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Duo study Japan up close

By RITA FARLOW
Published August 16, 2006

ST. PETERSBURG - Ever since taking martial arts lessons as a small child, Jacob Barrens has been fascinated with Japanese traditions.

"What I like so much about their culture is ... they have a very strong connection to their history and to the customs that they have practiced all throughout their history," said Barrens, 18.

This summer, Barrens and Cameron Miller, 17, got a chance to experience life in Takamatsu, Japan, for a month. As part of the St. Petersburg student ambassador program, the Lakewood High School students were chosen to represent the city.

Throughout July, they stayed with several host families while taking classes at Takamatsu Daiichi Senior High School. They met with Takamatsu Mayor Masuda Shozo and toured museums and ancient gardens.

"When I stayed with each family, I thought each one was my favorite because you become attached to them," Miller said.

In spite of doing a lot of research before he left, Barrens said he gained a deeper understanding of Japanese culture during the weeks of immersion.

"I don't think I ever could have understood Japan without this experience," Barrens said.

Barrens said he was struck by the peaceful nature of the Japanese people, as well as the respect given to elders.

"A lot of kids in America have this attitude of being outwardly offensive. 'I'm going to call you something mean and I don't care.' In Japan, it seems like the kids - I don't know if it's more holding their tongue - they seem more polite and know how to act," Barrens said. "They definitely show their respect for their elders. They don't talk back to their parents. They don't argue unless it's a really big deal."

How did Takamatsu compare to St. Petersburg?

The city is larger, Barrens said, and rice paddies blanket suburban areas instead of lawns. The weather is similar at this time of year, with highs in the upper 80s and lower 90s.

Motorists are exceptionally polite to pedestrians, Barrens said.

St. Petersburg has two sister cities recognized by Sister Cities International, a nonprofit citizen diplomacy network. The other is St. Petersburg, Russia. Clearwater maintains a relationship with Nagano, Japan, site of the 1998 Winter Olympics.

"It was Sept. 11, 1956, when President Eisenhower issued a call for citizen diplomacy to address the mistrust and fear that had led to conflict and wars during the first half of that century. St. Petersburg was among the first U.S. cities to respond by establishing a relationship with Takamatsu (in 1961)," said Steven Barefield, chairman of the city's International Relations Committee.

The need for cultural awareness is just as urgent now, 45 years later, Barefield said.

"Look at the world we live in today, the kind of conflict that goes on around the world," he said.

The program is open to any St. Petersburg public or private school student who has completed his or her junior year, Barefield said.

"We want them to be well-spoken. We want them to know about St. Petersburg and the surrounding area, Florida history, government, civics, that sort of thing. We look for students that seem to have self-confidence that will not be easily shaken," Barefield said.

"It is always a hard decision. We have an excellent pool of applicants every year," Barefield said.

Transportation funds come from the committee's budget, and students are asked to bring a stipend of roughly $10 per day to defray living expenses.

The program has been around for at least 12 years, Barefield said.

In exchange, Takamatsu sends a representative to work with the city of St. Petersburg for a year's internship, as well as a teacher who works at Eckerd College.

Barrens and Miller both said they hope to return to Japan in the near future, and Miller said the trip has inspired him to take Japanese language classes in college.

"It's been one of the best experiences of my life and I'll never forget it," Miller said.

[Last modified August 16, 2006, 07:22:05]