05/01/2025
Seeking host families for International 4-H students from Japan for 3 1/2 weeks this summer!!!
Below is some brief program information and a list of the remaining delegates that are still seeking 3 1/2 week placements here in Washington State.
If you have teenage children in your home, please consider this learning opportunity—truly a unique experience for the entire family. Host families must have a child within 4 years of the exchange students age, i.e., 13 year old exchange student - must have a child between 9 and 17 years old.
Host families do not need to belong to 4-H in order to participate. Please share this with your friends, families and community contacts. We have hundreds of thousands of families in our state yet finding hosts can really be a struggle. Your help in sharing the information is greatly appreciated--thank you.
There is also an adult chaperone who travels with the group who will need hosting. She can be placed in two homes within the hosting period (July 25-August 17) and does not need to have children in the home. Hosting is a fun way to learn new things and experience the joys of hospitality.
There are also a few older students needing high school placements—please let me know if you are interested in more information about them. This email information pertains only to our youth visiting from Japan for the shorter in bound program
SEEKING HOST FAMILIES for the 4-H INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE SUMMER INBOUND PROGRAM (Japan)
hosting dates Friday July 25 through Sunday August 17
The application can be found here https://www.states4hexchange.org/apply/host/
Screening process involves background checks, references and a home visit.
Delegates are placed with a youth host sibling in the home of the same gender and up to a four-year age difference. Volunteer host families must speak English in the home. The youth profiles are below. Please note: these are NOT the actual names of the delegates.
Japanese delegates will be experiencing their program orientations in Ellensburg. Host families will need to pick up/drop off there. (all delegates are to be placed in Washington State)
Thank you and please let me know if you have questions ([email protected]).
YU (WA #: 31)
Female age 13 What are your hobbies? Anime, swimming, reading books, dance, singing songs What activities do you enjoy?: writing, cooking, boating, nature/outdoors, singing, movies, swimming, social media, acting, social media, hiking, reading books (magic treehouse series), animals (cat/dog) What is your goal for participating in this program? I communicate with local people as much as possible and make a lot of memories. In order to achieve this goal, I study English before participating. Favorite school subject(s): PE Sports you play: running, swimming, basketball, badminton Favorite Music: vocaloid Personality Characteristics: sociable, curious, emotional, loves to laugh, outgoing, studious, tolerant, honest, talkative, patient, considerate of others Swimming: intermediate swimmer, likes to swim Allergies: dust, watermelon, Japanese cedar pollen, cats/dogs (checking severity) Other: delegate is a known sleep walker, especially when over tired
MIO (WA #: 51)
Female age 15 What are your hobbies? “My hobbies are listen to J-POP and watch Japanese anime. My favorite J-Pop singer is Sakarazaku.” “My favorite fruit is strawberry. My favorite food is ramen, spaghetti and pickled plums.” What activities do you enjoy?: social media, watching TV (demon slayer, hatkyul), JPOP (especially Sakwazaka) What is your goal for participating in this program? My goal for participating in this program is to make many friends. I will try to memorize friends name. Favorite school subject(s): social studies Sports you play: Ping-pong. Favorite Music: JPOP, animesong Personality Characteristics: love to laugh, shy, cheerful Swimming: beginning swimmer, can swim but does not like to Allergies: none
HIMARI (WA #: 55)
Female age 15 What are your hobbies? I love listening to music and sometimes playing the guitar. I usually listen to J-POP. I also love fashion and going to vintage clothing stores and general stores. My whole family loves Sesame Street. What activities do you enjoy?: photography, museums, trying new food, playing guitar, animals (dogs), watching variety shows, singing What is your goal for participating in this program? Since the pandemic began, I had to give up my chance to doing homestay or joining leader’s camp. And also, a lot of school events were canceled. I couldn’t be positive a few years but still I think I continuously had the feeling that I want to see the world my eyes someday. So I decided to go to the homestay and I want to try everything I can do. This is my first time doing a homestay. This will be a valuable experience. I think by having a lot of experiences developing people both personally and mentally. I’m preparing to cook Japanese dish and share Japanese culture. Favorite school subject(s): social studies Sports you play: none Favorite Music: rock, popular Personality Characteristics: sociable, curious, loves to laugh, serious, tolerant, cheerful, cheerful, honest, outgoing, considerate of others Swimming: beginner swimmer, does not like to swim Allergies: none
HANA (WA #: 59)
Female age 15 What are your hobbies? I like origami. I can make a paper crane. I want to teach how to do origami. What activities do you enjoy?: photography, museums, painting/drawing, hiking, camping, shopping, video games, computers, arts/crafts, computers, swimming, playing piano, nature/outdoors, movies, reading mystery novels, watching Japanese comedy, animals (cats) What is your goal for participating in this program? I want to talk with host family many times. Because I’m shy. And I want to learn about foreign culture. So I want to know about it before I go to your country. Favorite school subject(s): math Sports you play: swimming, skiing Favorite Music: rock, popular, show tunes Personality Characteristics: considerate of others, quiet, shy Swimming: beginner swimmer, likes to swim Allergies: very mild dust and Japanese cedar pollen
REINA (WA #: 61)
Female age 15 What are your hobbies? I like playing volleyball, drawing pictures and watching anime. I like playing athletics. We can’t raising animals, but I like animals. What activities do you enjoy?: trying new food, painting/drawing, singing, movies, acting, animals (cats and dogs), playing volleyball What is your goal for participating in this program? I want to play many sports with my host family. I want to make friends and increase what I can do. I want to talk about Japanese anime and characters to my host family. Favorite school subject(s): PE Sports you play: soccer, basketball, volleyball Favorite Music: I like animesong Personality Characteristics: sociable, energetic, curious, emotional, cheerful, talkative, loves to laugh, patient, serious, considerate of others, outgoing Swimming: beginner swimmer, likes to swim Allergies: prone to motion sickness, mild allergies to cats, grasses (timothy, sweet vernal) and dust.
JUN (WA #: 67)
Female age 16 What are your hobbies? My hobbies are table tennis, horseback riding and watching animation. I love to ride and care for horses. I would be happy if I could live with horses during my homestay. I like watch anime, the long history of American anime beginning with Walt Disney is interesting. What activities do you enjoy?: cooking, playing piano, social media, movies, reading novels, watching table tennis, watching animated cartoons, animals (dogs and horse) What is your goal for participating in this program? “I want to have experiences as many different things from Japan as possible during my homestay life. I have begun to keep a short diary in English. In my homestay life, I will [remember] to have good manner and be curious with smile. I want to spend my 16th summer wonderfully and meaningfully with the host family.” Favorite school subject(s): PE Sports you play: ping pong Favorite Music: popular, J-POP Personality Characteristics: considerate of others, shy, loves to laugh, honest, cheerful Swimming: beginning swimmer and likes to swim Allergies: none
KENZO (WA #: 36)
Male age 13 What are your hobbies? I like to play baseball and watching baseball games. I would lie to play baseball. I like animals, especially dogs. What activities do you enjoy?: boating, nature/outdoors, hiking, camping, swimming, watching baseball, animals/pets What is your goal for participating in this program? During this homestay, I hope to discover many differences between Japan and other countries. I will challenge [try] everything. I want to watch baseball games. Favorite school subject(s): English Sports you play: soccer, baseball, running, volleyball, swimming, skiing Personality Characteristics: patient, curious, loves to laugh, tolerant, studious, outgoing Swimming: intermediate swimmer, likes to swim Allergies: dust, Japanese cedar pollen, kiwi, peach, melons
YUMA (WA #: 42)
Male age 14 What are your hobbies? Basketball, soccer, tennis, volleyball, fishing, reading, shogi, cooking, photography, traveling What activities do you enjoy?: trying new food, gardening, museums, camping, hiking, nature/outdoors, movies, shopping, watching basketball on tv, reading Naruto books, animals (cats) What is your goal for participating in this program? I want to talk with my host family positively. I want to introduce shogi and Japanese castles. I study English hard before homestay program. Favorite school subject(s): history Sports you play: soccer, running, volleyball, basketball Favorite Music: classical, country and western, popular, rock, folk Personality Characteristics: curious, emotional, serious Swimming: beginner swimmer, does not like to swim Allergies: mild dust and Japanese cedar pollen
SHUN (WA #: 44)
Male age 14 What are your hobbies? I like soccer and track and field and I like to draw pictures, ready novels and play video games at home. What activities do you enjoy?: writing, photography, museums, cooking, trying new food, painting/drawing, hiking, camping, shopping, video games, computers, singing, swimming, movies, studying, nature/outdoors, reading novels, dancing, arts/crafts, animals (cats). What is your goal for participating in this program? I want to challenge myself to many things and communicate with many people. So I want to study English a lot from now on and get a long well with my host family. Favorite school subject(s): English. Sports you play: soccer, running, swimming, gymnastics Favorite Music: hip hop, popular, rap Personality Characteristics: sociable, outgoing, loves to laugh, emotional, cheerful, serious, honest, talkative, tidy, considerate of others, outgoing Swimming: beginner swimmer, likes to swim Allergies: none
HARUTO (WA #: 48)
Male age 14 What are your hobbies? I like to play volleyball and watch soccer games. I like animals. I like watch movies and animes. What activities do you enjoy?: trying new food, video games, movies, watching soccer, animals (cats and dogs), watching anime, pokemon trading card games, singing What is your goal for participating in this program? I want to try many new things in North America. I will try to talk to many people. I want to watch American baseball. I want to learn about North American culture. I want to eat North American foods. Favorite school subject(s): Japanese, Math, English, Music Sports you play: soccer, volleyball, skiing Favorite Music: popular Personality Characteristics: sociable, considerate of others, outgoing, studious, tolerant, loves to laugh, honest, talkative, cheerful. Swimming: beginner swimmer, notes not like swim Allergies: none, can be prone to motion sickness
SOTA (WA #: 50)
Male age 15 What are your hobbies? I like to play video games at home. I also enjoy active activities such as athletics, gymnastics and trampolining. What activities do you enjoy?: museums, nature/outdoors, studying, singing, video games, animals (hamsters) What is your goal for participating in this program? I want to do something meaningful, like learning about the life and culture of people living in different foreign countries. That’s why I want to communicate more with my host family through the program. Favorite school subject(s): math and science Sports you play: gymnastics, ping pong, trampoline Favorite Music: classical, popular, jazz. Personality Characteristics: Swimming: intermediate swimmer, likes to swim. Allergies: very mild dog allergy (can be placed with an outside dog), Japanese cedar pollen.
