Glen Rock August 3, 2011 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • Page 5 Borough renamed West Onomachi in honor of program years -- earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear spillover or not. “I’d like to commemorate the fact that it’s 20 years we’ve been doing this, and they’ve had a very traumatic experience just four months ago,” Mayor van Keuren said just before the dozen middle school students and two chaperones arrived by bus from Newark Airport after the 22-hour flight from Japan. “It’s good to see them again. It’s good to know they’re okay and it’s good to say, ‘Good to see you. We missed you.’” Mayor van Keuren displayed a painting from Onomachi and a banner -- a silken allusion to the banner Glen Rock sent to Onomachi just after the tsunami with a heart replacing the Rising Sun on Japan’s national flag and wishes of good will from host families and other Glen Rock residents. The mayor pledged that the Onomachi banner would be proudly displayed, as the Glen Rock banner is displayed in Onomachi City Hall. Mayor van Keuren announced that, for the remainder of the week, Glen Rock would be declared “West Onomachi.” “It feels nice to be back in the program again,” said Izzy Liberti, a member of an experienced host family who took part in the Glen Rock video sent to Onomachi to offer prayers, love, and support after the earthquake and tsunami in March. This year, her family hosted Maori Aita and Haruna Senzaki, two girls from Onomachi on their first trip to America. “This is the second year to welcome Onomachi people,” said Lori Liberti, Izzy’s mother. “Now I know a lot more about what to expect. I don’t worry about what to do. My children are in touch with the Onomachi students. I hope that more people in Glen Rock will know it’s a good experience and I recommend the experience, especially for the kids. They have fun.” “Glen Rock people are happy, kind people,” Maori Aita, one of her student guests, said through a translator. “I look forward to the happy stay and the Americans’ interesting stories,” said Haruna Senzaki, the other Liberti family guest. The Japanese are always surprised to see that most Americans smile when meeting strangers or casual acquaintances. This is not usual in Japan. “People in Glen Rock are very happy and kind like relatives and even grown-ups look happy.” Departing from his traditional welcoming speech in Japanese, which he has memorized as he does not speak Japanese, Mayor van Keuren spoke in English with Mari Aral, a Glen Rock resident, translating. The mayor (continued on page 7) Mayor John van Keuren displays the silken banner the Onomachi sent to Glen Rock this year. by John Koster Yukio Senzaki was so impressed that Glen Rock Mayor John van Keuren had renamed the borough “West Onomachi” that he came out to the Glen Rock Borough Council to thank everyone again for the honor to the town on northern Honshu that has swapped visitors with Glen Rock for 20