Up until a few weeks ago, Japan had been nothing but some far away country for 16-year-olds Caleb Catto and Walter Ostrander. However, thanks to the Jasper/Hakone exchange program, the 脡cole Desrochers students now consider the country to be a home away from home.
鈥淚 think that it鈥檚 really important to explore other cultures and to find out about things that you never knew existed,鈥� Catto said. 鈥淚 had a great time and definitely want to go back there someday.鈥�
The exchange program was established more than a decade ago and has sent almost 100 students to Hakone, Jasper鈥檚 sister city for the past 44 years鈥攖he longest running relationship between Alberta and Japan.
The two students admitted they didn鈥檛 have any particular interest in Japan until earlier this year when their school principal handed them a brochure for the exchange.
鈥淲e had to write a 500-word essay explaining why we should get picked,鈥� Ostrander said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 even know what I wrote anymore鈥擨 just really wanted to be a part of this fun opportunity and experience a new culture.鈥�
After boarding a plane in Edmonton at the end of July, Catto and Ostrander anxiously awaited their landing in Tokyo. However, upon arrival at the busy airport, aside from some language barriers, the two said they felt completely at ease in their new environment.
They said they were even able to find a few similarities between Hakone and Jasper.
鈥淓verything was a lot more lush and green like a rainforest and there were a lot more people and tourists, but there were mountains and the Hakone equivalent to the Sky Tram and Lake Ashi which was basically like Maligne Lake,鈥� Ostrander said.
During their two-week adventure, the boys stayed with a family, sleeping in a simply decorated room with two bedrolls on the floor.
鈥淭hat was a little different. Every morning we would roll up the mats and put them back in the closet,鈥� Catto said. 鈥淏ut it was very comfortable and the family was so nice to us.
鈥淭he hospitality we experienced was incredible.鈥�
During the days, the boys鈥� hosts took them to all sorts of places including museums, shrines, art and calligraphy classes and a fancy dinner with Hakone Mayor Nobuo Yamaguchi. During the dinner, Yamaguchi presented Catto and Ostrander with a traditional Japanese puzzle box as a token of appreciation for their visit. In exchange, the boys gave Yamaguchi a painting of Pyramid Mountain.
Aside from trying some new food鈥攆rom tofu and sticky rice to soba noodles and melon flavoured pastries鈥攂oth Catto and Ostrander said their favourite part of the whole trip was a night hike up Mount Fuji to watch the sun rise over the mountains.
鈥淲e just relaxed that whole day and then at around 11 p.m. we started the 10 hour hike up,鈥� Ostrander said. 鈥淚t was just incredible and there were so many people hiking up at the same time鈥� you could see lanterns going up the mountain for miles.
鈥淎s the sun started to come up, I just looked around at all these people watching the sunrise and I really felt like I was a part of something.鈥�
Following their return, Hakone student Mei Takahashi will travel to Jasper for a two-week stay.
鈥淲e made a lot of connections with people and exchanged emails so hopefully we鈥檒l stay in touch and make it back there someday,鈥� Catto said. 鈥淲hen we were leaving people kept telling us that we always had a place to stay in Hakone鈥攖heir offers seemed so genuine and sincere that I鈥檓 sure I鈥檒l go back.鈥�
Kayla Byrne [email protected]
