TOMODACHI U.S.-Japan Youth Exchange Program 2014 and 2015 Delegation Gives Presentation at Washington, D.C. Reception
On June 3, 2015, six high school students who participated in the TOMODACHI U.S.-Japan Youth Exchange Program gave a presentation about their experiences in Japan to an audience in Washington, D.C. that included parents, teachers and coordinators, friends and program staff. The event marked the conclusion of a successful second year of an exchange program that brings together Washington, D.C. public school and Japanese high school students together for a two-week program in each country focusing on leadership, diversity and social entrepreneurship.
The reception featured an exhibition created by the students consisting of items brought back from Japan, mementos from their homestays, and photographs capturing the picturesque scenery of landscapes in Watari-cho and other parts of Tohoku. A centerpiece of the exhibit was a handmade quilt comprised of individual panels created by all the students during the DC portion of the program, bearing images and symbols of US-Japan understanding.
During the presentations, students shared personal reflections on topics such as food, the places they visited in Japan, cross-cultural differences and Japanese cultural norms. “In Japan, social responsibility is considered a huge part of daily life, and it was something that really stayed with me,” said Gabrielle Towson. Towson also stated that meeting with Japanese-American leaders was a highlight of the DC program. “One of my favorite parts of the program as getting to talk to World War II veteran Terry Shima,” Towson said. “He showed us that you can still be loyal to your country while having pride in your culture. He was really inspirational.”
Throughout the presentation, the students conveyed the emotional dimension that resonated with them during and after their visit to Tohoku. Malaika Coleman recalled the Takasago High School in-house museum being the most impactful part of the trip. “The classroom was filled with memorabilia collected after the disaster near the school,” Coleman said. “There was even a clock that was recovered that had stopped in time at exactly the moment the tsunami hit.” The students came to the conclusion that the kemushi, or caterpillar, represents the best way to approach the aftermath of adversity, because the kemushi always moves forward.
Two alumni from the 2013 program were also present and recounted their journey to Japan as a lesson that spoke to the unique relationship between disaster and humanity, and the power of empathy in US-Japan bilateral ties. Delmar Tarrago thought the exchange was a way to gain insight on the various implications of natural disasters. “We got to see the remnants of the disaster and got to grasp not only a physical sense of the disaster, but the emotional side as well,” Tarrago said. “The disaster prevention building in Tohoku symbolized this emotional side for me. In a way, there is identity attached to these events. New Orleans and Tohoku now have an identity associated with these disasters. However, this exchange gave me insight on the concept of moving on, and how we can all choose to commemorate disaster, but also have hope.”
The event included an announcement of the newly selected 2015-2016 participants who were in attendance. The presentation ended with a ‘thank you’ poem written by the students. The closing line expressed what a life-changing experience the US-Japan exchange meant to the students: “Thank you for pushing me out of my comfort zone, for my new international friends, [and] for investing in my future.”
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The program blog can be found here: http://usjapanfuture.org/
