Megan Sanderson
For The New Era
Teenagers covered their ears and watched intently as quick-draw Shawn Anderson prepared to fire his gun at the balloon targets.
Visiting a local farm Wednesday, July 27, Japanese students from the Josai Summer Exchange Program got a taste of rural Oregon life and a host of other experiences during a two-week visit to Sweet Home.
After Anderson finished his demonstration, the students uncovered their ears and quickly lined up to take turns shooting at the balloons.
The students were visiting from Josai University High School in Tokyo, Japan, a sister school to Sweet Home High School. Since the early 1970s, the exchange students program has seen many different groups of Sweet Home students leave for Japan and have seen Josai students come to Sweet Home for summer home-stay programs, usually on alternate years.
The 15 Josai students in this year’s program were greeted July 15 at Portland International Airport by coordinators and host families.
The local host families included Jerry and Martha Fisher, Steve and Ladema Hummer, Dan and Lori Juza, Dave and Joan Tolle, Stephanie Olmsted, Michael and Sharon Morrell, Austin and Tenille Sawyer, Chris and Amy Wingo, Randy and Delise Rose, and Jeffrey and Heidy Mather.
Students ate dinner and slept at the host families’ homes and family members were encouraged to participate in the visitors’ daily activities.
Ian Wingo (son of Chris and Amy) and Kyle Rose (son of Randy and Delise) both had a lot of fun being a host family.
“It’s pretty awesome,” they said.
When they first met the students it was hard to communicate between one another because not all the Josai students spoke English well. Ian and Kyle found themselves having to use their hands a lot to communicate.
“It’s like playing charades,” Ian said.
After English lessons each morning to improve their use of the language, which they are all required to study for at least six years in Japanese schools, the group got to experience much of what Oregon has to offer.
The visitors and their host families took hiking trips up Iron Mountain, at Clear Lake and Silver Falls, visited Oregon’s State Capitol, The Evergreen Aviation Museum, the University of Oregon campus and Florence, where they were able to ride the dune buggies on the sand dunes, followed by Chafin Farms and McCubbins Ranch in Sweet Home.
At Chafin Farms, on their last full day in Sweet Home, July 27, the students were able to ride the horses and shoot guns. Most of the Josai students had never seen a gun and in their country, where nearly all firearms are illegal, were told that only “bad people” had guns, as one put it.
“It was a little bit scary,” said Mei Tsukishiro.
She said this was her first time shooting, but not her first time seeing guns. At one time Mei had lived on an American airbase in Japan, where she had seen many different firearms.
Mei spoke fluent conversational English, one of the few Josai students who spoke the language well when they arrived.
Ayumu Ishii also said it was his first time seeing or shooting a real gun.
“It was fun,” he said.
The horseback experince was a little rougher for him, he said.
“It was uncomfortable.”
Students said they enjoyed Oregon and the activities that they got to partake in.
“Oregon is good, awesome,” said Yuya Sudo.
The Josai students departed from Sweet Home on Thursday, July 28. For some of the students, this is not the only visit they want to make to Oregon.
“I love it here,” Ayumu said. “I want to live here.”
“Two host families are needed for the school year program that we also share with Josai High School,” said Cynde Burford, who helps coordinate the program. “In late August, two girls will arrive to attend SHHS and become part of our community. They each need an American family. There are so many ‘firsts’ that you can share with them.”
To get involved with hosting for the school year or part of the year, please call Burford at (541) 367-8677 or e-mail her at [email protected].