SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — The University of Missouri 4-H Global Education program has a summer exchange that provides youth the opportunity to host a student from Japan and travel to one of four countries (South Korea, Finland, Japan or Costa Rica).
The Missouri Japanese intercultural exchange program began in 1978, and since then more than 1,000 youth have participated.
In 2016, Boston Patillo (a freshman at Aurora High School) hosted Tomoki Kurihara from Saga Japan after his mother and University of Missouri Extension specialist Dr. Amy Patillo chaperoned the Japan summer exchange in 2015.
This past summer, Boston spent 30 days in Tokyo, Japan at the Nihongo Language Institute participating in an intensive Japanese language learning class. Then he traveled to Saga, Japan and spent his last 30 days with Tomoki and his family.
This coming summer, Boston and his family will host Tomoki’s younger sister Mitsuki for 30 days.
4-H GLOBAL EDUCATION PROGRAM
4-H Global Education contributes to understanding people of the world through hosting, travel experience, project, and activity enrollment for individuals and clubs. Global Education provides insight into the world for 4-H families in whatever area they choose to participate.
This exchange is coordinated by Joyce Taylor. Host families are located throughout Missouri.
For more information, visit the Missouri 4-H Global Education information on the Missouri 4-H website at 4h.missouri.edu/global-experiences.
— University of Missouri Extension
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