Making new friends

Marisa O’Neil

Four students visiting from Japan have about 350 new friends after a

Corona del Mar High School rally welcoming them to Newport Beach.

The two boys and two girls from sister city Okazaki came bearing

gifts for their host families and for the eighth-graders at the

Friday assembly. Corona del Mar students with quick hands walked away

with Japanese souvenirs such as candy, masks and toys that the

visitors tossed in the crowd

All got to know a little more about the country.

“It was interesting to learn about someone else’s culture,”

eighth-grader Ricky Townsend said. “I didn’t know they liked baseball

in Japan. I thought they just liked karate.”

During the assembly, Okazaki Board of Education Supervisor

Masataka Mizuno told students about baseball’s popularity in Japan,

adding that Seattle Mariners All-Star outfielder Ichirio Suzuki comes

from a town near Okazaki, which is in central Japan.

Yu Masegi, Kohei Omotani and Seiya Kodama, all 14, and Yukari

Sato, 15, demonstrated traditional Japanese games, songs and dances

and took every opportunity to get the enthusiastic crowd involved at

the welcome rally. Kohei and Seiya even staged a mock samurai battle

with swords made from newspaper.

Corona del Mar students jockeyed for position when the exchange

students tossed coins, candy and the paper swords into the crowd.

Others got masks, scarves and Japanese badminton paddles.

“It was really cool to do the dance,” said freshman Kristen

Kaplan, who joined in a group that got a crash course in Obon dancing

from the students. “I know how to do it now.”

During their weeklong visit with local host families, the Japanese

students will visit the beach, local sights and parties in their

honor. Some will also hit the amusement parks. All want to get to

know the locals.

“I want to be friends with everybody,” Yukari said.

“What about Disneyland?” Sarah Cummings, her host sister, asked.

“Yup,” Yukari said, giving a thumbs up. “Mickey’s friends.”

Four Corona del Mar students who visited Okazaki this summer

shared their experiences during the assembly with a video of their

trip. They urged other students to take part in the sister city

program.

“I sat in this assembly last year and thought it wasn’t worth my

time to go,” freshman Michael Ford said. “But it was the best thing

I’ve ever done. They took such good care of us there. It was

definitely the trip of a lifetime.”

Corona del Mar’s seventh- and eighth-grade principal, Brooke Burn,

said that interested eighth-graders can apply to take part in next

year’s delegation visit to Okazaki in July. A selection committee

from the Newport Beach Sister City Assn. chooses students every year

based on applicants’ essays and interviews.

Newport Beach’s other Sister Cities are Antibes, France and Cabo

San Lucas, Mexico.

* MARISA O’NEIL covers education and may be reached at (949)

574-4268 or by e-mail at marisa.oneil@latimes.com.