On Thursday we welcomed Kayoko to our home. She is an adult chaperone for a group of 110 Japanese students visiting Ohio for the next four weeks. The Japanese youth are organized through the Labo organization and host families are organized through the Ohio 4-H International program. My family hosted several Japanese youth when I was young. In 1994 I traveled to Japan for two months with the Ohio 4-H International Program. This early exposure to foreign culture certainly opened my mind and my heart. I very much want other families to have a similiar experience and so have been volunteering my time with the International Program for the last five years.
Kayoko will stay with us for two weeks before she moves to another part of Ohio. We hope to share many delicious meals and the highlights of our fair state with her. We have already been to Easton, the North Market and Franklin Park Conservatory. Ohio State Fair, Cuyahoga National Park, Main Library and Art Museum are on our list. Any other suggestions?
PS. Want an international experience of your own? Subscribe to my feed and watch for announcements when we are looking for host families next February!