The sound of children's laughter fills the room as they run around and play. The room filled with different kinds of aromas brings out the holiday spirit.
Church members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints hosted a Thanksgiving meal for Soldiers, Families and Civilians during the holiday in late November, Camp Casey.
A Headquarters Support Company, 2nd Infantry Division Family, who participates in the Sisterhood Program, invited a mother of four to celebrate an American tradition while enjoying a Thanksgiving meal.
Adelina Huezo expressed her gratefulness of having Im, Ha-young, a Uijeongbu native and her children to come out and celebrate an American holiday with them. She also talks about her appreciation of the Sisterhood Program and how it brought both families together.
"I like the fact that we have the Sisterhood Program because it connects the two cultures," said Adelina the wife of Alfonso Huezo both previous residents of Fort Bliss, Texas.
The Huezos talked about the intent of the celebration and how it has built camaraderie between the two cultures.
"We had previously invited our Sisterhood family to a Halloween party and they really enjoyed it," said Alfonso. "So I decided to invite them to celebrate Thanksgiving with my Family and church."
After the families ate, their children ran around and played with the other children. Both Families talked about their past experiences and reminisce on having dinner at Im's house. Although the Huezos weren't too familiar with the Korean culture, they kept an open mind and learned from them.
"When we ate at their house, they had 14 side dishes on the table," said Adelina. "My Family and I learned that that is their way of eating and we really enjoyed it. We've learned so much from them."
Im added that although there's a language barrier, she appreciates the experience and the opportunity she has in learning a different culture.
"My kids and I love the experience," said Im. "These people are so nice. (The Huezos) have five children and I have four. It's great to see that they have a big family as well."
The different languages didn't stop the Families from learning and experiencing each other's cultures. Im is motivated to learn as much English as she can.
The Sisterhood Program creates an atmosphere for U.S. Families and Korean families to continue to build a strong relationship.
"If it hadn't been for the Sisterhood Program, we wouldn't have experienced in depth the Korean culture," said Alfonso. "I'm really grateful for the experience."
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