Middle School Baseball Players from Ofunato travel to San Diego for a Baseball Exchange Program
Eight middle school players and two coaches from Ofunato, Iwate traveled to San Diego, California from August 4-12, 2015 to participate in a homestay and baseball exchange program.
The goal of the TOMODACHI NAJAS San Diego-Ofunato Youth Baseball Exchange is to provide positive intercultural experiences and forge new and lasting friendships. San Diego families hosted two Ofunato players each and the coaches also stayed in a local home to experience American family culture.
Besides the homestay, the participants took part in baseball games and attended professional baseball games, immersing themselves in American baseball culture. At the San Diego Padres baseball games, they had an opportunity to throw the first pitch. Other activities included barbecues, volunteering at a senior citizens home and visiting an aircraft career that provided rescue and relief after the earthquake and tsunami in 2011.
Four of the boys from San Diego who participated in this baseball exchange had traveled to Ofunato in 2014, and there were five past TOMODACHI participants that volunteered as umpires for the baseball games and attended many of the activities during the exchange. This involvement from TOMODACHI alumni demonstrates the strong and lasting impact the TOMODACHI Initiative has had to the youth in Ofunato and San Diego because of this program.
“This was such a wonderful thing to be involved in. Just the little we did really opened the minds of all 3 of my children. Thank you!”
– Host Mother
“Sometimes at night, I lie in my bed and play back all the memories and just say to myself “Wow! What an experience. These exchanges were the best time of my life!” I have written many school projects about the program because the experience meant so much to me. Thank you so much for impacting my life so much.”
– Volunteer umpire and TOMODACHI alumni
“I can’t wait to see everybody in Japan next summer!”
– San Diego Player
