I’m Luca from South Korea

Anyoung, chingudul!*

From an interview by Amie Jane Leavitt

I love living in South Korea. It is a fun place to grow up!

Does your name have a special meaning? In Korea, a person’s name often has an important meaning. Eight-year-old Luca’s name means “light.” His parents chose this name to remind him that he can have a bright future.

I am the oldest in our family. My younger sister is named Erica.

I like to read. I am bilingual, which means I can read, write, and speak in both Korean and English.

I love football, and I play on an indoor field all year long.

Chuseok is one of our biggest holidays. It is a celebration of the harvest—a Korean Thanksgiving.

I go to school from 8:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. Then I go to an after-school academy called a hak-won for extra studies. I also take piano and art lessons.

I am a citizen of both the United States and South Korea, so I take part in the Boy Scouts of America program at church.

I Love to See the Temple!

The Seoul Korea Temple was dedicated in 1985. It was the first temple built on mainland Asia.

Ready to Go!

Luca’s bag is packed with some of his favorite things. Which of these things would you pack in your bag?

Cut out the stamp and add it to your passport from the January issue.

Illustration by Brad Teare