South Korean college students fill a lecture hall at the University of Guam during an orientation ceremony on July 5 for the English Adventure Program. Hosted by the UOG Global Learning & Engagement office, the program is bringing a total of 600 students to Guam this summer.

College students from South Korea smile for the camera during an orientation ceremony on July 5 for the English Adventure Program through the University of Guam.

Solbi Kim from Kangwon National University practices English with a classmate at the University of Guam during the classroom portion of the English Adventure Program. Approximately 300 students began their two- to four-week programs on July 5.

Student volunteers from the AmeriCorps UOG program and the UOG International Friendship Club standby to assist at the English Adventure Program orientation on July 5.

Students from various South Korean universities take an assessment on July 5 at the orientation for the English Adventure Program at the University of Guam. The students will take English language classes as well as tour the island and experience the culture during their two- to four-week study-abroad programs.

A group of students from South Korean universities work together during the classroom portion of the English Adventure Program on July 6 at the University of Guam.

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“It’s an exciting summer for us, being able to offer edu-tourism in person again and bring some economic activity back to the island,” said Carlos R. Taitano, director of the Global Learning and Engagement Office at UOG, which has hosted Korean and Japanese students through the program for the past 12 years. “We have several first-time universities participating this year in addition to a lot of newly hired staff, including 20 ESL teachers, to help host the students this summer.”

In between daily English instruction classes on the UOG campus, the students will be taking field trips around the island, visiting local businesses and the CHamoru Village Night Market, learning cultural activities like weaving, dancing, and making coconut candy, and enjoying time at the beach.  

They will also be able to interact and speak English with UOG student volunteers from the AmeriCorps UOG program and UOG International Friendship Club.

“I really wanted to come here,” said Seoyeon Park, a nursing major at the Daejon Institute of Science & Technology. “It’s a great opportunity to learn English.”

Some of the other participants said they are looking forward to improving their listening and speaking skills, making international friends, and enjoying that natural beauty of the island.

“Korea [has] very many apartments and [is primarily] city, but [Guam] is more country, green, and ocean,” said Sujeong Han, another Daejon Institute student.

The visiting students will be staying in hotels in Tumon and at the UOG dormitories.