{"id":169805,"date":"2024-05-06T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-05-06T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=169805"},"modified":"2024-05-07T02:54:58","modified_gmt":"2024-05-07T02:54:58","slug":"camp-zama-volunteers-prepare-japanese-students-for-exchange-trip","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=169805","title":{"rendered":"Camp Zama volunteers prepare Japanese students for exchange trip"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n Waka Ishiguro, front, teaches the “soran bushi\u201d performance to Camp Zama volunteers during a language and cultural event at Zama City Hall, Japan, May 3, 2024. The volunteers helped a group of Japanese students get ready for an exchange trip this summer to Zama City\u2019s sister city in Tennessee.
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\n Ishiha Matsubara, center, teaches Cpls. Kevin Atkins, left, assigned to 38th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, and Tyrell Heyward, assigned to 78th Signal Battalion, how to fold an origami during a language and cultural event at Zama City Hall, Japan, May 3, 2024. The Camp Zama volunteers helped a group of students get ready for an exchange trip this summer to Zama City\u2019s sister city in Tennessee.
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\n Japanese students perform a dance in front of Camp Zama volunteers during a language and cultural event at Zama City Hall, Japan, May 3, 2024. The volunteers helped a group of students get ready for an exchange trip this summer to Zama City\u2019s sister city in Tennessee.
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\n Staff Sgt. Brian Hanson, assigned to the 38th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, speaks with a Japanese student during a language and cultural event at Zama City Hall, Japan, May 3, 2024. The volunteers helped a group of students get ready for an exchange trip this summer to Zama City\u2019s sister city in Tennessee.
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\n Spc. Felix Trujillo III, assigned to U.S. Army Medical Department Activity-Japan, plays the “fukuwarai” game with Japanese students during a language and cultural event at Zama City Hall, Japan, May 3, 2024. The volunteers helped a group of students get ready for an exchange trip this summer to Zama City\u2019s sister city in Tennessee.
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ZAMA, Japan \u2013 Nearly 20 Camp Zama volunteers recently helped a group of Japanese students get ready for an exchange trip this summer to Zama City\u2019s sister city in Tennessee.<\/p>\n

Fifteen students, aged from 13 to 17 years old, practiced their presentations and also played Japanese cultural games and activities with the volunteers during the event Friday at Zama City Hall.<\/p>\n

One of the volunteers, Master Sgt. Alfrelina Wynn, had the opportunity to try the \u201csoran bushi,\u201d a traditional Japanese song and dance about fishermen, which the students will perform as part of their two-week trip.<\/p>\n

As she and and others learned the dance from students, Wynn, the sergeant major for I Corps (Forward), smiled and laughed throughout the brief lesson.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy favorite part about this was the excitement of the children sharing their culture with us,\u201d she said. \u201cThey were so proud to want to show us their way of life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Since 1991, Zama City and Smyrna, Tennessee, have maintained a relationship and regularly conduct student exchange programs in both cities.<\/p>\n

Before the Japanese students embark on their trip this summer, they asked the volunteers for advice on their presentations to ensure they were prepared.<\/p>\n

\u201cGiving back to the community is important, especially here in Japan,\u201d Wynn said of why she volunteered, \u201cso we can make sure that we maintain our bilateral relationships with the local community.\u201d<\/p>\n

Waka Ishiguro, 12, taught Wynn and other volunteers the \u201csoran bushi\u201d performance and also demonstrated the Japanese games the students will eventually introduce to children in Smyrna.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was so exciting,\u201d Ishiguro said. \u201cWe played games, so everyone had lots of fun. I was happy to see a lot of people interested in Japanese culture.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n Momoko Yoshida, right, gives a presentation on Zama City to Camp Zama volunteers during a language and cultural event at Zama City Hall, Japan, May 3, 2024. The volunteers helped a group of students get ready for an exchange trip this summer to Zama City\u2019s sister city in Tennessee.
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\n Sgt. Ashley Vasquez, assigned to U.S. Army Medical Department Activity-Japan, speaks with a Japanese student during a language and cultural event at Zama City Hall, Japan, May 3, 2024. The volunteers helped a group of students get ready for an exchange trip this summer to Zama City\u2019s sister city in Tennessee.
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\n Nene Okuma, center, teaches a dance to Camp Zama volunteers during a language and cultural event at Zama City Hall, Japan, May 3, 2024. The volunteers helped a group of students get ready for an exchange trip this summer to Zama City\u2019s sister city in Tennessee.
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\n Spc. Carlos Melo, left, assigned to the 38th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, practices the kendama game with a Japanese student during a language and cultural event at Zama City Hall, Japan, May 3, 2024. The volunteers helped a group of students get ready for an exchange trip this summer to Zama City\u2019s sister city in Tennessee.
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After discussing Tennessee during a question-and-answer session with the volunteers, Momoko Yoshida, 12, said she looked forward to trying the state\u2019s famous barbecue meat and seeing the countryside.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would like to eat some delicious food, make new friends and see the beautiful views,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Keiko Ikemura, director of Zama City\u2019s Human Rights Gender Equality Division, helps manage the exchange program and said the overseas visit will allow the students to broaden their horizons.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a really good learning experience for the children,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Ikemura said she appreciated the volunteers for their assistance in helping the students rehearse their presentations in English.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are many students who have never been to the United States or have never interacted with American people,\u201d she said, \u201cso it\u2019s really helpful for them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Spc. Carlos Melo, a network communication systems specialist with the 38th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, said he was impressed with how the children memorized their presentations in English.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would have a very difficult time doing that,\u201d he said. \u201cThey are very talented kids and I\u2019m glad that they were doing this for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Melo, who just arrived in Japan, said he also learned a lot about Japanese culture and the surrounding area from the students\u2019 presentations.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was very helpful to me,\u201d he said, \u201cbecause now I can go off post and explore and not be totally lost of where I\u2019m going.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Wynn, the ability to share each other\u2019s cultures and beliefs can lead to stronger partnerships. It may also help Soldiers realize the significance of the Army\u2019s mission here.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s more important for the Soldiers to get out [in the community],\u201d she said, \u201cso they can see a different way of life and [understand] why we are here and why we are doing what we are doing in Japan.\u201d<\/p>\n

Related links:<\/strong><\/p>\n

U.S. Army Garrison Japan news<\/a><\/p>\n

USAG Japan official website<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

1 \/ 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption \u2013 Waka Ishiguro, front, teaches the “soran bushi\u201d performance to Camp Zama volunteers during a language and cultural event at Zama City Hall, Japan, May 3, 2024. The volunteers helped a group of Japanese students get ready for an exchange trip this summer to Zama City\u2019s sister […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":169807,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-169805","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/169805","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=169805"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/169805\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":169817,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/169805\/revisions\/169817"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/169807"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=169805"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=169805"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=169805"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}