Sister City students like Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE - Five sister city exchange students from Yonezawa, Japan, agreed on one thing Friday: Moses Lake's Surf n' Slide Water Park was a definite highlight of their trip.

Friday was only day two of the trip, which ends Tuesday.

In Grant County, tour stops also include the Moses Lake Civic Center, Yonezawa Boulevard, Yonezawa Park, a Quincy farm, Wild Horse Wind Farm near Ellensburg, Wanapum Dam, the Moses Lake Farmers Market and area industry.

On Friday, the group visited Connelly Park and were given a boat ride on the lake by Ron Covey, board president of the Moses Lake Irrigation and Rehabilitation District.

They spent time with the Moses Lake students who visited them two weeks ago in Japan.

Misiki Sato, 17, said Americans are kind and said the environment is nice. She plans to study English in college and work in business speaking the language.

Chinami Abe, 15, said she's enjoyed the trip so far. She plans to study international relations in college.

Micayla Strickland, 17, Moses Lake, said she's most enjoyed seeing the Japanese students' expressions.

In Japan, she liked seeing the differences between cultures. She would visit again, but isn't sure if she would want to live there.

Meg Jackson, 17, Moses Lake, liked being able to see the Japanese students again.

"It's kind of fun to reunite with them and share our culture with them," she said.

Seth Yarbro, 17, Moses Lake, enjoyed experiencing the Japanese culture and seeing the country.

Levi Huddleston, 17, Moses Lake, likes to try to talk to the Japanese students.

"It's a challenge to know what they're thinking," he said.

Although they do show their emotions, they cover their mouths when they laugh, he said.

Satoru Wagatsuma, 15, plans to study law at college, to possibly work as a lawyer. His father works in law, but isn't a lawyer.

Bryce Perez, 17, said he gets to share the American culture in a way the students haven't experienced before.

Yuya Era, 17, Moses Lake, didn't go on the trip, but helped as a translator during the group's visit.

Yukio Seno, the owner of the Yonezawa Free Press, was also part of the group. He has visited Moses Lake 35 times, he said.

His first year here, there was only the floating water fountain in the lake and one cherry tree.

Recently the new buildings and civic center changed the landscape, he said through a translator.

"But how we feel about each other hasn't changed," Seno said.

Last year he saw the emerging BMW/SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers plant, which he described as "big and spacious."

In Japan, there isn't much land and buildings are three or four stories high.

This year's trip might be his last. Seno is 86 and has a pacemaker. He will come to Moses Lake next year if possible, he said.

Seno said he wanted to see Moses Lake City Administrator Joseph Gavinski before he retires.

Translator Midori Kunitsugu said Yonezawa is located inland and wasn't impacted by the country's earthquake earlier this year.

The city is surrounded by mountains, which blocked radiation from nuclear power plants, she said.