- Local 4H make

_ by Diana English

. Four Terrace families are current-
ly playing host to exchange stu-
- dents from Japan. All of the local
families have children who belong
to the 4H association and. applied
to the "U-Trek" organization for an

exchange with Japanese students. _
The teenagers have been in Ter-.

race since July 27 and will leave
on August 20. During their stay

the students have toured the Alcan.

smelter in Kitimat and the K’san
Village in Hazelton. They have

also travelled to Prince Rupert and

Port Edward and spent a day at
Mount Layton Hot Springs...

One of the Japanese students, 12-
year-old Tomohito Yanagisawa of
Sayama, had met local 4H member
Trevor Muller last. year during:
‘Trevor’s exchange trip to Japan.
When asked what is different
about Canada and Japan, Tomohito
replied that the weather is colder
here and not as humid.

Len and Marian Kozier of Remo
are playing host to Tomohito.
Marian Kozier relates that the
Nintendo games and a love of

s Japan

McDonalds has provided a bond
between Tomohito and her son
David. She remarked. that techno-
logical advances, which‘can some-
times separate and distance people,
brought Tomohito and David
closer together Tomohito has also
been enjoying golfing and
backyard camping,

In Japan Tompohito practises
Kendo, a martial art much like
fencing. He also takes Judo in-
struction. Both arts are taught to
him by his father. Tomohito and
David will be exchanging a bam-

oer

PACIFIC PARTNERS. Families

exchange visitors from Japan,
Shown above are Brandy Rafuse,

and the

. Yanagisawa, David Kozier, Trevor Muller and Kentaro Uehara.

when they part. David will be

of 4H members in Terrace and Thomhil recently hosted

local 4H people will be making the
Tomoko Kawanabe, Lindsay Bailey,

return trip next summer.
Yasumi Ishii, Tomohito

Terrace Review — Wednesday, August 14, 1991 A5

boo Kendo sword and a golf club

travelling to Japan on the second
stage of the exchange next suml-
mer, . |
Sherry Hamer and Murrey
Wamer of Terrace are hosting 14-
year-old Yasumi Ishii of Saitama.
Yasumi has enjoyed camping at
Furlong Bay and fishing on the
river but misses the Japanese food.
Kentaro Uchara, 17 years old and
from Tokyo, says he likes every-
thing about his stay in Canada
with Lori and Danny Muller. He
especially likes the food, with the

plays soccer and baseball and also
enjoys skiing. His sister is current-
ly attending the Japanese-Canadian
school in Nelson, B.C. Kentaro has
visited Hong Kong, Singapore and
Macao.

Tomoko Kawanabe of Osaka is
16 and is staying with Trudy and
Eugene Rafuse. While she has
been here she has enjoyed horse-
back riding and swimming, ¢s-
pecially in the rain. Like Yasumi,
she also misses the food in Japan.
In her spare time at home Tomoko
goes shopping, to movies and
plays tennis. Tomoko has also
visited New Zealand and parts of
Europe.

All of the children agreed that
they were uncomfortable with the
wide open spaces of Canada,
something they were quite umac-
customed to.

exception of root beer. -Kentaro

The Canadian children were
astounded by stories of the Japan-

ese connection —

that the children brought home-
work with them, and'.do some

"homework every day. They were

also surprised that the Japanese
school year runs from April to
March. The students are currently
on a vacation from July 19 to
September 6. .

Another aspect of life in Japan
that was a shock to the Canadian

nagers was that in order tO
obtain a-drivers licence in Japan,
om must prove that they are a
high school graduate, and that they
have the property on which to park

avehicle,

U-Trek is "A Journey of Youth,
Understanding and You" and pro-
motes international friendship.
They find other youth groups to
exchange with. The concept is for
the host family to provide the
opportunity to show the students
what everyday life another country
is about. |

The Japanese students apply to
come to either Canada or the
United States. They choose the
province they want to go to but the
towns were chosen for them. The
parents of the travelling students
are responsible for the entire cost
of their children’s trips. There are
no expenses to the host families
other than the costs of food and
lodging. .

The local 4H club has been ex-
changing with U-Trek for about
eight years. Next summer Brandy

Rafuse, Lindsay Bailey and David
Kozier will travel to Japan for a
five-week stay.

ese school system. They were

amazed that the students had to
clean the schools and work in the
gardens. And they couldn’t believe

"ORTH COAST METAL RECYCLING

Writer’s note: Thank you to
Noriko Braganza for her translation
and interpretation assistance.

DROP OFF CENTRE 635-9247

BATTERIES & GLASS
~ BUY: ALUMINUM, COPPER AN

WEE SO
oo

ry

oN \ Zs

D RADS-

NORTH

COAST METAL RECYCLING
glans ° bactterted metal

FAUGLAAID AVE.

—_

Vang ta erneatenettedine Dmttrelite 8  on l

i eee