Hello, my name is Jihoon, and I am 15 years old.

I am currently in my second year at Middle School. I am incredibly excited about the opportunity to study in the U.S. through this exchange program and can’t wait to gain new experiences. Last summer, I traveled to the U.S. with my dad. Although everything from the environment and culture to the language and food was unfamiliar, it was a unique and exciting experience. Since then, I’ve been eager to learn more about the U.S. and immerse myself in different experiences.

One thing I’m looking forward to is spending time with my host family, sharing meals, and learning from everyday interactions. I hope to make friends and grow at school through classes and fun activities.

At my school in Korea, I enjoy my academic life and spending time with my friends. I also participate in several clubs, including a character-building club and a badminton club. In the character-building club, I help teachers with tasks such as school maintenance and preparing educational materials after school, and I’ve been involved in this since I entered middle school. This experience has strengthened my relationships with my teachers and given me a sense of pride in being someone who can help others. In the badminton club, I get to enjoy my favorite sport with upper and lower-grade students, and my skills have improved a lot. I feel that time playing badminton is precious, as it allows me to focus entirely on the game, despite my busy schedule with after-school lessons.

In my family, there are five of us—my mom, dad, younger brother, younger sister, and me. In Korea, we’re considered a big family. It’s always lively, and we live in a warm, supportive atmosphere. A few years ago, my younger brother was sick and had to miss school for a year, but now he’s healthy again. That experience made us realize the importance of health, which we now prioritize above all else. We also focus on managing stress by spending time with friends, watching movies, and reading interesting books. My entire family is very supportive of me joining this exchange program, and I’m looking forward to sharing this same sense of closeness with my host family.

I also have a passion for cooking. I enjoy trying out new recipes I find on YouTube or creating my own dishes and then share with my family. Even though the results aren’t always perfect, it’s meaningful to me to share food I’ve made with people I care about. I’ve heard that there’s growing interest in Korean food in the U.S., and I’m excited about the opportunity to share Korean dishes with my host family and exchange cultures. I even hope to have the chance to introduce some dishes I’ve made myself!

I want to experience American culture and daily life firsthand to broaden my perspective and develop a more global mindset while improving my English. Living in a different country will be a big challenge, but I believe that this challenge will help me grow and open my mind to new ways of thinking. I look forward to starting this journey with my host family, learning from our differences, and naturally sharing Korean culture. The program’s start date feels far away, but I am already eager to go, and I’m excited about all the memories I’ll make. Thank you, and I look forward to meeting you!