School Board hears Shimizu Presentation

Deb Oakley, organizer of the Chelsea-Shimizu Sister City Student Exchange program, gave a presentation before the school board on Oct. 9 that included a brief video of Chelsea students visiting a Japanese pottery during their trip to Shimizu last summer.

"You can see our students really do have an educational experience during their visit," Oakley said.

"It's a challenge for them to be spoken to all the time in Japanese."

Oakley suggested that since the Shimizu students learn English, the board might consider instituting Japanese as a community education program, and that the course then be considered part of student preparation for the exchange.

Karen Meisenheimer, lead chaperone in Shimizu, has been involved with the program for three years.

Both she and her two daughters have visited Japan, and hosted Japanese students in their home.

"The first hour in the host home is probably the longest hour people go through, full of nervous smiles, hand motions, and dictionaries." she said.

"However. after a few days. the smiles are genuine and the communication much easier."

Meisenheimer's daughter Sarah, also spoke of the many benefits of participating in the program.

"For someone who has grown up in a small town, this was a very exciting experience, allowing me to see a different culture. different religion, and different way of life." she said.

"It also taught me responsibilities and how to get along with people you don't know very well."

Yukie Fukuhara, assistant principal of the junior high school in Shimizu, spoke through interpreter Tamaki Inaba, thanking Chelsea for its hospitality.

"Many people in Shimizu asked me to bring gifts for the host families. evidence of the good relationship that exists between people of Chelsea and Shimizu," Fukuhara said.

"The purpose of our visit here is not sightseeing, but building good communication between the two towns. As sister cities we can learn a lot from each other."

Fukuhara explained that Shimizu students compete for a place on the exchange by writing essays and undergoing interviews in both Japanese and English.

She asked the board to consider supporting Chelsea exchange students financially.

Printed in The Chelsea Standard
Written by Sheila Pursglove, Staff Writer

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