Bringing The World To Maine
Participating in a 4-H/Japanese exchange program each summer, several hundred families throughout the United States have welcomed young people into their homes since the 1970s. This year, a total of 220 young guests are visiting the United States. In Maine, 18 families statewide are providing month-long homestays for Japanese youth, as 11 girls and 7 boys, mostly 12-years-old, visit the Pine Tree State. Additionally 27 students will spend the high school year in the U.S., two in Maine. In a unique example of cultural sharing, leader/chaperone for the Maine delegation, Waka Inouchi from Tokyo, who lived with families in Jay, Belgrade and Bangor during August, is shown here giving (and explaining) a traditional tea ceremony. Developed by the samurai and influenced by Zen thought, the tea ceremony strives to create "a peaceful, meditative atmosphere in which participants can forget worldly problems." Anyone interested in hosting a Japanese student next summer may contact Jill Coffren, State Coordinator, at 645-3248 or coffren@megalink.net.
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Summer means international visitors from all over the world, sharing their customs and culture and discovering the lifestyles and traditions of Maine.