Local group leaves for Land of Rising Sun: Sister Cities program enters its 10th year

By WILL STEWART / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard (McMinnville, Tenn.)

East and West will meet once again as a Sister Cities delegation of 12 students and three chaperones leaves the Nursery Capital today to meet their Japanese counterparts in the Land of the Rising Sun.

This year’s exchange marks the 10th such exchange of the Sister Cities program, organized in 1992 to promote international friendship, as well as the exchange of ideas and cultures, between the communities of McMinnville-Warren County and Mikawa-muri and Mikawa-machi, Japan.

Since 1993, delegations of both Warren County and Mikawa students have visited each others’ homelands in alternating summers.

Local students heading to Japan today include Bethany Bouldin, Haley Bouldin, Katy Campen, Mark Chambers, Seth Deaton, Natasha Gerstenschlager, Wesley Hillis, Rhett Layman, Ashlin Martin, Ashley McBee, Shay Mullican and Torie Smith. Sister Cities committee member Beverly Crouch, Regina Woodlee and Monti Hillis will serve as chaperones.

The group is scheduled to arrive in Japan tomorrow afternoon. After spending a day and a half sightseeing in the capital, Tokyo, they will leave by train for Mikawa-muri and Mikawa-machi, where the students will meet their host buddies, many of whom visited Warren County last summer.

Much of the 11 days spent in Japan will spent by the students in home-stays with their host buddies and their families. During this time they will get a better understanding of day-to-day life in Japan as host families are asked to go about their normal routines while the local students are there.

Of course the students and chaperones will not be spending their entire trip enjoying Japanese home life. Other plans include touring the Mikawa town hall and a local factory, go-carting, bungee jumping, a trip to the beach and shopping.

One highlight of the trip will be a cultural presentation the American students will perform for their hosts. The presentation, much of it set to music, will feature out-takes and performances from such Americana films as “Grease” and “O Brother, Where Art Thou.”

The local group is scheduled to return to Warren County Aug. 11.

PHOTO INFO:
Leaving today for Japan is the Sister Cities exchange group made up of, from left, first row, Seth Deaton, Shay Mullican and Rhett Layman; second row, Monti Hillis, Bethany Bouldin, Haley Bouldin, Beverly Crouch, Wesley Hillis, Ashley McBee, Regina Woodlee, Natasha Gerstenschlager, Katy Campen, Ashlin Martin and Torie Smith. Not pictured is Mark Chambers. (Will Stewart photo)