KENNEBUNK — Huddled in discussion groups in Beth Carlson’s Kennebunk High School English classroom Wednesday, Chinese students could be heard describing in English their favorite American music, television shows and college aspirations.
Visiting from various Chinese schools, the students, ranging in age from 13-17, were part of a KHS “summer camp” program, getting a taste for American culture and school life.
“The cultures are so different,” said KHS Principal Susan Cressey at the high school on Wednesday.
The camp, where students stay at local families’ homes, is part of an international program with KHS sister schools in China. KHS administrators are currently applying to the Department of Homeland Security to allow Chinese students to attend the school for a year.
Faced with a bit of culture shock, the students were quick to see differences between the United States and their home country.
“Chinese students listen to teachers more, but here there are more discussions,” said Ji Yuan, 14, a student at The Tangshan International Foreign Language School in Tangshan, China.
Yuan and his fellow classmates chose American names upon their arrival to symbolize their immersion into U.S. culture. Yuan landed on the name “Christopher.”
“I like the environment here, the trees, and there’s not so many noises,” said Wang Yi ran, 16, a student at Hebei Tangshan Foreign Language School in Tangshan, Hebei Province, China. Yi ran took on the name “Maggie” for the trip.
As for living with nearby families, Yi ran and Yuan said they had a comfortable stay. Yuan said it took some time to get used to the homes, which he considers large in comparison to apartments in China.
“Sometimes I can’t find where my room is in the house,” said Yuan.
Getting to the U.S. wasn’t easy for the Chinese students, who paid approximately $6,000 for the trip. The group had to stop in Washington, D.C. due to a flight cancellation, where they were forced to sleep on the airport’s floor, which Yi ran said, wasn’t bad but very cold.
After the brief disruption, the students looked forward to some exciting activities this week. On Tuesday, the students were taken on a boat tour of Casco Bay, and on Wednesday, after the English class, visited the University of New England’s Marine Science Education and Research Center in Biddeford.
Following the week of events, the students planned on visiting Harvard, Yale and Princeton universities to view the prestigious education institutions.
This interest in American education systems from Chinese students is what Cressey and other school administrators hope will draw foreign students to KHS.
Cressey traveled 12,000 miles to Tangshan in April with educators from Millinocket, Vermont and South Dakota to attract Chinese students to study abroad at their respective schools.
She said she wants 10 Chinese students attending KHS, with a minimum of five to keep an international program open. She said Chinese students have applied and interviewed online through Skype, but likely won’t attend KHS this year because of the slow program application process at Homeland Security.
“We want to start small and do it well,” said Cressey.
Chinese students who do attend KHS will pay $34,000 per year in tuition, medical insurance, host family fees and other expenses. Besides Tangshan, other potential students will come from: The Aiqing High School in the Province of Zhejiang, The Affiliated High School of Lishui University and Yuhang Senior High School, both in Zhejiang.
To attend KHS, Cressey said Chinese students will need to pass the Test of English as a Foreign Language. The test determines if international students are capable of understanding the English language well enough to join American students in normal classes.
Since, for some of the Chinese students, college is years away, they are just enjoying their time in the U.S. On his list of the best aspects of Maine, Yuan said he enjoys the nature, classes and, especially, the lobster.
“Maine is a very special place in America,” said Yuan.
— Staff Writer Matt Kiernan can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 326 or mkiernan@journaltribune.com.
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