 On The Line -- Issue 681 -- April 4, 2008  Online News and Views of Life in San Benito County with Herman Wrede Published by HollisterOnline.com -- Copyright 1995-2008 HollisterOnline.com
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On The Line -- Issue 681 -- April 4, 2008 Online News and Views of Life in San Benito County with Herman Wrede Published by HollisterOnline.com -- Copyright 1995-2008 HollisterOnline.com
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At a time when the United States has lost stature in the eyes of many nations of the world, the positive ties we maintain with others become even more important than they had been originally.
There is no better instrument for forging goodwill between different cultures than persons of different countries meeting and exchanging impressions and ideas. A tourist from Europe, say, who sees that most Americans are friendly will take home with him a far more positive picture than one who us brought up to believe that Americans are boorish. Conversely, the American traveling abroad is often surprised to learn that residents of other countries live better lives than he might have thought or be impressed with their manner of doing things. When a group of people goes to another country to live for awhile with their foreign hosts the similarities between them often erase the sense of difference. Both guests and hosts learn far more about their counterparts than any movies or books could have taught them. The Sister City International program was born of a White House conference in September 1956 during President Dwight D. Eisenhower's administration. World War II had ended more than a decade earlier and much of the rancor had subsided. Americans, in the spirit of the Marshall Plan that had started under President Harry S. Truman's administration, were generous in spirit as well as in monetary donations, and embraced the Sister City concept. It spread to other cities throughout the United States and Hollister launched its program with Takino, Japan in 1989 with the formation of the Hollister Sister City Association. In the nearly 20 years since many visitations have been made between residents of the two communities. In 2006, Takino merged with two other communities in Hyogo Prefecture, Yashiro and Tojo, sister cities of Olympia, Washington and Chelan, Washington, respectively, to become Kato. Last spring the Kato International Association was formed to plan its programs with its American sister cities. On Saturday, March 29, a youth delegation from Kato arrived in Hollister from the San Francisco airport. Takashi Inoue, chaperone, and Mieko Tanaka, tour guide, were in charge of 13 students, 12 of them girls. However, it the lone boy, Shigeru Ohnishi, faced the circumstances bravely, presumably getting some male companionship from Inoue. The girls, like their American counterparts, tittered a lot. The delegates arrived at Hollister City Hall at 4 p.m., where they were welcomed and where they met their host families. After much smiling and a number of bows among all concerned, everyone went to the Hollister Community Center for a potluck lunch. It was interesting to observe the Japanese youngsters select from the many dishes the host families provided. Eyebrows were raised inquiringly about each unfamiliar dish, and explanations, usually accompanied by mimicry, got the idea of its contents across. Fried chicken spoke for itself as did pizza -- every youngster in the world seems to have been born with an instinctive knowledge of pizza -- and salad. Most of the young people were game and a smile often followed the first taste of a previously unknown food. At one table where David and Ravena Huboi and daughter Carmen sat with their student guest, Marin Nagasawa, Mike and Monaca Machado found seats and introductions went all around. The guest smiled sweetly at everyone but did not know enough English to understand from them that a California county shared her first name. Later, Mayor Doug Emerson joined the table. Councilwoman Eugenia Sanchez stopped to talk for a moment, then went on to another table where her student delegate was seated with Mrs. Sanchez's daughter, Priscilla, and son, Roman. Seated at the table next to the Hubois were Ron and Ruth Erickson. Mrs. Erickson was among the first members of the local branch, has visited Takino many times and has been on the welcoming committee often over the years. She was an exchange student from her native England while in her teens, and deeply appreciates the program. Similar scenes were being played out at other tables throughout the room but any embarrassment was assuaged by the palpable goodwill. Some of the young guests knew a few words or a phrase in English, as a few of the hosts knew a word or so in Japanese. One old fellow demonstrated his cosmopolitanism by often repeating "gomenesai" and "sayonara," "I'm sorry" and "goodbye" in Japanese. The youngsters didn't quite know why he was sorry and the first time he said "sayonara" several rose out of courtesy. Geri Johnson and Frances Palmtag were among the host group. Both have visited Takino and know the value of the program. The adult visitors addressed the whole group and the younger ones sang a song in Japanese that seemed to have friendly overtones. Each student delegate was brought forward and introduced, then given a tote sack full of local souvenirs. Then after a leisurely meal it was over to the hosts' homes. That must have been a little intimidating to the young visitors. Before n the flight and the bus trip to Hollister, they all had been together, but now they were on their own in a strange home in a strange land with practically no words to communicate their needs. But goodwill carried the day, and when the students awoke on Sunday it was the first complete day of their Hollister stay. As the morning turned into afternoon, they began to fit more comfortably with their host families. By evening, many strong ties had been made. On Monday, the delegates were together again as their hosts took them to Rancho San Justo School. They met administrators and students and attended classes in a group. The rest of the day and April 1st and 2nd were spent in tours of county and city buildings and going to pizza parlors, McDonald's and Marich Confectioners where they all exclaimed over the goodness of the candy. The April 2nd tour of San Juan Bautista brought many excited comments with a lot of photographs being snapped. A visit to a horse ranch was especially popular. Then the day was over and their hosts picked them up to go to their homes for the delegation's final complete day in Hollister. At 8:30 a.m. on April 3rd, hosts and delegates went to City Hall for photographs and farewells. Many a young eye was wet and a few older ones, too, as the bus pulled away for the San Francisco airport. It was a pleasant stay of just a few days. But to delegates as well as hosts that short time will be remembered, with the feelings engendered during the stay. What is more, a part of everyone's outlook will be changed, and many will see more similarities than they had differences. |
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