Livermore Youth to Visit Japan

Here's an announcement from the Livermore Yotsukaido Sister City Organization:

The Livermore Yotsukaido Sister City Organization (LYSCO) will be making its annual trip to Japan this October. The group will consist of 20 Livermore eighth grade students, four parent chaperones, LYSCO student representative Trevor Malone, and current LYSCO President Keith Jess.

Sponsored by the , LYSCO serves to foster better understanding and cultural exchanges with our sister city, Yotsukaido. The organization was formed in 1977, and the exchange program started in 2001. The yearly exchange was recently started, rather than every other year. Middle school students in Livermore are invited to apply for the program in early spring. A rigorous application and interview process selects those youth eager to represent Livermore in a positive image while learning a new culture.

Youth from Livermore are paired up, and stay with a family in Yotsukaido with children their own age. While in Japan, the Livermore students will attend school with their host family’s youth. This affords the opportunity to compare schools and cultures, while realizing their similarities. Although most of the Japanese youth are learning English, and Livermore youth learn key words in Japanese to help them communicate, they both use a lot of dictionaries and miming. They quickly learn, though, that language differences are no barrier. They form bonds that often last a lifetime.

Mayor Marshall Kamena has been a big supporter of the program.

“The LYSCO program has fostered world peace at its best level, the local one," he said. "From person to person contact our students have melted away the differences that have separated us. How does one not have peace when we are friends?”

Yotsukaido is about one hour from Tokyo, near Narita airport. It is a city of similar population and socio-economic circumstances to those of Livermore.

There will be plenty of time for sightseeing and learning about the region. While the youth are at school, the adult chaperones spend time with Yotsukaido City  representatives, visiting shrines, touring the city, and sharing cultures.

LYSCO President Keith Jess is excited about the trip.

“I started as a chaperone when my daughter went in 2007 and have been involved ever since. I really enjoy meeting the students and their families," he said. "My family has made some very good friends in Japan, and we look forward to fostering those friendships.”

The They left home the day after the that hit not far from them. With the region in turmoil, it was not known until they were actually in the air if they would be able to make the trip. While Yotsukaido was not hard hit and everyone was safe, they did have some damage from the quake.

As the danger in the hardest hit areas was realized, over 2,000 refugees went to Yotsukaido for relief, straining resources. While here, host families did their best to distract the Japanese youth from news of their home country. Two days before they were to return home, though, an urgent message came from a parent to bring home needed supplies. LYSCO families quickly organized a supply drive, and while the Japanese and Livermore youth spent their last night together with a bowling party, over 30 boxes of supplies were collected and packaged to send home with them. Japan Airlines graciously flew the extra baggage back at no charge.

LYSCO was represented at the annual in May. Past Livermore student representatives manned a booth collecting donations. For a small fee, festival attendees could learn to make an origami crane. A Japanese symbol of peace, guests could keep one for themselves, and make one for Yotsukaido. One thousand cranes were made, and will be presented to Yotsukaido Sister City representatives at their welcome ceremony.  The money that was raised, over $2,000, will also be donated to Yotsukaido to assist with their recovery and refugee programs.

By the end of October, twenty Livermore middle school students, five adults, and one teenager will return home with a greater understanding of Japanese culture, many new friends, memories to last a lifetime, and, hopefully, a desire to foster peace throughout the world.

We depart from City Hall at 8:15 a.m. Thursday.

For more information on the Livermore Yotsukaido Sister City program, log on to www.lysco.org.