For the past 6 months, my family in Indianapolis had the pleasure of hosting Hyemin Kang, a foreign exchange student from South Korea. Prior to meeting her, I had no knowledge about Korea except for the popularity of KPop and that South Korea and North Korea don't get along. Hyemin came to our family after she had become friends with my younger sister Ellie while they were in Color Guard at school. She had explained to Ellie that the family she had been with since her arrival to Indiana in July of 2017 wasn't working out because her original family had another student from Mongolia and they didn't get along. The day after Christmas in 2017, Hyemin joined our family and stayed with them in Indianapolis until June of 2018. We learned so much from her, from Korean words to traditional clothing and cuisine. She also learned a lot from us about American foods, traditions, and customs. Hyemin instantly became a friend, a cultural connector, and a sister to me.
Below is a quick video that I produced for a final project in my Longform Photojournalism class about Hyemin and the cultural exchange she experienced with us during her time in the states.