9 students from Japan arrive for home stay program on Saipan

Nine students and one chaperone arrived late afternoon yesterday and were met with eager host families waiting to host the Japanese students from Kokusai Seishonen Kenshu Kyokai.

Tokyo’s International Youth Association of Japan KSKK group included nine students of which six were boys and three were girls and were escorted by one chaperone.

Saipan Mayor’s Office executive assistant and homestay program coordinator Yuki Kishimoto, along with the 2015 Liberation Royal Court, met the students along with the host families and presented gifts and island necklaces as a welcoming present.

The students from KSKK are Rina Osaka, 10, Hoanmi Sugita, 13, Miki Shirashima, 14, Yuta Ichino, 10, Masaya Koizumi, 10, Kazuki Fukushima, 11, Kouta Segishima, 12, Hiroto Kawakami, 13, and Saito Masatoshi, 13.

The chaperone is Risako Suzuki, 20.

One parent, Morendie Aguon, said that she had been hosting for five years and said that she wanted to continue hosting so she applied to be a host family.

“My kids really enjoy the company of Japanese students. I have hosted more than 20 students and want to continue this experience,” Aguon said.

Aguon also said that it is a great cultural experience so that her children will learn from them how Japanese culture is while the students learn the culture here on Saipan.

Another parent, Elena Guerrero, said that she was hosting since last year. She said that she continues to host because it is a memorable experience for many.

“I want to continue this. This is a great experience. Every time I host a student we do a lot of things together including with our family. We share our culture and they learn from us while we learn from them,” Guerrero said.

Kishimoto said that the reason for the cultural program is to entice visitors, including the young generation, to learn about history and that Saipan used to be a colony of Japan.

“It also teaches the children to learn the cultural differences. It helps them know more on how to communicate despite the communication barrier. They learn little English but gain a lot from their experience and it ties deeper into Saipan and Japan relationship,” Kishimoto said.

A total of five host families are hosting the students and the students will leave Aug. 4. Saipan Mayor’s Office will be conducting outdoor activities for the KSKK group during their visit to Saipan.

Aside from KSKK There will be other schools from Japan visiting the CNMI and will need home stay.

On Aug. 5 to 11 Sanpoen students will be arriving, ECC English School students will arrive on Aug. 17 to 21, and Johoku High School will arrive on Oct. 27 to 30. KSKK will have a trip for CNMI students interested in homestay in Japan on Nov. 12 to 17, while KSKK students will arrive once again for homestay on Saipan from Dec. 24 to 30.

Interested families can pick up homestay applications at the Saipan Mayor’s Office at the Ladera Center on Beach Road or call Kishimoto at 234-6208, 234-6280, and 235-7304.