4-H exchange program forges friendships across continents
Attending the 4-H going-away celebration for exchange students and their host families were 12-year-old Manami Niwa (left), with Pam and Katy Drews.
Photo by Becky Kirkland
Remember what it was like to be 13? Well, imagine having the courage at that age to travel several thousand miles from home - by yourself - and live in a strange country for a month.
That's what 34 Japanese students, ages 12 to 16, did in July and August, taking up residence with families across North Carolina as part of the 4-H Summer Inbound Program.
By the end of their experience, most of these students had been unofficially "adopted" by their host families.
"We now have a third daughter," said Wes Deal of Granite Falls, who with wife, Lisa, and daughters, Autumn, 14, and Moranna, 13 months, hosted Yuko Nakazawa, 13, from Gifu, Japan. This was the Deal family's first year in the Summer Inbound Program, and they're hooked.
One of Yuko's life-long dreams became a reality on the Deal family farm, where she learned to ride a horse. In fact, she spent every day with the family's 12 horses, mastering her riding and learning to care for the animals. The Deals wanted Yuko simply to experience their daily life, but they also treated her to special outings to a water park and baseball game. Yuko also accompanied Autumn Deal throughout her experience in the Miss Teen North Carolina pageant.
"Yuko got to be a country girl and a city girl at the same time, mucking out the stalls and going to the Miss Teen North Carolina pageant," said Lisa Deal. "She was a big help at our 4-H horse camp, and, by the end, she was riding every day."
North Carolina 4-H has been involved in the Summer Inbound Program since 1990 through a partnership with the LABO organization in Japan. LABO provides an integrated program of youth development, language learning, and cultural exploration for Japanese children and their families. Just as North Carolina 4-H'ers belong to groups in their counties, Japanese children participate in LABO clubs.
Each summer nearly 30 Japanese students and a handful of chaperones live with North Carolina families for four weeks, coinciding with the summer break of the Japanese school year.
According to Carolyn Langley, Randolph County's Extension director and state 4-H international exchange coordinator, the goal of the program is to provide a "global education" to the state's 4-H'ers, helping them learn about and develop appreciation for new cultures.
Langley and her team do their best to pair each Japanese student with a North Carolina child who has similar interests. The rules are simple: the Japanese student must be within two years of age and the same sex as at least one child in the North Carolina host family. Langley seems to have a knack for creating good matches that open doors to new learning experiences, lasting friendships, and ultimately, profound respect for different cultures.
"We live in a global society and need to have understanding, appreciation and respect for other cultures," Langley says. "The month-long program is a great opportunity for children here to have a glimpse into another culture."
Pam and Gordon Drews of Stoneville and their family are no strangers to the 4-H Summer Inbound Program - they've participated for nearly eight years. The Drewses' sons, David, 18, and Matthew, 16, have enjoyed hosting a variety of students from Japan. This year was their sister Katy's turn.
Despite the language barrier, Katy, 11, and exchange student Manami Niwa, 12, hit it off immediately.
Although the Drewses are seasoned veterans of the exchange program, they gain new perspective on Japanese culture and traditions each time they host a new student. Manami prepared for them a special meal of sesame noodles with fish sauce, made with ingredients from her hometown. She also brought a pink kimono for Katy and taught her how to wear it. Each member of the family received a piece of parchment with their individual names printed in Manami's flawless calligraphy. Beyond these material gifts, Pam says, was the gift of seeing another culture through new eyes.
"My children are experiencing a different culture without having to go to Japan," she says. "Katy has even begun to speak some Japanese."
The financial commitment is minimal - meals and transportation to and from the airport - but according to the families who participate, the benefits are immeasurable. And, Langley adds, the experience for the Japanese students is unforgettable.
- Suzanne Stanard
That's what 34 Japanese students, ages 12 to 16, did in July and August, taking up residence with families across North Carolina as part of the 4-H Summer Inbound Program.
By the end of their experience, most of these students had been unofficially "adopted" by their host families.
"We now have a third daughter," said Wes Deal of Granite Falls, who with wife, Lisa, and daughters, Autumn, 14, and Moranna, 13 months, hosted Yuko Nakazawa, 13, from Gifu, Japan. This was the Deal family's first year in the Summer Inbound Program, and they're hooked.
Megumi Funahashi, 13, who was hosted by the Thomas family of Asheboro.
Photo by Becky Kirkland
Photo by Becky Kirkland
"Yuko got to be a country girl and a city girl at the same time, mucking out the stalls and going to the Miss Teen North Carolina pageant," said Lisa Deal. "She was a big help at our 4-H horse camp, and, by the end, she was riding every day."
North Carolina 4-H has been involved in the Summer Inbound Program since 1990 through a partnership with the LABO organization in Japan. LABO provides an integrated program of youth development, language learning, and cultural exploration for Japanese children and their families. Just as North Carolina 4-H'ers belong to groups in their counties, Japanese children participate in LABO clubs.
Each summer nearly 30 Japanese students and a handful of chaperones live with North Carolina families for four weeks, coinciding with the summer break of the Japanese school year.
According to Carolyn Langley, Randolph County's Extension director and state 4-H international exchange coordinator, the goal of the program is to provide a "global education" to the state's 4-H'ers, helping them learn about and develop appreciation for new cultures.
Langley and her team do their best to pair each Japanese student with a North Carolina child who has similar interests. The rules are simple: the Japanese student must be within two years of age and the same sex as at least one child in the North Carolina host family. Langley seems to have a knack for creating good matches that open doors to new learning experiences, lasting friendships, and ultimately, profound respect for different cultures.
"We live in a global society and need to have understanding, appreciation and respect for other cultures," Langley says. "The month-long program is a great opportunity for children here to have a glimpse into another culture."
Pam and Gordon Drews of Stoneville and their family are no strangers to the 4-H Summer Inbound Program - they've participated for nearly eight years. The Drewses' sons, David, 18, and Matthew, 16, have enjoyed hosting a variety of students from Japan. This year was their sister Katy's turn.
Despite the language barrier, Katy, 11, and exchange student Manami Niwa, 12, hit it off immediately.
Although the Drewses are seasoned veterans of the exchange program, they gain new perspective on Japanese culture and traditions each time they host a new student. Manami prepared for them a special meal of sesame noodles with fish sauce, made with ingredients from her hometown. She also brought a pink kimono for Katy and taught her how to wear it. Each member of the family received a piece of parchment with their individual names printed in Manami's flawless calligraphy. Beyond these material gifts, Pam says, was the gift of seeing another culture through new eyes.
"My children are experiencing a different culture without having to go to Japan," she says. "Katy has even begun to speak some Japanese."
The financial commitment is minimal - meals and transportation to and from the airport - but according to the families who participate, the benefits are immeasurable. And, Langley adds, the experience for the Japanese students is unforgettable.
- Suzanne Stanard