VOA慢速英语2018--美国夏令营教授韩国文化

American Summer Camp Teaches About Korean Culture

Campers and teachers at Korean Culture Camp in St. Paul, Minnesota, start the day by saying “hello” in Korean.

“Anyunghaseyo, Anyunghaseyo.”

After a short group class, campers go off to a day of activities. They learn drumming, dance and Taekwondo, a Korean martial¹ art.

Some of these are usual activities for summer camps around the United States. This camp, however, has one big difference. The camp is a weeklong immersion² in all things Korean.

Elain Ekstedt is the director of the camp. She said it was started in 1977 by parents of adopted Korean children. The parents wanted their children to understand the country and culture they had left behind.

“And they wanted their children to feel good about their Korean heritage³ and to experience Korean culture, so they began a summer camp.”

The international adoption⁴ of South Korean children began after the Korean War in the early 1950s. Beginning in 1987, the South Korean government began to limit the number of children who could be adopted.

This year, the camp has 235 children aged⁵ four to 13. There also are about 250 volunteers.

“Most of the volunteers are the parents of the campers. It becomes a whole family experience. Those campers grow up, after they're no longer campers, then they become teen helpers. We have a hundred teen helpers in our camp this year. And then after they're teen helpers, they can become young adult volunteers.

Parker Yellick is a teenager who assists⁶ at the camp. He spoke⁷ about his own story and how attending the camp helped him.

“I was adopted when I was eight months old. I was always self-conscious about like being a Korean adoptee. But when I like came here, I got to hear and see a bunch of other people who have the same story as I do. And it was really cool because it then helped me accept who I am, and it made me proud to be of Korean heritage.”

Yellick has volunteered at the camp for four years. “I've kept volunteering because I wanted to help other kids who may have been like me. It's also very fun,” he said.

College student and adult volunteer Kevin Cunningham has been to camp for 22 years.

“Korean Culture Camp, when I was a kid, was my favorite week of the year and I would say it still is, as an adult, because now I get to come back and see all the kids doing what I did, going to the class and learning⁸ about language, history, and doing Taekwondo together.”

Camp director Ekstedt adopted a daughter from Korea. She said, in the 1990s, the large number of Korean adoptees led to an enrollment⁹ as high as 700. Now there are fewer adoptees. Camp enrollment is from 250 to 300 every summer.

But former campers now bring their own children. Other campers come from the Korean community. This new group has brought changes.

“So our self-esteem classes have changed. It is not so much about adoption anymore. It's about feeling good about being Korean, having a Korean heritage."

“I love to see those kids who are very excited about what they are doing here, what they are learning,” said education director Hongjoo Lee. “That's why I've been here for 14 years, that makes me really happy.”

I’m Susan Shand.

Words in This Story

martial – adj.related¹⁰ to military or defense¹¹

immersion– n.complete involvement in some activity or interest

adopt– v. to take a child as your own

heritage– n. the traditions, achievements, beliefs, etc., that are part of the history of a group or nation

self-conscious– adj.uncomfortably nervous about or embarrassed by what other people think about you

enrollment– n.the number of people who agree to participate in something

self-esteem– n.the feeling of having respect for oneself and abilities

1 martial   

adj.战争的，军事的，尚武的，威武的

参考例句：

• The sound of martial music is always inspiring.军乐声总是鼓舞人心的。
• The officer was convicted of desertion at a court martial.这名军官在军事法庭上被判犯了擅离职守罪。

2 immersion   

n.沉浸；专心

参考例句：

• The dirt on the bottom of the bath didn't encourage total immersion.浴缸底有污垢，不宜全身浸泡于其中。
• The wood had become swollen from prolonged immersion.因长时间浸泡，木头发胀了。

3 heritage   

n.传统，遗产，继承物

参考例句：

• The ancient buildings are part of the national heritage.这些古建筑是民族遗产的一部分。
• We Chinese have a great cultural heritage.我们中国人有伟大的文化遗产。

4 adoption   

n.采用，采纳，通过；收养

参考例句：

• An adoption agency had sent the boys to two different families.一个收养机构把他们送给两个不同的家庭。
• The adoption of this policy would relieve them of a tremendous burden.采取这一政策会给他们解除一个巨大的负担。

5 aged   

adj.年老的，陈年的

参考例句：

• He had put on weight and aged a little.他胖了，也老点了。
• He is aged,but his memory is still good.他已年老，然而记忆力还好。

6 assists   

n.协助次数v.帮助，促进( assist的第三人称单数 )；为…的助手；为…当帮手；辅助

参考例句：

• This chemical assists in construction of muscle, bone and other tissues. 这种化学物质有助于建造肌肉、骨骼和其它组织。 来自辞典例句
• The congregation assists at divine service. 会众参加圣礼。 来自辞典例句

7 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

8 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

9 enrollment   

n.注册或登记的人数；登记

参考例句：

• You will be given a reading list at enrollment.注册时你会收到一份阅读书目。
• I just got the enrollment notice from Fudan University.我刚刚接到复旦大学的入学通知书。

10 related   

adj.有关系的，有关联的，叙述的，讲述的

参考例句：

• I am not related to him in any way.我和他无任何关系。
• We spent days going through all related reference material.我们花了好多天功夫查阅所有有关的参考资料。

11 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。