Atlanta
– Daegu Sister City Committee web page – Dr. John Lee, Chair
The
IBP is exported to South Korea:
As
the North Atlanta IBP collaborations with sister cities spread from Jamaica
(Montego Bay), Trinidad (Port-of-Spain), Brazil (Rio de Janeiro), Dominican
Republic (Salcedo), England (Newcastle) and Israel (Ra’anana), the Chair of the
Atlanta – Daegu (Korea) Sister City said to me: “Arnold, what about Daegu
(Korea)?”
Mr.
Young Kang, a successful businessman, chaired the Atlanta – Daegu Committee for
twenty years and built a strong program through love of Korea and Daegu, force
of will, and out of pocket martyrdom. Young Kang, a graduate of
prestigious Kwungbuk High School, the third secondary school built in Korea,
offered his committee’s support to both organize an exchange and institute the
IBP.
I
shook his hand and said; “Let’s make it a great one.” Young smiled while
saying; “We will exceed that.” And they did - Young Kang, his sister city
committee, and the people of Daegu moved heaven and earth to assure excellence
in all aspects.
National Flower – Rose of Sharon
Sungrak
Lee, English Teacher, Kwungbuk High School:
Four
North Atlanta students sign up for the very long trip to Daegu:
Sungrak
Lee scheduled a special assembly to welcome the North Atlanta delegation to
Kwungbuk. Sungrak was my host teacher and I was fortunate to have stayed
with him and his wonderful family. His father is a Christian minister and
I was privileged to address the congregation. I was made to feel like of
member of Sungrak’s family and his circle of teachers / friends.
Sungrak
Lee introduces North Atlanta exchange group to Kwungbuk student body during a
special assembly to honor their visitors.
The
school administration officially received us with a special reception.
The
Kwungbuk school campus is beautifully landscaped.
I
am very proud of my four students who represented their high school and city in
an outstanding manner. The Koreans and people of Daegu are very friendly
and hospitable and made us a part of their lives. My students very
comfortably integrated into the stream of the Kwungbuk school experience.
The
American students were introduced to traditional Korean culture – Darron Smith
and Shawn Yancey model ceremonial robes.
Sungrak’s
sister-in-law was an elementary education teacher and invited us to talk to her
students.
My
fondest memory is of the warmth and friendship bestowed upon me by Sungrak and the
other male teachers of Kwungbuk High School. They collectively made a
fantastic effort to show me the different types of restaurants and evening
recreation that Daegu possessed and succeeded wildly. In 1950, annual
Korean per capita income was $100 – by 2002, it exceeded $15,000 and the
country enjoyed well being and prosperity.
The
Kwungbuk PTSA welcomed us with a barbecued meats feast at a local steakhouse
with hibachi built into the middle of dining table. They bid us farewell
with a 26 course feast at an honored, traditional restaurant – although many of
the courses were various forms of kimchi, overall this was one of the greatest
eating experiences I have ever had.
Downtown
Daegu is a bustling central business district blessed with an abundance of good
restaurants and a surprisingly cosmopolitan nature.
North
Atlanta High reciprocates:
Kwungbuk students test their piano skills.
Kwungbuk
and North Atlanta students group photo before taking tram to top of Stone
Mountain.
Students
on top of Stone Mountain, the largest granite out-facing in the world.
Duncan
Facey, a former business executive, delivered a fine lesson on the art of
penetrating foreign markets.
Kwungbuk
exchange visits the King Center Memorial.
Exchange
group visits the Georgia State Capitol Building.
Over
the years, several Kwungbuk students have spent a semester or two at North
Atlanta as part of an independent exchange.