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Show f V- - Paga 12 - August 17. 1988 (Basin Standard HJJfntah Basin in it the we know life as students experience Japanese Several residents ofthe Buin have had the rare opportunity in the past few week to share their home and lifestyle with students visiting from Japan. An unusual coincidence occurred when a exchange group and two student groups on "field trips from their native Japan all ended up in the area at the same time. Thus, in a ' weeks time, over 60 Japanese youth were here and experienced life in the Uintah Basin, compli-- . ments of the host families they ' lived with and learned to love. . 4--H 4-- H exchange group The group, sponsored through the USU Extension Center, are an exchange group with an organisation known by its acronym, UTREK. Chaperoned by Hiroko Matsuno from Saitama Ken, Japan, these youth, ranging in age from 0 years old, stayed with families in Bluebell, Alternant, Upalco, and Mountain Home. Hera for 27 days, they are taking in the sights of the Uintah Basin and learning about lift in America in a rural setting. Most of them live in large cities of Japan, so the country life they experience here is truly a new event Coordinator for the group, Beverly Gunn, was a host parent last year, and so enjoyed the visitor that stayed with them, she volunteered to help in setting up thehostfamilies this year. We had no trouble at all placing these kids. We screened the homes to be sura the kids were going into clean, safe environments, and then check on them occasionally during their stay. The youth and their families paid for their trips, but most come from typical families where the mother stays at home. Aki ), Gunn's guest through the program, was making a cake for the county fair when I spoke with them, taldngpart frilly 4-- H 12-2- 4-- H (AH-kee- in the lifestyle of her host family. Nobuyoshi is a old boy whose father's g dream was for his son to come to America. Nobuyoshis father died of cancer two years ago, but his son made it to America anyway, and he will plant a tree here in the Basin in- honor of his father. Rieko the oldest of the exchange students, is staying with the Chad Winkler family in Bluebell. She and Tsmaki a guest of the Howard Todd family, took in some of the UBIC programs, where I had the privelege of meeting them. Each exhibited rare sense ofhumor for their culture, joking shout each others names and their similarity toother words with comical meanings in English. Though not fluent in English, they communicated well, effusing a freshness and love of life so characteristic of youth. These youth are representative of the 12 students who will take home with them a concept of America based hugely on what they have seen here. They attend d school, and have chosen to pay their own way and spend four of their six weeks of vacation from school in this exchange program. "They have been a fun bunch to have here, says Mrs. Gunn; this group returns to Japan on August 24, but the program will be repeated next year, and anyone interested in taking part as a host family should plan on contacting her next spring when the next group is organised. They will be riding a float in the Duchesne to them County Fair parade-wa- ve and let them know they are welcome guests in our corner of thus " V - - Vi .4 -1; 15-ye- ar rvewi-- l tsi&w life-lon- r'i: .7 .. H . 5 again, and they said they would like to come back.' Mom liked having them here too. It was a neat experience for all of us. k As part of a trip to two the days youth spent America, in Hawaii, visited Disneyland, then came to Utah, when they saw the sights of Salt Lake City, went to Bear Lake, and came to the Basin. After staying overnight at the Westons, they ran the river near Vernal before returning to Salt Lake, so their visit to our area was a significant part of their trip, though they were here only a short time. The youth expressed pleasure in their visit to the Uintah Basin, and most said they hope to come back someday. . two-wee- - (lee-AY-k- (tah-MAH-ke- v them to spend time at his farm, riding hones and roasting hot dogs, an unusual treat far these coming from youth ages families. For wealthy, the most part, they attend private schools and speak English. Their families paid for all of their expenses, which included $4,500.00 for baric expenses, and spending money during their stay in America. The host families provided a bed and meals as part of the agree13-1- 5, city-base-d world. 25 visit family in Roosevelt Jay Weston, the son of Mr. and Mrs. James Weston, Roosevelt, lives in Japan, teaching English to Japanese students at a private school. The Westons got the surprise of their lives when their son came home to visit, and brought 25 of his students and three Japanese teachers from the school with him. The 25 children range in age from seven to thirteen years, and came to America with Westen on a "field trip of sorts, from the school. The families of the. youth are mostly wealthy business people who paid their expenses completely. Ryan Weston, a 17- - ment Womens Service In addition to the farm experience, the group of young people went with their host families to League hosts 11 ' some Japanese students. Normally, there is a years time to prepare for the : visitors, said Wentworth; but due to some unusual circumstances, just one month's time was all they had to make arrangements for host families and prepare for the 11 students and one leader who would make Roosevelt their home for a petted. Two boys and nine girls came by way of San Francisco, enjoying the sights there before coming to Roosevelt The youth stayed with Roosevelt families, only sane of them members of the womens organisation. Their leader spent his visit at the hones of Jane Thompson and Christy King John Gale of Roosevelt heard of the groups presence and arranged for . as common to us westerners as Toasting wdners was a rare treat A NEW EXPERIENCE-Somethi- ng for Japanese youth, here under the sponsorship of the Womens Service League in Roosevelt. They also enjoyed a visit to Dinosaur National monument and prepared a Japanese meal and program for their host families. They returned to their homeland Saturday, August 13. year-roun- An organisation in Vermont known as An Experiment in International Living contacted Terri Wentworth of the Womens Serv- ice League in Roosevelt, asking if the local group would like to host year old brother to Jay, said it was interesting and fun to have the group converge on their home all at once; Td like to have them come . Dinosaur National Monument, had a swimmingbarbecue party, and prepared an authentic Japanese meal and program for their temporary families, at Christy Kings home near Myton. Wentworth says this young group of was not accustomed to tearing; - two-wee- k Hiroko Matsuno, chaperone for Japanese-4-- H exchange students typical of the oriental culture where all things are done "with honor. But they showed incred- ible generosity, showering their host families with gifts. They left Roosevelt Saturday, August 13, to return home to Japan, via Disneyland and the LA. area. The experiment in international living was so successful, . says Wentworth, that the Womens Service League will be sponsoring the program again next year, and hopeftilly on a continuing basis. Ifyou are interested in being a host family, contact her or Tammy Hariem, at WSL president, at 722-380- 9, 722-991- 2. SURPRISE VISITORS-Ov- cr 25 Japanese visitors converged on the James Weston home Thursday, August 11, as their son Jay brought liis students home to visit, from a private school in Japan. Their k field trip to the U.S. stop in Roosevelt was part of a two-wee- -- |