By Sara Rogers
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Every other year, a group of students here travels to Japan to participate in an exchange program with this school’s sister school, Seikyo Gakuen. Started in 1987, the exchange program allows students here to experience life in Japan with a student from Seikyo Gakuen. Over the summer, sophomore Gregory “Greg” Tracy participated.

“I traveled to Japan this summer on the exchange program and went to school there for a couple weeks,” Tracy said. “This year I am hosting the student that had hosted me when I was over in Japan.”

The partnership began 22 years ago as a student government project at Carmel Middle School, according to co-coordinator Barbara Moshier. A year after the first trip to Japan in 1988, high school students were added to the (exchange) program.”

Students here travel to Japan on even years. This year, 30 Seikyo Gakuen students and four chaperones will travel here. “This year’s student exchange will be especially worthwhile for our families, with the economy in both our countries changing so much, it will be enlightening for us to share how our lives have changed because of this,” Moshier said.

In addition, the program will receive its first grant this year, allowing it to involve the community aside from just schooling and home-life. Carmel and Kawachinagano City, the home of Seikyo Gakuen, officially became sister cities in 1994.

Currently, Tracy is preparing for this year’s exchange. Tracy became involved in the program while he was looking for a way to visit Japan. “ I’ve always wanted to go there,” he said. “Japan has everything that I want in my life, from the technology to the city life to the job of my dreams.”

According to Moshier, scheduled activities include learning about the host-student’s life and family, attending school, meeting other students at school or receptions, participating in sports activities, attending a professional sporting event, making a traditional meal, having an ice cream social, attending a swing dance lesson and having a community square dance and Western dinner.

Junior Gina McGauley also participated in the exchange program. “My oldest brother traveled and hosted in 2002 and 2004 respectively,” McGauley said. “In eighth grade, I was old enough to go and I really wanted to go. My mom encouraged me also because she knew it was such a good program. My other brother and mom (as PTO/PTA exchange) ended up going as well with me the summer of 2006.” She then hosted a student in 2007. While she is not participating as a host this year, McGauley said she hopes to help students while they are here in various ways and that she would want to return to Japan in the future. “It is so fun to experience and live in a culture very different from ours,” she said. “It’s also an eye-opening experience to share our own culture.”

Tracy said he agrees. “I believe that it is helpful in a way since you gain a different perspective of the world,” he said. “Living on the other side of the globe makes you think a lot about who you are and what it is that you have to contribute to the world.”

According to Moshier, graduates of the program now live all over the world, work in international business and some have returned to Japan to attend school or visit fellow students. She said, “The impact of this program on a student’s life is so positive, and life changing, gaining new life-long friends.”