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NMI students bound for Korea this September
Students meet with Saipan Mayor David M. Apatang at this office last Friday, before heading to South Korea this September. (Iva Maurin)
Thirty-five CNMI students will be South Korea-bound next month in an educational trip organized by the Korean Community in Saipan, in partnership with the Saipan Mayor’s Office.
The trip, which runs from Sept. 1 to 5, is part of the 2019 Saipan Local Students Visit to Korea Program.
With the theme “Growth and Advancement in Sports and Culture in Korea,” the students will visit the different sports facilities in South Korea and be exposed to its culture, on top of other attraction.
Saipan Mayor David M. Apatang said Friday this would be the the third group of students bound for Korea under this partnership program. He urged the students to soak in as much of the experience as they can. “I know you are [going to] enjoy it. When you come back, please share your experience with us [and with the other students], so they can anticipate the next round,” Apatang said.
The mayor also thanked the parents for supporting the program, and for allowing their children to experience the Korean culture.
Korean Community of Saipan official Simon Sin said the experience will help expand the students’ understanding of the world, and help them gain more knowledge about their strengths and weaknesses. Sin adds that accepting the challenges to be abroad inherently demonstrate independence, self-confidence, and adaptability.
During the five-day trip, the students will visit the Hanok Village, the Korean Institute of Sports Science, Gwachun City Seoul Grand Park, Cheon An City’s Independence Hall of Korea, and the Nam Dae Mun Market, among others. The students will also meet with the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee, and watch a professional baseball game.
Mateo Guerrero, 15, a Marianas High School student, is excited about the trip. “I was raised with Koreans in my community, and I’m excited to know what the culture is. I can learn from the culture, the tradition and the values, and I can take that back with me and teach people about it when I return to Saipan,” Guerrero said.
The students’ entire trip will also be documented by We670 YouTuber Mark Sonoda and Chris Chang of Hood CNMI.
