Participants Voice
APCC VOICE
Hiromi Fujita
Japan
From 2011 to 2014, we participated as a host family for Junior Ambassadors three times (Brunei, Thailand, and Myanmar). In 2017, we accepted a Chaperon from Sri Lanka and is currently involved in APCC as a volunteer.
Overseas is closer to you. The feeling of having family in a foreign country
When we hosted the Junior Ambassadors from 2011 to 2014, we accepted them as if they were our own children. Having had our daughters live with host families abroad, we understood the concerns and expectations of parents. I was impressed that the Junior Ambassadors and our daughters communicated and played with each other even though they did not speak English well. When we hosted the Chaperon in 2017, we went to many tourist attractions together. It was fun to drive around and have conversations with other adults. I realized that even though I was in Japan, I was exposed to a different culture, and even though my language was not good, I was able to convey my feelings to the Chaperon.
Through my experience of participating in the APCC, I was able to feel closer to other countries, and I also exhibited my parchment art works in overseas art exhibitions and traveled there. I still receive messages from the Junior Ambassadors from time to time. I would like to go and meet the Junior Ambassadors and Chaperon and feel like I have a family in a foreign country.
