Northern Arizona University Students’ Homestay Report Presentation

Date/Time: July 5 (Sun) 15:30 – 16:30

Venue: Abiko North Community Center Hall

Participants: 18 people from NAU (Ms. Mary Adachi, 15 students, Ms. Nagata, and a parent), host families and 11 AIRA members including 6 executives and 3 staffs

 

　　Upon arrival in Japan in early June, the Northern Arizona University (NAU) delegation were invited to a “Welcome party” held by AIRA (see News No. 15-5), and experienced various discoveries in Abiko. Then they visited Hiroshima and other Kansai cities.

　　From July 3 to 5, they stayed with their host families in Abiko. The fifteen students and host families came into the hall together to attend a meeting on homestay report today. Both of them looked more friendly and relaxed than 2 days before when they had met each other for the first time. Every student sincerely expressed what he/she experienced and how enjoyed daily life in Japanese homes.

　　Mr. Hayasaka, Cultural Exchange Manager, played the MC. Vice President Ms. Kitajima told about Japanese culture saying that rainy season was very important for rice growing and that an article with a picture of US students wearing yukatas came out in a newspaper, and she also extended thanks to the host families ( interpreter: Ms. Uchiyama).

　　Then the all students and their host families told brief comments on their homestay. (interpreter: Ms. Kurata)

1. Mr. Daniel Reza (host family: Ms. Kaku)

　　I had a very good time going to a batting center, experiencing calligraphy, playing game together. At first I was nervous but I enjoyed my stay feeling emotional connection with each other in spite of cultural differences and language barrier.

2. Mr. Nonah Hadnot III (host family: Ms. Chizu Yamaguchi)

　　My host family welcomed me as one of their families and I have been relaxed as if I were at my own home. They took me to a village in Boso area. I had a lot of fun by bowling, eating Mexican food together. As I usually live alone, I had precious experiences.

3. Mr. Rayne Zaughsome (host family: Ms. Matsumoto)

　　My host family taught me Japanese and how to make soba. Those were precious experiences. I was very happy staying with my kind host family and experiencing world famous Japanese culture.

4. Ms. Felicia Fiedler (host family: Ms. Hiroko Yamaguchi)

　　They took me to the Boso village and a castle which were very nice to me. I put on Samurai worriers’ armor and challenged to a bunch of new things. I thank them a lot for their kindness. I’d like to visit Abiko again.

5. Ms. Julia Swihart-DeCoster (host family: Ms. Nagashima)

　　My host mother is very good at cooking and all the dishes were very good. When she taught me how to make a rice ball, the rice was too hot for me. Judging from my profile, they took me to Harajuku. I thank them because they welcomed me like their own family members.

　　Julia’s Mother

　　I’m Julia’s mother. I was lucky I also stayed with her host family. Host mother made us very good dishes as if we ate in a restaurant. I think we came to Japan to meet our host family. They are amazing family. We were comfortable because we felt we were members of our host family.

6. Ms. Keira Laburt (host family: Ms. Ikeda)

　　They took me to Tsukuba Space Center where I watched my favorite rockets. I liked Okonomiyaki my host father made. I studied a lot about Japan. I had a very good time.

7. Ms. Brittanie Somoza (host family: Ms. Matsuki)

　　I was nervous at first, but as soon as I met my host family, I was relaxed because their behavior was quite at home. I was impressed by unagi my host family treated me, but I was scared from cooking all through to eating. I thanked my host family for their kindness.

8. Ms. Hallie Theriault (host family: Ms. Takahashi)

　　I met their aughter and grandchildren. They were all very kind and generous. The dishes were very good. Homestay experience is my favorite part in this tour. I want to come to see them again someday. I think they also feel the same.

9. Ms. Alexis Senkow (host family: Ms. Sekiguchi)

　　My host mother is very good at cooking. When I took pictures of the first dish on the first evening, she served me dish one after another. Thank you for taking me out to various places. These are unforgettable memories.

10. Ms. Ashley Ferreira (host family: Mr. Minami)

　　My host mother is an English teacher and I joined her lesson. It was wonderful. All the students were interested in learning English, so they asked me a lot of questions. My host family called me “onesan “, so I was glad to feel I was a member of their family.

11. Ms. Jasmine Heirigs (host family: Ms. Watanabe)

　　On the first day, we went shopping together and she taught me how to make tempura. During my stay, I made sashimi and sushi. There was a happening that we forgot buying scallops and the following day we grilled them to eat. But that was a fun. She showed me kimono and I wore her daughter’s kimono she had worn at her coming-of- age ceremony.

12. Ms. Danielle Erives (host family: Ms. Sengoku)

　　I joined kids’ judo lesson in Abiko. The instructor lent me judo uniform and I practiced judo. That was a great experience. I had an opportunity to make kusudama together. I was so excited and had fun during my stay.

13. Ms. Anthony Chavez (host family: Ms. Uehara)

　　At the Boso village, I put on Samurai worrier’s armor and experienced making coaster made of tatami. That was a fun. They treated me interesting food such as natto and okonomiyaki a la Hiroshima. All the food they served me were good. I had very good experiences.

14. Mr. Chandler Coiner (host family: Mr. Yoshida)

　　I had an opportunity to eat with a lot of people including my host family. They spoke English fluently and their kids were cute. At night, I talked about the difference between English expressions and Japanese ones with my host mother and father. My host family was the kindest in all the people I had ever met before. My stay in Japan was a very wonderful experience.

15. Mr. Matthew Brooks (host family: Ms. Osaki)

　　I had the same sense of humor as my host family. We laughed a lot during my stay. As my project at the university is making film, someday I’d like to come back to Japan and make a film. At that time, I’ll ask Mrs. Osaki to play as an actress in my film.

　　Most students made their comments in English, but some expressed their thanks in Japanese. Matthew expressed his resolution “I want to visit Japan again and make a film.” in Japanese calligraphy, and Ms. Sengoku and Danielle showed us dancing on the floor. It was in a cheerful mood.

　　After Ms. Mary Adachi expressed gratitude to AIRA and the all host families. AIRA presented them some gifts and photos taken at the welcome party. Mr. Sugano, AIRA President, explained how to use fans. They practiced to open gifted fans with trial and error.

　　The NAU students made use of some more free time after that and finally went back to the U.S. on July 10.（No.15-7）

　　※ You can see the movie of their staying on You Tube.

                         https://youtu.be/UXeajayCKzw