December 19, 2001

Hay visits pen pal's home

Local student travels to Traverse City's Japanese sister city

By LISA PERKINS
Herald staff writer
       When Sarah Hay started writing to her pen pal in Japan nine years ago, she never dreamed that she would have the opportunity to visit him in his home.
      This past July Hay, a senior at Traverse City West Senior High School, traveled to Japan for 10 days as part of a delegation on a goodwill mission to Traverse City's sister city of Tsuchiyama. The trip included a visit with Mr. Yuno, the pen pal she has been corresponding with since third-grade.
      "Spending time with him was one of the best parts of my trip. We had been planning it over the Internet for more than a year," Hay said.
      This was not their first meeting, however. Yuno visited Traverse City three years ago with a Japanese Sister City delegation.
      "The Sister City delegations take turns visiting the other country, another Traverse City group will visit Tsuchiyama in two years," Hay explained.
      Traverse City and Tsuchiyama have been sister cities since May of 1970. Twenty-six Michigan cities have sister cities in Japan as part of an international program to promote people-to-people understanding and international education.
      "I learned a lot about the Japanese culture. Everyone is so friendly, it is customary to present gifts to greet a visitor, the whole town came to welcome me. I took a lot of items to represent Traverse City, the dried cherries were very popular," Hay said.
      Hay was treated to some of the local Tsuchiyama delicacies including octopus, raw squid, wasabi (Japanese horseradish sauce) and her favorite -electric eel.
      "We drank a lot of green tea, Tsuchiyama is known of their green tea. There are tea fields and rice paddies everywhere," Hay said.
      "It is very different than Traverse City, it is very rural."
      There was one spot, however, that reminded Hay of her Traverse City home - Traverse Road. The road, dedicated to Tsuchiyama's sister city, is lined by cherry trees, sent over with previous delegations.
      "It was amazing to see the trees and know that they came from home," Hay said.
      Hay also felt right at home when the girl's high school softball team invited her to play with them.
      "I play softball at West, it was really great to be able to play with their team. It was definitely a highlight of the trip," said Hay who hopes to be able to return to Tsuchiyama.
      "It was an unforgettable experience, I would love to be able to go back."