CVMS Students Embark on Japanese Cultural Exchange Journey

For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, Chehalem Valley Middle School (CVMS) students are flying across the Pacific Ocean to immerse themselves in Japanese youth culture for a week as part of an exchange program with Newberg’s sister city, Asago City, Japan.

“We had delegates selected for the 2020 year, but everything stopped so abruptly,” said Donna Golden, Chehalem Valley Middle School Japanese Exchange Program coordinator. “We tried to resume last year, but Asago City wasn’t ready. This year, all the pieces are in place.”

According to the City of Newberg website, the city entered into a sister city relationship with Wadayama, Japan (now part of Asago City) in 2000. In 2005, the towns of Asago, Ikuno, and Santō merged to create the city of Asago. Newberg reestablished its relationship between the City of Newberg and Asago City on February 6, 2007. Part of the reason for the sister sity relationship is because of the CVMS exchange program, which started in 1990.

Students departed for Japan on Sunday, May 12, 2024. They apply to become delegates and undergo a testing process before being accepted. First, students complete an essay about their hopes for the experience and what they aim to learn or take away from the trip. Then, their teachers need to fill out checklists for them. After that, they need two endorsements from adults who aren’t related to them. Every student who scores above a certain threshold is granted an interview.

That pool, in most cases, is larger than the available seats, which Golden said sometimes requires multiple interviews. This year, the roster was smaller than ever with 10 students and three chaperones.

Regardless of the size, any trip is a boon for students to experience another culture and understand how other people experience the world and society.

“It was really fun, watching them see the differences between cultures, especially in the school systems,” Golden said. “They gain a new appreciation for things they have here, and the experience opens their eyes to a different way of living.”

Over seven days, the students experience school life with Japanese students and take external excursions around the country. Golden said Japanese middle school students attend school in the mornings through mid-afternoon, then participate in various after-school activities until around 6 p.m. when they return home, eat dinner, and prepare for bed.

“Most students learn pretty quickly that there isn’t a ton of leisure time in Japan,” Golden said. “You don’t see a lot of students lying around playing video games. There is an after-school program for just about anything you want to learn.”

Golden also said students experience a different level of hospitality. Japanese schools forgo employing custodians or cafeteria staff, opting to educate students on communal responsibilities, including clean up, service, and other operational duties, to demonstrate the importance of caring for one another.

Outside of school, students spend a few days traveling around to monuments within Asago City—which is famous for its silver mine, museum, and ancient castle—and outside of it. In the past, students visited Japanese monuments like Hiroshima, attended tea ceremonies, and experienced shopping centers. Golden said Hiroshima is not on this year’s itinerary due to travel restrictions.

While American students left to visit Japan on Sunday, Japanese students complete their part of the exchange and visit Newberg during the summer months. While that time of year provides fewer opportunities for Japanese students to experience American school life, they’re able to experience more of the Oregon outdoors while here.

“They generally walk through the schools, visit City Hall and downtown Newberg, we’ll usually go to Jem100 for lunch one day, and then visit Multnomah Falls or something like it,” Golden said. “It would be great to have more community involvement—just come by and say hi as we’re walking around.”

Golden said they’ll share the itinerary with the community as the program prepares to host the Japanese students and proctors. This year, Asago City will likely send fewer than five students as they ease back into the exchange program.

Mostly, Golden said, the program hopes to reignite the sister city relationship between Newberg and Asago City. The cultural exchange is important for the whole town, she said, and only with participation can that exchange be preserved.

To learn more about the exchange program, visit the CVMS exchange information page. For more information about the sister city partnership, visit the City of Newberg’s information page.

Editor’s Note: Corrections | May 23, 2024
1. We incorrectly listed Donna Golden as an Art Specialist. She is the CVMS Japanese Exchange Program Coordinator and Liaison for Asago City-Newberg Sister City Relations.
2. We incorrectly stated five students participated in the exchange—10 students traveled to Japan in 2024.
3. We stated that several activities were not on the travel itenerary due to travel restrictions. The only activity the students could not attend was a trip to Hiroshima—students participated in the others.

Newsberg regrets the errors.