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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels February 21, 2004 Learning the American way By Bill Choy Ashland Daily Tidings Ashland has surprised a group of Japanese college students that are here to learn about American culture and language. Recently, the 10 students from Meijo University in Nagoya talked about their experiences studying English at Southern Oregon University. Many in the group, some in the United States for the first time, said they were amazed to see Japanese culture so prevalent in America, including cars, electronics and food, such as sushi and tofu. Takuma Ishii, 20, was perplexed recently when his host family served him the traditional Fuyumi Hamajima, 20, of Japan looks on as her host father, Philip Lang, cooks pizza while his 9-year-old granddaughter, Anna Fleming visits. Satsuki Doi | Ashland Daily Tidings Japanese staple of tofu in a way he never had before. "She gave me tofu, but she put it between bread," he said through a translator. "It's quite different. We never eat tofu in that style in Japan." The eight men and two women are here all month. The Meijo program has been sending students to SOU for 11 years. The Meijo delegation, the majority who speak only a little English, take all-day intensive English classes and are staying with host families in Ashland and Medford. The students have been quite fascinated about America, said Celeste Marokus, special programs coordinator for the SOU Office of International Programs. Marokus said that when she fist picked them up at the airport in Medford, they wondered why she didn't have to pay any fees to get on the freeway, which is a common practice in Japan. "They're so curious and interested in American culture," she said. " It's refreshing to see their amazement and curiosity" Yuki Watanabe, 22, remembered when he and his host family were watching a sitcom and they all started to laugh. "Everyone was laughing and I wasn't sure what was funny," he said. Host families Marokus said a key component of the students' learning experience is staying with host families. She said the families run the gamut from retirees, to families with young children, to singles. "It's good to have a different blend of people so they learn there's not just one particular type of family here," she said. "When the host families open up their hearts and homes, they get a lot of joy out of it." This is the first year Linda and Al Case of Ashland have been a host family. Linda Case said she and her husband thought it would be a good experience for their children, 7-year-old Ryan and 5-year-old Ellie. "We thought it would be good for them to learn about another culture," she said. "It's important to show them [the United States] is not the center of the universe. We want them to learn about other people and cultures, and it's been neat to have Yuki with us." She said her children have enjoyed having their host student at their home. Case said they have enjoyed seeing him steadily improve his English, making him more confident in conversing with them. "Yuki, you speak so much better than a week ago," Case recalled her son telling Watanabe recently. "It's been a really interesting and fun experience. It feels real good to bridge the gap between different cultures." During their time here, the students have snowshoed at Crater Lake, ridden horses, visited the Ashland police station and Lincoln Elementary School and taken a day trip to the Redwoods and the Pacific Coast. Atsushi Suzki, the group's chaperone and an administrative officer at Meijo, is pleased at the experience the students have gained being at SOU. "They don't usually have opportunities to use English in Japan," he said. "And here, they have opportunities to use their English and learn about American culture. It's a wonderful experience for them." Watanabe said it has been a privilege for him to come to America. "I feel very lucky to study English at a major university," he said. " English is a must in the current global business environment." DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams