“Paige! I’m home!”
I closed the door behind me and took off my shoes. I walked into the kitchen, where Paige, my stepmom, was cooking dinner.
She smiled. “Hey. How was your day?”
“Pretty good. Hey, guess what? Denton-sensei told us a group of Japanese exchange students are coming over here! We should be a host family!”
That was the idea that started it all. The idea soon led us to an interview. Finally, we received a letter stating that the Japanese exchange student who would stay with us was Narumi Iida.
The exchange students come from Shimokitazawa Seitoku High School, an all-girls school in Tokyo, Japan and are staying with host families in Kingston March 11-30. Visiting with them is chaperone Mrs. Omori Yoshiko, a teacher at their school and very kind woman. From Kingston, teacher and guide Amy Van Fossen, Kingston High School English and drama teacher Alison Roberts, who is also a fluent Japanese speaker, and Lynn Atherton, EFL (Exploring Foreign Language) teacher at Kingston Middle School, all helped coordinate the trip. In short, these five girls have a strong support system as they make their way into American culture.
When Narumi arrived, she looked wide eyed and exhausted from her nine-hour flight from Tokyo. Paige made a dinner of tuna and rice to help her settle in, but the dinner didn’t spark much conversation. It was only when Paige attempted to ask Narumi what she wanted for breakfast that the ice officially broke.
The next morning we had toast with eggs and left for school. Narumi was so glad to see her friends and immediately spun off into a fast-paced conversation with two of her Japanese classmates. They all seemed very relieved to see each other and talk in their native language for a change.
That night, we all went to Alison Roberts’ house for a home-stay orientation and welcome party. We played some icebreaking games, ate an American potluck dinner, and introduced ourselves to each other. The home-stay program will end with a farewell party hosted by the exchange students.
So far, the students have been exposed to many examples of life in the Northwest, such as a walking tour of Kingston March 12, a sightseeing tour of Seattle March 17, Poulsbo and the Martha & Mary senior center March 18, and North Kitsap Fire & Rescue station March 21. The students also visited Gordon Elementary School and Kingston Middle School.
Every Thursday during their stay, the exchange students spend a day at Kingston High School shadowing their host student. On weekends, the host families and students have free time to do whatever they please. On our first weekend, my family traveled to the San Juan Islands. Narumi was amazed by the vast amounts of trees, wildlife and living space that we Americans take for granted. We spent the day riding ATVs and touring the island.
For the first week and a half, Narumi seemed quiet, only speaking when spoken to. But now she seems way more comfortable around us. She helps Paige cook dinner, helps Blake with his homework, and even makes some jokes. I’m glad to see that she isn’t as shy as she was not too long ago. I think being in America, where we are so independent, has really given her something she will carry with her for the rest of her life.
Karina Bentzen is a junior at Kingston High School. She’s studied Japanese language for two years and traveled to Japan with Alison Roberts and Lynn Atherton in 2006. Roberts is hoping to start a reciprocal exchange with the school in Japan and bring a group of Kingston High School students there this summer for a two-week visit.
