By Megan Sulak, staff writer 
Exchanges happen throughout the year at Prospect: Italian, French and Spanish. However, District 214 also hosts other exchanges, such as Austria and now South Korea. Being the sister city of Wheeling, Suncheon City in South Korea asked if our district could participate in a student exchange.
Once scheduling the exchange with South Korea, District 214’s Director of Language Development Angela Sisi advertised throughout the district areas to see who was interested in taking part in the exchange. The result was five families from the Prospect High School area, four families from the Hersey High School area, one family from the Elk Grove High School area and one family from the Buffalo Grove High School area. Each family who volunteered to host cared for one student, except the Elk Grove family, who is hosting two students. The district then decided on a short-term exchange, which resulted in a two-week exchange plan for 10 South Korean students.
Junior Rebecca Rose and her family were one of the five Prospect families to reply with interest to the exchange and have a student shadow and stay with them for two weeks. Rose’s mother saw the email and talked to her daughter about hosting a student.
Once the students arrived on Sat., Sept. 23, they met with the families they would be staying with for the two weeks. When Tues. rolled around, 17-year-old Wona started shadowing Rose for the week.
As well as shadowing District 214 students, the exchange students will also take a trip to Woodfield and downtown Chicago to experience a little bit of an American lifestyle.
As the exchange students participate and observe the American customs, Rose is hoping to learn more about South Korea.
“I’m looking to [learn about] their culture because it’s so different [from ours],” Rose said. “For example, [Wona] was sleeping on the floor because that’s just what they would do. Definitely their different culture, it’s cool to learn.”