21st Annual International Understanding and Cooperation Essay Contest
Middle School Competition Winning Work

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Heart Connections

by Takeru Honma
Third Year Student
Kofu Shiritsu Higashi Junior High School

I have a special family in the United States; but that being said, we have no biological blood ties. They were my mother's host family when she was young. Since then, my mother and the family have been exchanging Christmas cards every year. Several years ago, they also started exchanging emails. Now they have known each other for 26 years. Since my mother got married and my sister and I were born, we started sending each other photos along with our Christmas cards. Even my mother did not expect the four day three night encounter 26 years ago could turn into such a long companionship. My grandparents in Ohio are exactly the same age as my biological grandparents. I heard that they used to work as postmasters but now they are enjoying their lives. They also participates in varies events, such as volunteer activities at local churches. My home is decorated with their photos, and my mother often reads me their letters. Although I had not personally met them before, they seemed very familiar to me.

Finally in the summer 2004, my family and I visited my grandparents in Ohio. After transferring to a small airplane at Detroit Michigan, we arrived at a small airport in Findlay, Ohio. It was a long trip and I was very anxious. Ohio's grandparents smiled and walked towards us from the airport exit once they saw us. It was the same kind smile I saw on the photos. Even though it was my first time meeting them, I felt very familiar to them for some reasons. My nervousness was eased and I felt very comfortable. The three days in Ohio went by so quietly. We stayed together throughout the whole period. Grandparents even gathered their son's and daughter's families. We had a barbeque, played soccer and baseball. We also looked at old photos and we did grocery shopping together. We really enjoy the time we spent together. Grandpa loves to take photos, and my parents also like photography. Grandpa and Grandma both like pizza and steak, I love them too. In fact, we have many things in common. Although my sister and I could not understand a lot of English, we were very happy because we truly felt the warm welcoming atmosphere. Grandpa and grandma treated us like their real grandchildren. When Grandpa said to me, "we have known you since you were born, and we have always wanted to meet you," I felt a flow of love that buoys up in my heart. Frankly, although I knew my family would be with me, I was very worried about the fact that I will meet someone whose language I barely speak for the first time and stay at their home. Nonetheless the great words from grandpa made me feel much better. In return, I played piano for them. I was very happy that grandpa and grandma enjoyed my performance even though it was not good due to my lack of practicing. This trip to Ohio triggered me to wonder what the understanding between people is really about. My mother must have spent a long time in cultivating this warm relationship. Rather than thinking about she is Japanese and they are foreigners, my mother must have treasured the relationship as a person-to-person experience.

Japanese tend to divide people into the categories of Japanese and foreigners. That mindset, in fact, might not have anything to do with the understanding between people. If we treat others as a person with sincerity and respect, we will be able to see our similarities as well as our differences. This is true when we interact with both Japanese alike and people from foreign nations. While accepting others as they really are, we will be accepted as we are by others. And that will be one big step towards the true exchange, which is neither between two Japanese alike, nor between a Japanese and a non-Japanese, but between two people.

Now the Olympic Games are playing on TV everyday. In the opening ceremony, I was so surprised to see so many countries whose names I did not hear before. People there have different skin colours and different faces. They all speak different languages and they even have different expressions of happiness. When they return to their own countries, they must live very different lives, don't they? Nevertheless, now people who were raised in different environments all gather together, fighting for the same piece of medal. I did not think there was any other international exchange better than it. I was so touched by the scene where all athletes hugged each other no matter if they won a victory or they were just defeated. At that moment, they must have put aside their roles as the national representatives, but truly felt the personal happiness or frustration. I truly believe the starting point of all international exchanges is the person-to-person exchange.

I am not sure what I will be able to do, but I will work hard on my English skill so that I can thoroughly express myself while completely understanding the others. And I want to start searching for my own way of international exchange.