Palmer and Saroma strengthening bonds between sister cities

PALMER — A total of eight students from Palmer High School and Palmer Junior Middle School went on a two week exchange to Palmer’s sister city Saroma in Japan on June 16th. For 35 years Palmer students have been maintaining strong relationships with Japanese students. Palmer and Saroma have been sister cities since the 1980s.

In October of 1980, a delegation from Saroma came to Palmer and the Sister City charter was signed. The students who returned from the two week exchange in Japan on June 29th are now hosting students from Saroma for two weeks.

After returning home, the Palmer students had a moment to reflect on memorable days and new life lessons. Students that went were Haley Hershman, Connor Monroe, Hannah Villanueva and Tabitha Villanueva from Palmer High. Along with Palmer Junior Middle students Lily Bryan, Tucker Christiansen, Anika McDonough and Anesia Pavilla.

Palmer High 2016 graduate Tabitha Villanueva wrote about experiencing everything that Saroma could offer in one day. Tabitha Villanueva (2016 PHS Graduate) One of the most memorable days in Saroma started with my host sister Nanami, knocking on my door at 6:30am saying, “Tabee, shower is ready!” After taking a hot shower and soaking in the bathtub, I arrived in the kitchen at 6:45 a.m. for breakfast. My host family was very punctual, a stark contrast to my habitually late family. Breakfast usually consisted of a bowl of rice, tamagoyaki (rolled up sweet egg, and my favorite), little sausages, fruit, fish, and leftovers from the night before. It was a bit of a shock at first, the amount of breakfast items that were on the table. While I was used to a lighter, sweeter breakfast, their breakfasts consisted of more savory substantial items.

On that particular day, I had to meet my group at city hall. At 7:50, I was in the car on the left hand side passenger seat, watching a Japanese soap opera while my host Dad drove me a quick two minutes to Saroma City Hall. Almost every day, our group went to a Seven Eleven. This might come as a shock, but Japanese convenient stores have some of the most “oishii” (delicious) and “kawaii” (cute) foods I have ever encountered. From the corndogs to the ice cream, the flavors are unlike any American food After our SevenEleven stop, we drove a little way for bike riding by Lake Saroma. I loved that while I was in Japan, my brain was constantly searching for the similarities and differences between Japan and Alaska. As I biked, I felt at peace because the fields of green, distant mountains, and roaring ocean reminded me of home. The bridge we crossed, that separated Lake Saroma from the Pacific Ocean evoked memories of crossing the Matanuska Bridge in Palmer.

And finally, stopping by the sandy beach off the bike path and sinking my toes in the sand made me think of summers fishing in Kenai. One of the major differences between Saroma and Palmer, is the religion. While Palmer is included in the “Bible Belt” of the Valley, Saroma holds its belief in Buddhism and Shintoism. Being able to watch and participate in a ceremony was an odd but entertaining experience.

Before the ritual started we had to rinse our hands and mouths with water, only then were we allowed in the shrine. Once the ritual started, it involved a lot of bowing, chanting, and clapping. Each priest and priestess wore traditional Japanese ceremonial attire, which included long robes that wrapped around, along with caps with fabric protruding out and down. The entire ritual was a bit surreal, and confusing, as I had never seen anything similar before. Every day came with some shocks, some similarities, some differences, and a new found appreciation the the little town of Saroma, Japan.

Villanueva said that traveling to Saroma helped her learn about showing empathy and hospitality to others. Villanueva’s mentioned that there was a big culture shock for her and since her father is Filipino she was able to compare her culture to another asian culture. After graduating she plans on going to Seattle Pacific University to minor in business. PHS Japanese teacher Carla Swick said the exchange program allows the Palmer students to understand how the Japanese students feel.

“They get a chance to be the exchange student. Then they begin to know what the Saroma students went through,” Swick explained. Swick mentioned that this trip also enables students to learn about another culture and enables them to learn more about themselves. “Whenever you can learn from someone from another country, the world is richer. You have deeper discussions and ideas. You also learn more about yourself,” Swick said. Understanding different cultures is one of multiple ways that school can educate students on the real world. Continuing the flow of students from Palmer and Saroma not only enlightens students but also strengthens the programs 35 year relationship.

Janée Wilson is a junior at Wasilla High School.