Page 12 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • August 11, 2010 Glen Rock Borough swimming pool scores with Onomachi visitors by John Koster Glen Rock’s summer visitors from the small town of Onomachi, Japan had a varied list of the things they liked best about America, but the Glen Rock Municipal Pool was on almost everybody’s short list of the things they enjoyed the most. “I like the pool,” said Kano Sato in English, after teaching Glen Rock Mayor John van Keuren how to fold origami figures from squares of colored paper while writing thank-you notes. “I like the water slide.” Yuka Ouchida had a whole digitalcamera log of the domestic animals at Van Saun Park in Paramus and practiced their names in English: “duck, pig, donkey, seagull.” She also enjoyed the miniature train and the pool. “I like the Statue of Liberty,” said Daiki Murakami in Japanese, as his buddy Kazuhisa Senzaki agreed. “I was impressed by its huge size – it looks much bigger than in the photographs. The visit to the United Nations was splendid -- so big in scale and some many nations getting together in one place. I was impressed that the UN was helping the poor people all over the world.” “New York City is crowded with young people,” Senzaki said. “I was surprised that the city was very vigorous and busy.” What else was their favorite? The pool. The middle school students from Onomachi and their Glen Rock host families gathered at the shelter house near the Glen Rock Pool on the last day of their stay for an American barbecue cooked by Stephen O’Brien, with Chinese vegetables and gourmet Italian cookies, to say good-bye to Glen Rock before they head for a one-week summer camp in New York State. The students, 13 to 15 years old, have only studied formal English for two years, and while their pronunciation was near perfect, they tended to be hesitant. Kako Sato said in Japanese that her host family had taken her to a natural lake that was beautiful. “The Statue of Liberty was wonderful and very big. It’s my first time to see it although I saw it in photos many times.” Chihino Konno was awed by both the size of New York City buildings and their decoration: “They are so tall and big and wide,” she said. Sumie Shiga, an adult chaperone from Onomachi, agreed that New York City’s skyscrapers were far more impressive up close than in the photographs she had seen. “I was impressed that you could chew Konno Chihiro, Kristin Stewart O’Brien, and Kako Sato work on thank-you notes to the Japanese students’ host families. OCEANFRONT HOUSE with Private Beach Access FOR RENT gum and eat food inside the museum. Shiga said. “That’s not allowed in Japan. What imprints in your head is the night view of New York City from the top of the mountain in New Jersey and the horses and carriages carrying visitors in New York City. You can’t see a horse in a city in Japan – only rickshaws pulled by people.” Makoto Suzuki and his buddy Tashiro Sugioka, in New York Yankees T-shirts, were also impressed by the New York City architecture, the amazing ethnic variety among the city’s residents. Reiko Imaizumi, an experienced teacher from Onomachi, said in English: “I like museums – Matisse – ahhh!” She put one had over her heart to show how moved she was to see actual art by Matisse. “The buildings are much bigger than in Japan and I realized the difference in scale,” she added. “Maybe Americans’ hearts are bigger than my people’s. We went to the Museum of Art and I was surprised to see Picasso and Matisse paintings all naked without any distance bars between the painting and the viewer. And we could take photos with flashes, all of which are impossible in Japan.” Her one regret was that she did not see the classical, medieval, Egyptian, and Asian art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. “Next time,” she vowed earnestly. Mayor van Keuren – shortly joined by former Council President Carol Knapp, who stopped off to visit, made every stop in Glen Rock with the Onomachi guests, led by Junior High School Principal Yasuo Nemoto, and had taken the youngsters on a tour of Glen Rock’s refurbished borough hall. “Kristin Stewart and the whole Stewart family made this whole thing possible,” Mayor van Keuren said as Kristin’s husband Steve O’Brien completed the barbecue. “They’ve been doing this for what, almost 20 years now, with the help of her husband, and the Stewart family made it all possible. They and the host families deserve most of the recognition.” Individual Onomachi families pay $1,000 to subsidize the trip, and the town government in Onomachi picks up the rest of the $3,000 tab for each youngster or chaperone. Glen Rock host families provide lodging, food, and day trips without recompense and no money comes from local taxes. The mayor was delighted with his origami, and moved by the whole experience: “I only wish they could stay longer to give us all some lessons in graciousness and good manners,” he said. Mayor van Keuren’s origami teacher was also moved. “Do you like America?” she was asked. “Yes!” she said in perfect English. ���������������� ����������������� Waterfront house on Fripp Island, SC (near historic Beaufort and Parris Island). Ranch style with extended large deck overlooking the ocean and own beach access, screened porch, 4 BR, 2½ baths, full kitchen, great room with fireplace. Satellite TV, internet, wash/dryer and gas grill. Sleeps 8-10. 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