Posted 8/15/01
Japanese teenager finds Minnesotans friendly, kind and gentle
By MaryHelen Swanson
Fourteen-year-old Megumi Uehira, experiencing her first trip to the USA, is visiting the North Branch area from Tokyo, Japan and she said the people in Minnesota are ìvery friendly, kind and gentle.î
Here through an exchange agreement between 4-H and UTREK, an international environmental exchange program, Megumi is sharing a few weeks with 13-year-old Emily Johnson and Emilyís family: mom, Cindy, dad, Dan and sister Becky. Emily also has one older sister, Adrienne.
Emily is a member of the Northern Lights 4-H Club and videotaped the interview for a citizenship project she plans to work on next year.
In the last two weeks, the two teenagers have enjoyed talking and sharing things about their lives - things like shopping, what they like to do, what itís like living in Japan, how their schools are different, shopping. ìThe normal things,î Emilyís mom interjected.
Shopping obviously is a high priority, if they have to prioritize their favorites, especially for Megumi. While spending time at the University of Minnesota in the early part of her Minnesota visit, Megumi had the opportunity to go to the ìmega mall.î And sheís looking forward to a return trip with the Johnson family. ìI like shopping,î she said with a timid grin. Besides, she has 21 souvenirs to buy before she goes home where mom, dad, twin 19-year-old brothers and two long-haired chihuahuas are waiting.
Retrieving her Japanese-American dictionary from her bedroom, Megumi used it to find the right American word to answer questions during our interview last week, but communication was not too difficult.
There was conversation about TV shows, with Megumi noting there are many American shows such as the Simpsons and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire on Japanese TV.
There are many American restaurants such as McDonaldís, Dennyís, Burger King, and Wendyís and many American stores such as GAP in Tokyo.
Megumi said she likes ìeverything Americanî when it comes to food. The girls giggled a bit, however, remembering a pizza fiasco in the familyís oven. They agreed theyíd probably avoid pizza in the future.
The Johnsonís took Megumi to a Twins game, but left early when the hometown boys were losing. Locally, Megumiís enjoyed shopping at Tanger Outlet Center and Wal-Mart.
Coming from the bustling city of Tokyo, Megumi found the North Branch area quiet, even with all the planned activities. She did, however, mention the ìmany bugs,î - her mosquito-bitten arms a testimony to that. And the hot weather we all complained about last week? Megumi loved it. She said in Tokyo itís hotter and stickier. The refreshing temps that moved in last Friday - she thought that was chilly.
Before she came to stay with the Johnsons, she spent a week at an environmental camp in Cloquet. While Megumiís interests are in environmental areas, she said she would like to go to college and study physics. She wants to be a scientist.
Last Friday she and Emily were going to Parmley Nursing Home where Emilyís dad works and Emily volunteers. Megumi said there are very few such facilities in Japan; older people usually live with their families.
More activities for this week include going to the Minnesota Zoo, fishing at Emilyís grandmaís, and of course, that trip to the Mall of America.
While here, Megumi is helping with some of the family barn chores and has learned to milk the goat. That goat can surprise her, however, and when she demonstrated her newly-learned milking skills last week the goat got excited and kicked the bucket.
When asked if the girls will continue to correspond after Megumi goes home the response was yes. By letter?
ìE-mailî they quickly replied in unison, truly teens of the 21st century.