippi when Hurricane Katrina blew them off course and into Enumclaw.

"Everybody's been very accepting," Ka-Ting said. He said whether he's in Louisiana or Washington doesn't matter to him. "But I feel sorry about New Orleans."

The pair are part of AYUSA exchange program. They were two of dozens of students diverted to the Northwest.

They are staying in temporary housing with Kelli Sugihara and her family in Enumclaw.

Sugihara, a local Japanese teacher, received a phone call out of the blue asking for her help.

"I do home stay," Sugihara said. "She (the AYUSA organizer) was really desperate when she called me."

Both young people are registered at Enumclaw High and are scheduled to stay until the end of the school year.

Even after the diversion to the Pacific Northwest, the students weren't scheduled to come to Enumclaw, but Sugihara said with 50 additional foreign exchange students arriving in Washington, there was no room.

"Enumclaw bless their hearts said they could take two more," she said.

"We were at our limit, but when the call came out, we said absolutely," EHS Principal Terry Parker said about welcoming Seong-Min and Ka-Ting into the Hornet fold.

Sugihara said the boys are adjusting to life in the American countryside. Ka-Ting says he loves the big, blue sky here in Enumclaw. In Hong Kong, where he is from, the buildings are so tall and the air is so smoggy, he never sees the sky.

As much as the Sugihara family would like to keep the boys at their home. They are not prepared for a home stay at this time. The students need to be placed with a permanent host family.

Sugihara said Seong-Min, 15, is very studious and is looking forward to his science and math classes at EHS. Ka-Ting, 17, is excited to join Enumclaw's drama department and has already signed up for drama club. Both boys speak English well and are friendly and helpful, Sugihara said.

"Having a foreign exchange student in your home is a very rewarding experience," Sugihara said. "It is difficult to travel to a foreign country and often very expensive. Even if you make it, most people go as tourists and only see one small aspect of the country. Having a foreign exchange student in your home is an excellent way to bring that culture into your home and learn things that a tourist would never learn.

"Also, by sharing the American culture with a foreign student, you become more aware of your own culture and your appreciation for it grows."

Host families must be able to provide students with their own bed and provide food. Anyone interested is invited to call Sugihara at 360-825-3885 for more information.

Brenda Sexton can be reached at bsexton@cmg-northwest2.go-vip.net/courierherald.