Bellefontaine has been exchanging visits with its sister city of Suzuka, Japan, since 1990 and, after three years of connecting virtually, a team of adventurers are finally heading back on Monday, July 24. This year’s participants are, from left: Kris Swisher (chaperone), Mason Swisher, Libby Siefring, Winnie Bodin, Lottie Bodin, Declan Shannon, Simon Kauffman, Neil Kauffman, Sophia Kauffman and Ryan Spath (chaperone). (EXAMINER PHOTO | LUCY JARVIS)
BY SHARYN KOPF AND LUCY JARVIS
Examiner Contributors
For 32 years, the city of Bellefontaine has maintained a friendship with its sister-city of Suzuka, Japan. But that relationship was kept at a distance for the last few years.
Now it’s finally time to go back. And on Monday, July 24, eight students and two adult chaperones will fly over 6,000 miles to interact with their host families and other Suzuka officials.
“This year, the (Bellefontaine) students were asked to prepare a conversation about a certain topic (chosen by the Suzuka students),” chaperone Kris Swisher said. “And they decided on the topic of covid. So each student prepared a few statements and things they went through to share with them.”
Once completed, their responses were sent to Japan to be translated so they’re ready to be presented when the kids arrive. Their memories of covid included missing family, how it affected sports, health and social interactions as well as all those “weird signs up at storefronts.”
Each participant will stay with a family in Suzuka during their visit. The week in Japan will include sightseeing, shopping and participating in a traditional tea ceremony. They will also spend two days touring Tokyo before starting back for the States on Tuesday, Aug. 1.
Before covid, Bellefontaine last went to Japan in 2018 and Suzuka came for a visit a year later. Then 2020 hit.
“We’ve been conducting virtual exchanges for the past three years,” Swisher said. “Many of these students were part of those.
“Now they’ll have a chance to experience a different culture, and one that’s so steeped in tradition. I look forward to seeing them embedded in that culture—not just touring Japan but living with the families there.”
The other chaperone traveling with the team is Ryan Spath, an Indian Lake graduate who went on the trip in high school and, as a result, majored in Japanese at college.
Spath, who now works for Marathon Oil in Findlay, chaperones most of these trips. His knowledge of the culture and language are beneficial to the team.
“Maybe,” Swisher concluded, “it will have an impact on these students like it did on Ryan’s life.”
