Hoaloha Ambassador Program 2019
HGEF launched the “Hoaloha Ambassador Program” in 2017, to give Hawaii students who are studying Japanese but have never visited Japan, a chance to visit Japan. This excursion is sponsored and organized by HGEF to give these students not only a chance to learn about Japan, but to also to be able to look back at Hawaii from the outside and appreciate its beauty and values.
2019 Itinerary
Hoaloha Ambassador Program 2018
Student Essays
Hoaloha 2018!! – Jaida Burgon
After the long plane ride, we had finally arrived. We found our way around and finally met with our host families.
I was very scared that I would have to speak strictly Japanese, but my host family Mama spoke and understood English pretty well, which helped me a lot. Going to the house I was staying at was very different in my eyes. The furniture, shower, and bathroom were very foreign to me. I also enjoyed it very much though, because it was nice to experience a completely different lifestyle.
While we were there, I got to do a variety of things that I never thought that I would ever be able to do. I learned a lot about the relationship between Honolulu and Nagaoka, as well as what is being done to keep the peace alive today. I loved meeting the kids from the middle school and hearing what they had to present to me in my language. I think it is amazing that my own personal lantern will be sent out in August about what peace means to me. It was also an amazing opportunity to meet other Japanese students in exchange programs, coming together from different schools to travel and learn about other places.
Overall, going to Japan was a life changing experience. I didn’t realize how little I knew about the world around me, until I got the opportunity to travel and learn about it. It was amazing being able to experience how other people live and to see how there are actually completely different types of traditions and ways of life. I would love for other people to get this opportunity, or at least learn more about the peace being held between Nagaoka and Honolulu.
Jaida Burgon, Kaiser High School
Hoaloha 2018!! – Reagan Wood
Earlier this summer, three girls and I were given the chance to go to Japan. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity. I jumped at the chance to go, I had never been to Japan and I was so excited to go. The days started getting closer and closer and before we knew it we were getting ready to leave. When we got to the airport, I started to freak out. Going to a foreign country without my parents. But I pulled myself together and got on the place. Once we landed in Japan, I was good to go!
And it was one of the most amazing trips of my life. We were able to go to different places all over Japan. I got to learn how to properly use chopsticks. My host family was so warm welcoming and made me feel so safe. When we arrived to Nagaoka, we went straight to our homestay house. It was so different the way the houses were set up. The house I was staying at didn’t have a couch, there table was very low to the ground.
It was hard to communicate with them, but that made for an awesome story. When we would go out to eat at places I would just have to point at things on the menu and hope that I would like it. I could have never thought that ordering ice cream would be such a hard thing to do.
I was so blessed to be given the chance to go on this trip. Plus I got to go with 3 of my closest friends. I hope to return back to Japan very soon and continue to learn more.
Reagan Wood, Kaiser High School
Hoaloha 2018!! – Julie Nakanishi
This trip was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I had such an amazing time learning about a new culture and about many of their traditions. I never thought I would see so much rice fields. In Nagaoka, I saw so many beautiful views. I loved the experience I have had with my homestay family. They were warm and welcoming which definitely helped me get used to the idea of being away from home.
When we got to the schools you can definitely see a big difference between Hawaii schools and japan schools. In Japan every classroom to music room is all in one building, which is every different from here because here we have like 8 different buildings. But something I found interesting is that they learn English, while we learn other languages like Japanese or Chinese. Everyone there were so sweet and very kind. I can’t wait to go back to Japan and explore parts that I haven’t seen yet! I am so thankful for the opportunity to go with friends.
Thank you so much,
Julie Nakanishi, Kaiser High School
Hoaloha 2018!! – Cassidy Chang
When we got to Japan and I met my host family it felt like I’ve never knew them already because they were so kind to me and gave me a warm welcome. My host mother Keiko could speak a little English but it was hard for her so majority of the time I would use google translate to talk to her and her family.
Every morning she made me breakfast and she always would put cute faces on my food or write the word aloha. She knew I was a vegetarian, so I would have salad a lot. The following days we went to multiple museums and learned about the attack on Honolulu and Nagaoka. We went to a middle school and talked about peace. We also had to write on a lantern on what peace is. We met a whole bunch of high school students and taught them one of our ban dances. We had about 10 minutes to teach them and I thought it was going to be hard for them because when I learned it, it took me a couple days but the group I had was really fast learners.
This is the trip that I will never forget! Because I got to experience different cultural traditions and I’m so thankful to be a part of this amazing opportunity.
Cassidy Chang, Kaiser High School
2018 Itinerary
