 "My 4-H Speech" by Brenna Roy in 2002 |
09月01日 (水) |
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Hello, 4-H Friends! I'm here today to tell you about my experience with another culture.
As most of you know, I was a host sister to a 12-year old girl(same as me) from Japan named Haruka Toyonaga. Haruka and I bonded immediately, and a day after her arrival, you would find us chattering away (sometimes having to use the English-Japanese dictionary) like we were old friends.
Haruka came to us through an exchange program with the Japanese LABO Program (similar to 4-H) and Ohio State University's International 4-H program.
At first we had trouble translating, but then we started learning words each other's language. In spite of not being able to talk to each other very well, we soon discovered we had a lot in common, like swimming, animals, singing songs, going camping, eating pizza and reading (especially Harry Potter.)
Haruka also surprised us by making my family and me two meals and two desserts. The meals were:
An Okinomiyaki which means "anything you like." It is like a pancake but consists of anything you want to add. This one had pork, shrimp and cabbage in it and tasted delicious.
And Curry Rice which had meat sauce on top of sticky rice. This was very good, too.
The desserts were: A citrus jello that had fruit in it, and
Almond cookies made from Haruka's family's recipe.
Both desserts were very yummy but not too sweet because the Japanese do not eat a lot of sugar and don't like sweet things.(In fact, Haruka did not like vanilla ice cream because it was too sweet!)
Haruka taught us to eat with chopsticks like the Japanese do, but they also sometimes eat with spoons, forks and knives.
The most memorable things she gave to us were her photo album, a step-by^step origami book she made me, and the story of "The Hungry Caterpiller" that she drew.(I brought these things with me for you to see.)
We had fun swimming, playing games like "Jacks", Uno, and war and listening to music together.
Haruka arrived on July 25th and left on August 19th. She was with us for 3 1/2 weeks. In that time, we went to Michigan, A church camp called Camp Frederick, Niagara Falls, Whipps Ledges, and Hickley, the Medina County Fair, sailing on Lake Erie, and Kelley's Island near Sandusky. When she left, she was almost considered a part of our family, and was like a sister to me.
This was a great experience for me and my family. I hope that we will have such an experience again. And maybe next time, you should host a exchange student, too!
BY: BRENNA ROY
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2002年、夏、12歳のうちの娘を受け入れてくれたホストシスター・ブレンナ。
2005年、夏、15歳の彼女は、日本の我が家で、一ヶ月のホームステイを体験。
2010年、夏、その家庭に、シャペロン（引率者）として、ホームステイする夢がかなった。（ブレンナ、娘、現在、20歳。）
ある日、ブレンナのママに、見せてもらった宝物ボックス。娘が作った自己紹介アルバムや、絵本や、自由研究の折り紙ブック、娘の次に受け入れた、日本の男の子のアルバムなど、大切にしまってあった。
その中に、一緒に入っていたのが、上記の文章。４－Hの集まりで、発表した時の、原稿らしい。お願いして、コピーを、もらってきた。紹介する約束で・・・。
娘のホームステイの追体験を出来た、この夏。忘れることは出来ない。
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