by T.L. Huffman
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by T.L. Huffman
This July, when 17-year-old Etsuko Abe arrived at the home of Gallatin residents Robert and Cathy Owens, she was shy, a little withdrawn, and not exactly confident of her new role as an American high school student. Now on her bedroom dresser a photo album is opened, proudly displaying the picture of herself in a crown as Homecoming Royalty.
“I felt like a princess,” says Etsuko, who was voted by her classmates as junior candidate.
“She didn’t understand ‘Homecoming’ at first,” says junior class sponsor Kathy Robertson. “She’d never been in a parade or coronation and she’d never been to a football game. Once she got into it though, she was very excited. She had a lovely dress to wear and she was so pretty. She really smiled. It was just a neat experience for her.”
Etsuko was softball manager at the beginning of school and that experience helped her get over being shy.
“She’s been quiet at first,” says Mrs. Owens. “But she’s starting to open up. We’re discovering her sense of humor and she’s getting more involved with people. She’s not afraid to try.”
At a dinner party last Wednesday, Etsuko hosted several of her friends and fixed a Japanese dinner for them. That was a unique experience for her as well as her guests. She’d never really spent time in the kitchen or cooked before.
Etsuko comes from Saitama, which is north of Tokyo. Her father is a fire fighter and her mother stays at home. Etsuko has three younger sisters, one in high school, one in junior high, and one in elementary school.
In Japan, Etsuko was accomplished on the Koto, a Japanese musical instrument, similar to our harp. She participated in several competitions. She was also in a table tennis club.
In America, Etsuko likes to watch movies and read. She loves animals and American candy.
The Owens have three teenage boys, Jeremy, Todd and Jesse Cooper. Mr. Owens is self-employed and Mrs. Owens does day care in the home and also watches her small grandson. The family pet is a blue heeler named Petie.
“They all just love her,” says Mrs. Owens. “Etsuko loves babies. And the whole family has fun, teasing one another and making each other laugh. She loves watching Petie do tricks.”
In her year at Gallatin R-5, Etsuko has taken a full load of academic classes, including computer applications, vocal music, French, American history and trigonometry.
“It’s hard because of the English,” says Etsuko, who struggles with reading. Nevertheless, she is at the top of her class in French.
If her classmates and others have to be patient with Etsuko’s vocabulary, she has to be patient with them in return.”Some people can’t say my name,” she says. “It helps if they think ‘Let’s go.’”
Etusko came to America through the International Student Exchange Program. This was the first time the Owens family have hosted an exchange student.
“I’d do it again,” said Mrs. Owens. “Every host family dreams of having someone like Etsuko. She’s a perfect example. She’s polite and she loves to be with the family doing things.”
Etsuko will return to Japan in June of next year and will finish her senior year there. It will be a tearful farewell to her host parents.
“We’ll miss her big time when she leaves,” says Mrs. Owen. “It’s like she’s been here forever.”
Etsuko wants to be a tour bus guide in Japan. One day, she hopes to come back to America.
“I’d like to say ‘thank you’ to my family,” said Etsuko. “Both of them.”
Pictured right to left: Jeremy Cooper, Cathy Owens, Etsuko Abe, Todd Cooper (kneeling), Robert Owens, and Jesse Cooper.