Local family, Japanese student enjoy 'international culture' exchange

A Highland County family is spending close to a month with a special visitor, as the Wilkin family of Lynchburg is hosting a 12-year-old girl from Japan through a 4-H international exchange program.

OSU Extension County Director/4-H Youth Development Educator Kathy Bruynis said that the international program has been available to local families for many years, but it has been a long time since a Highland County family has hosted an international exchange student.

"It's such a positive program for youth to get involved in and for families to experience international culture," Bruynis said.

Haruna ("Haru") Koike, 12, flew to the United States from her home city of Chiba, Japan, a Tokyo suburb of nearly 1 million people located about 40 minutes from the country's capital.

Haru is staying with Todd and Bethanie Wilkin and their daughter Weslie, 11, and sons Saxen, 8 and Nolan, 3.

Haru was selected to stay with the Wilkin family through the Labo International Exchange program. According to their website, Labo is "a family-based Japanese youth organization" for children ages 3-18 "to improve the English-language ability as well as to learn about other cultures and expand their personal horizons."

The Wilkins filled out paperwork and had a home visit and background checks before being accepted into the program, and once approved, the Wilkins and Haru communicated via email before her arrival.

The 4-H Summer Inbound Exchange Student Programs requires that host families have a child "who is the same gender and approximate age as the youth that [they] host," according to the 4-H States' Exchange website. Fittingly, Haru and Weslie have quickly become friends.

While older students are able to stay for a longer period, Haru is in a short-term program typical for students her age. She is staying with the Wilkin family for three and a half weeks.

Bethanie said that Weslie had wanted to go to camp this summer, but the Wilkins received an email about the exchange program that piqued everyone's interest.

"I hadn't heard anything about this, and I got an email about how more families were needed for this program," Bethanie said.

Youths between the ages of 12 and 18 and "young adults" are able to participate in Labo's exchange program. Older teenagers can stay up to a year through the program.

The website also states that "all families are welcome to apply" regardless of 4-H participation.

Haru's older sister has also been to the United States through an exchange program. Her parents have not been to America, but Saxen said they sent the Wilkins a thank-you letter this week.

Haru and other exchange students flew to Columbus, where they spent two days getting acclimated and participating in an orientation. Twenty-five students, including Haru, were then bussed to Beavercreek for their host families to pick them up.

"It's very interesting, just the atmosphere and the excitement of seeing these kids come over and immediately bond with their host family," Todd said.

"They hug right away and say hi," Weslie added.

Todd said that Highland County has been "a bit of a culture shock for Haru," who was amazed by the large, open buildings and land. Bethanie said most homes in Haru's are about 800 square feet.

There has also been a communication barrier, Todd said. While Haru takes English classes in Japan and can spell English words, she and the Wilkins have been mostly communicating through programs on tablets and smartphones – but even that is not without its challenges.

"One night she was trying to say something, and it came up 'I pasted the disco, but it is itchy,'" Saxen said.

Bethanie said that they also use an English to Japanese handbook, and Haru uses a program that translates one word at a time.

As Weslie is a part of 4-H, the Wilkins said Haru's first day with them was a little hectic. After picking her up in Beavercreek, they rushed back to Hillsboro to pick up baby chicks.

Bruynis said that the poultry pickup can be rather overwhelming, but Bethanie said Haru loved it and took lots of pictures of the chicks.

"But she says the chicks are 'not cute' already," Weslie said.

The 4-H Exchange website says that exchange students "don't expect to be entertained every minute, just to participate in life alongside your family and learn about American culture." Alongside the Wilkins, Haru has participated in a number of American summer traditions, such as swimming and watching fireworks, and they plan to build a campfire and make s'mores.

Haru has enjoyed doing small things to help around the house, although she good-naturedly complained when helping with another rural Ohio summer tradition, shucking corn. Saxen said that because Japanese students have long days at school and few responsibilities outside of their education, "when they come to America, they look forward to doing chores."

"Their whole life is circled around schooling," Weslie said.

Bethanie said that Haru has been very willing to try all kinds of new experiences, including food. Haru didn't like eating cheese, so Saxen said that instead of saying "cheese" when they pose for pictures, they say "sushi" now.

"She's been a trouper and has enjoyed trying everything," Bethanie said.

Weslie said that Haru told them she doesn't have a religion, but she has been attending church services with the family twice a week, and the Wilkins found her a Japanese translation of the Bible so she could follow along during services.

"She did sing this past Sunday in front of the church," Todd said. "She's starting to participate in more activities."

In addition to immersing herself into American activities, Haru is also introducing the Wilkin family to Japanese customs. She is helping to organize a Japan-themed birthday party for Weslie and Saxen. Haru brought gifts such as fans, food, puzzles and toys for the entire family, including grandparents. She also made them miso soup and sticky rice for lunch.

"They come with their own money to buy lots of souvenirs," Bethanie said. "Gift-giving is huge."

Weslie said Haru also made a book "of all kinds of things in Japan, about her life, her family, all the things she does, every stage of her life and some of their holidays" to share with the family.

The Wilkin children have inserted a few Japanese phrases such as "konnichiwa" ("good afternoon") into their vocabulary, and Weslie and Saxen both said that they occasionally catch themselves copying Haru's mannerisms and speaking style.

Despite the language barrier and their different upbringings, Haru and the Wilkin children have discovered they have plenty of things in common. They've bonded over a mutual interest in Charlie Brown comics; Haru likes Snoopy because she has a beagle named Love back home. Haru and several members of the Wilkin family can play the piano, and Haru and Weslie are going to play a duet at a recital at the SEM Terrace assisted living facility in Milford.

Bruynis said in the Koike family's paperwork, Haru wrote her goals were to "communicate with her host family, sing and dance with her host friends and take pictures and illustrations" to show her host family and then take with her to Japan to show her own family.

With less than two weeks remaining in Ohio, she has already met most of her goals. Communication, while challenging, has been mostly successful. Haru has sung in church with the Wilkins, and Weslie said she would have to dance with her. Haru has spent most of her trip taking photos of everything she eats and sees, and she has even used her skills to help Weslie prepare a photography project for 4-H.

Haru nodded when asked if she likes Ohio and enthusiastically agreed when Saxen asked her if she would like to come back. The Wilkin children said they want her to come back to visit as well.

"It's like having a sister that I always wanted," Weslie said. "It's like having a best friend.

"I hope to continue our relationship when she's back in Japan – write and email and keep in contact."

Saxen said that he enjoys playing kickball with Haru, and Weslie said that Haru is great at badminton.

"It's really fun being with her," Saxen said. "She's pretty funny about stuff. I get a lot of chuckles about her each day."

Bethanie said Nolan likes playing Mario video games with Haru.

"I got to King Koopa's castle," Nolan said.

The Wilkins said that Haru is welcome to return whenever she likes.

"It's been a good experience for our home," Todd said. "Haruna's been a great blessing and a good help around the house."

"It's awesome," Weslie said.