PHOTO BY WJY
On August 12th, the closing ceremony for the NSLI-Y Korea program was held at Gemma Hall from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. It was carried out in two parts: Closing Remarks and Awards, and a Talent Show. For 6 weeks, participants learned Korean and experienced Korean culture. They had the chance to visit several palaces, learn Taekwondo, and cook Korean traditional food. During the first part of the ceremony, program manager and cultural affairs officer from the U.S. Embassy congratulated participants for their passion to learn Korean, two participating students gave speeches about their stay in Korea, and several outstanding participants were presented awards earned during the program. Yves Wienecke, a NSLI-Y participant student, said, “It was difficult to understand Korean culture, but I could overcome challenges thanks to the teachers. It was a good opportunity to experience Korea and learn Korean.” During the second half of the ceremony, participants showed their proficiency gained in the Korean language and knowledge of Korean culture by singing K-POP song, doing a Taekwondo demonstration, and putting on a fashion show. At the end of each performance, the entire audience applauded enthusiastically. Juyeon Park, Program manager, said, “Sookmyung Women’s University proudly offered Korean classes for students for 6 weeks. The main purpose of this program is to improve Korean ability.” After the ceremony, participants took pictures with friends, teachers, and home-stay families. There was a both a feeling of sadness and joy at having completed the program.
