Teens doing Great Things--A Time to Dance

I have many favorite memories from the weeks I spent with my Japanese Exchange students. Some of them include:

Volunteering at a Day Camp. The Japanese teens spent time at a local day camp. They taught American kids origami, how to write their names in Japanese, and a popular Japanese dance.

The Teen Panel. We had a question and answer session and found out teens on both sides of the Pacific have similar interests in books, (Harry Potter), and movies, (Harry Potter and Pirates of the Carribean). The most popular question on both sides was, "Do you have a boyfriend/girlfriend. The most interesting question I heard was when one of the Japanese boys asked my daughter if she liked him. (???)

The Car Wash. Our Japanese students, (most of whom were here on scholarship), worked hard on a hot day to earn money for a scholarship fund that was set-up by their Japanese agency, to send teens from the United States to Japan. Then they wrote letters to their new American friends telling them why they should apply for the scholarship and come to Japan.

(This event was held simultanously by three different exchange groups in Washington and several in California. The Washington group raised almost $1500.00. )

But my all time favorite moment came at the end of the Sayonara Party. It was also one of my proudest, and saddest moments.

The Japanese students worked hard all that day, cooking food and preparing a program for their host families and the American kids who had spent time in class with them. They did such a great job! The food came out delicious and the program was amazing.

At the end of the program they performed a dance to "Aitikata" a song by the Japanese group AKB48. The students had practiced their dance over and over again. (So often that I can almost sing all of the words.)

Still, I wasn't expecting what I saw.

It wasn't just the boys who came out in skirts, (which, by the way was laugh out loud funny!) It was when they did their encore and they pulled all the American kids up to dance with them. For the length of a song they were all united and laughing and having a wonderful time.

And when it was over we all cried.

The words to the song mean something like "I want to meet you," or "Come join me, I want to spend time with you." After all the time the Japanese kids and the American kids had spent together, it felt like a fitting message and a fitting ending to the whole experience.

Since the moment speaks better than I could ever explain it, here's video that was taken from the end of our Sayonara party.

Friendships Bridging the Pacific: Exchange Students at Chinook Middle School

Today our Japanese students attended American school for the first time. They went to Chinook Middle school and spent the day shadowing an American student. For most of the students, they spent the day with their host brother or sister. Those who didn’t have a host brother or sister at Chinook were assigned a “buddy”.

There are many differences between Japanese schools and middle schools in the United States. In a Japanese school, the students usually wear uniforms. They are in charge of cleaning up their own buildings, (what a great idea!), and instead of the students moving from class to class, the teachers move. (Except for classes like PE, Science, or Music).

One of the most interesting questions I heard was, “In America it’s okay if boys and girls hold hands? The teachers don’t do anything to stop them?”

I love watching the Japanese students and the American students interact with each other. Often the language isn’t there to communicate easily, but they find a way. I saw smiles on both sides, and the Japanese teacher reports that the students are happy here. He praised Chinook for the friendly atmosphere. I have felt and appreciated it to.

Today during “House Time,” (an advisory class), the students at Chinook watched a power point presentation to learn more about Japan. Because of their connections they are forming with that country through the exchange, the Chinook students wanted to learn more.

Although our Japanese students are from Southeastern Japan and unaffected by the earthquake, the Chinook students still wanted to do something in response to the tragic earthquake and Tsunami. The leadership student decided to have a penny or "lose" change drive to raise money to give to the Red Cross to help with the victims of the earthquake. This fund-raiser is a competition between the North, South, East, and West Prides, (divisions within the school).

Principal Kirsten Rae said in the meeting for her house, “I would like to see every student contribute something, even if it’s just a nickel."

Cultural Homestay International, the non-profit organization that has organized this group has offered to match Chinook’s contribution.

I am so happy to be a part of this cultural exchange and to see teens on both sides of the Pacific learning more about each other and becoming friends.

I Like Adventure. So I am Here: Japanese Exchange Students Arrive

Today we welcomed our Japanese Exchange students—26 teens, ranging in age from 13-16 and their Japanese teacher. My life has been busy with book stuff and church stuff and all the activities that my kids are involved in. And insanity of insanity, we chose this weekend to redecorate my daughter’s room—her thirteenth birthday present—so we had paint mess and moving furniture and…Well I wasn’t feeling particularly prepared for the students' arrival. I found myself wondering more than once, why I had signed up to do this again.

It took one moment, the moment when I saw the students; jet lagged, excited, nervous, but ready to begin their adventure, before I remembered why I love this so much. As I greeted them and struggled to learn their names and understand their broken English, I thought about the other students who have come into our home and the other host families I've worked with. I remembered the friendship and understanding that was achieved in a short time. I remembered what a wonderful tool the exchange student program is for international goodwill. Then I knew that this was worth all of the effort. I'm so happy to be a small part of this.

We took a few moments at the airport to greet each student individually and to help one student who had gotten sick on the 8 hour flight from Tokyo. Then we boarded a bus to take us to Lacey, Washington, and the student’s host school, Chinook Middle School.

When we arrived the students were oriented by the Japanese teacher who came with them, and with my friend, and co-coordinator, (she does all the hard work), Christie Carlson. I introduced myself and then went to get pizza. When they found out where I was going, the hungry students sent me off with cheers. (Apparently the word “pizza” translates just fine among teen cultures.)

While the students were in their meeting, the host families began to arrive. The students had left their suitcases in the cafeteria, but there were no other signs that they were here. The host families, especially the kids, were full of questions, “Are they here yet?” “When do we get to meet them?” "What do they look like?" "How well do they speak English?"

Finally, the meeting ended, and the Japanese students lined up at the doors to Chinook’s cafeteria. One by one, we introduced them to the families who are sharing their homes for the week. (Although, by that point, I wanted to keep them all.) Then we sat down to share a potluck lunch, pictures, and smiles.

While we ate, we were entertained by traditional Japanese music provided by Joe Sokolik, Chinook’s orchestra teacher and his wife, Naoko who is from Japan. The Sokoliks are hosting their second Japanese student this year. After sharing a meal, the families took their students home to spend their first weekend in the United States.

Our student is Haru. This is the fifth time we’ve hosted an exchange student. Each time, they have somehow fit with our family almost immediately. Haru is full of energy and has very good English. She was immediately swept off to a girl’s activity with my daughter. They did crafts and played games. I was worried because of the time difference and long day’s journey that Haru would be tired. When I asked her if she wanted to go home to rest she said, “No. I like adventure, so I am here.”

As I think back on the days of craziness that Christie and I spent in preparation for this group, the interruption of daily life that each of the host families are experiencing now, and the whirlwind of culture shock and simple differences that each of our students is going through, I can only think about Haru’s statement. “I like adventure. So I am here.”

Exchanging Courage, Friendship, and Compassion,

Along with much of the world, my heart and my prayers have been with Japan this week and with the friends I have there. The earthquake and tsunami have especially hit home because I as a teacher/coordinator for Cultural Homestay International, I'm preparing for the arrival of 26 Japanese exchange students and their Japanese coordinator next weekend. (See my posts about the group that came last year.)

The students are coming from Southeastern Japan, away from the earthquake and tsunami zone and far enough away from the nuclear plants that they are relatively safe. Still, I have received many calls and e-mails from last year's and this year's host families who are worried about their students. A common theme I've seen is they're looking for a way to help. Even after they find out that their students are safe they want to know what they can do.

I love the exchange student program because it shows us we're not so different. The kids are only here about a week, but in that time they become an integral part of our families, and we learn to love them. When tragedy strikes on the other side of the world, it's no longer something bad happening to strangers and foreigners far away, it's happening to people we care about. Getting down on a personal level with kids from a different country makes the borders between nations not so concrete.

My heart and my prayers are also with an American teen who was visiting his grandparents in Japan with the earthquake hit. Although they were in the middle of the quake zone, he and his grandparents are okay. Now radiation leaks have forced them to be evacuated, but there is no gas and no way to get him to Tokyo so he can come home to the United States. As you can imagine, his mother has contacted every possible lead to try to get him home, from churches to the U.S. Embassy. But here's the sweet irony in this story. He doesn't want to come home. This kid who's only 14 wants to stay to help his grandparents and his 90+ year-old great-grandmother. He's worried about them if he's not there. This is just one example of wonderful spirit and courage of kids and teens, not just here, but around the world.

I've seen this same spirit and courage in all the kids who come as Exchange Students and in the kids who are their host brothers and sisters, no matter what nation they're from.

The Japanese students who are coming next weekend range in age from 12-16. They'll spend a week living as American teenagers, and get to meet and associate with kids their own age. There will be language barriers and cultural barriers, but within the first day they'll have fast friends here. (Trust me, I've seen it happen again and again.) When they leave, the rising generation from both countries will have a better understanding of each other. The world will be a little smaller. And when bad things happen in another part of the world these kids will have more compassion and understanding for the people who are suffering. I think that's a pretty important lesson to learn.

Japanese Exchange Students--Arrival Day

I get to spend this week with 33 teenagers from Japan as a coordinator for CHI--Cultural Homestay International--a non-profit group that places exchange student groups around the world. I've been a coordinator for CHI once before with a group of Korean students. That was a great opportunity and I'm excited to get to know this group.

They arrived yesterday at 9:30 AM with brightly colored suitcases, name tags that had they had decorated with their hobbies and interests, and excited faces, (despite jet-lag and being in a foreign country). The kids range from age 12 to 16.

I was greeted immediately by a girl with a black and white hat and a big smile. She said, "Please, will you help me learn English?"

The students were eager to show me their name badges and share their hobbies. Their hobbies are the same as American teenagers--music, sports, dance, and food. I met the student who will be staying with us for the week, a 13-year-old girl named Mina. She said, "Please teach me your family rules." Mina immediately reminded me of my twelve-year-old daughter. Both are outgoing and surrounded by friends.

As we waited for the bus the Japanese students crowded around and asked me how to pronounce the names in their host families so they could make a good impression.

After the bus arrived, we rode to Chinook Middle School in Lacey, Washington. Chinook will be the students' base for the week that they are here. We piled the suitcases in the corner and sat down for an orientation. The host families came and stood outside the glass doors, excited to meet their students, while we finished our orientation. It took longer than the English version because it was repeated in English and Japanese, but the families were patient.

Finally we let them in and the families met their student. I love that moment--shy smiles, hand shakes, introductions--two cultures coming together, learning that we really aren't that different. Our welcome party included a potluck dinner and clowns (members of one of the host families) to break the ice. Soon we had balloon sword fights between American and Japanese kids, shared flower hats, and various balloon animals floating around the room.

We ate and learned to communicate with varying degrees of English, hand gestures, smiles, and especially laughter. During the meal I learned that Japanese pizzas are a lot smaller than American pizzas and American cookies are very sweet compared to the cookies in Japan. I also learned how quickly teenagers can become friends, even across international boundaries.

In the twenty-four hours that Mina has spent with our family, I have learned that everything in America is big compared to Japan. Besides the pizza, our family is big, our house is big, our yard is big, even the pancake mix and bottle of syrup are big. (Okay, we buy a lot of things at Costco. We'll have to take her on a trip to Costco while she's here.)

Through YouTube Mina introduced us to Full Metal Alchemist, her favorite television show. We introduced her to the Kid's Choice Awards on Nickelodeon (including Taylor Lautner and Justin Bieber--whoa! She did know what Twilight was.) Mina taught us Japanese words and practiced her English. We showed her our swing-set and trampoline. She got to meet our pets, a dog, a hamster, a guinea pig, and a tortoise--she loved all of them, even brought a Japanese doggy sucker for our dog Tosha.

I was touched with a letter that Mina's father had written. He expressed his gratitude to us for taking care of Mina and apologized humbly for his poor grammar and handwriting, although both were exceptional. My sons loved the Pokemon cards and tracing books that Mina brought, my daughter adored a pair of toe-socks, and I was impressed and touched by two pairs of homemade slippers from Mina's grandmother.

Today she went with us to church. She got a little taste of our beliefs and a big taste of what it's like to have a sister and three brothers. (My kids held back the sibling rivalry until about twently minutes after Mina got here.) Luckily, she fits right in, even if she is an only child.

I'm looking forward to a week of learning and friendship as I interact with the Japanese students and the students at Chinook Middle School. It will be so fun to watch the international friendships develop. Twenty-four hours into this, I'm already dreading the moment when we all
have to say good-bye.