Naria Yokota, a third-year student at Aoyama Gakuin Elementary School, won the Mitsumura Printing Award on the 74th National Primary and Junior High School Essay Contest (sponsored by the Yomiuri Shimbun) in the lower elementary school division for her essay about her homestay exchange with ARI participant Azi.
The family welcomed ARI participant Azi from Northeast India as a host family in June this year. In her essay, Naria expresses her encounter with a different culture and her understanding of the ARI participant’s background in such memorable phrases as “Azi is from a completely different India from the one I have seen on TV” and “The guidebook I borrowed with my father was of no use to me at all.” ARI community members are very happy that the diverse stories of the participants are widely shared through these essays. The Yokota family also visited ARI on the recent Harvest Thanksgiving Celebration Day. We felt that this kind of fellowship further deepened the warm connection between ARI and our supporters. These bonds are a great encouragement to our activities.
ARI participant Azi was moved by the news and left the following comment.
“Tokyo Homestay
It was indeed one of the best encounters in Japan when I went to Tokyo in the month of June for homestay. Although it was only one night, my host family were wonderful people that even within a short time we were able to create a memorable time. I am so happy to have come across the Yokota family.
Particularly I am so proud of Naria Chan, the younger daughter whose curiosity and intelligence had captured every conversation we had and the activities we did, and put it into a great essay.
I congratulate Naria for her essay in winning the Mitsumura Printing Award and I pray that God will bless her writing skills to achieve greater purpose in the days to come.
Thank you ARI & UCCJ Women’s Group for arranging this wonderful homestay program. May the future participants have many more encounters and bring blessings to ARI & UCCJ Women’s Group
Azi Nagaland
2024 participant”
On Saturday, December 14, ARI participants, including Azi, will graduate and return to their respective hometowns. We hope that you will continue to watch over ARI’s progress and the participants’ challenges for the future. We sincerely appreciate your warm support.
