Jennifer Teel will be taking off for Japan next week to spend 12 days on a cultural exchange program.
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Jennifer is going with the People to People Student Ambassador Program. The program was formed in 1956 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Participants have included Joyce Hall, founder of Hallmark Cards, comedian Bob Hope, and Walt Disney, who became one of the founding directors and later drew inspiration from the initiative to create the “It’s a Small World” attraction in 1964.
“The organization gets students together and shows them the world,” says Jennifer. “We do different stuff every single day. I’m most looking forward to hiking Mount Fuji on Day Eight.”
Jennifer will take an in-depth journey and see the ancient shrines and neon-lit skyscrapers, discover the futuristic fashion trends and phenomenon of anime.
Jennifer will come to understand more about Japanese politics and religion as the group explores the Asakusa Sensoji Temple, Tsukiji Market and the Asakusa Kannon Temple. And that’s all on just Day Three.
Jennifer was anonymously recommended by a teacher at the Gallatin High School, where she will be a senior next year.
The students will meet at the Seattle, WA, airport, on June 27, and from there fly to Japan. Jennifer says she has traveled quite a bit in the United States, but this will be her first out-of-state trip.
“This is a really good program for students,” Jennifer says. “We’ll experience different cultures and meet new people and experience life through the eyes of a Japanese peer.”
The organization travels to a multitude of places, but Jennifer chose to go to Tokyo.
“I really like the Asian culture,” she says. “I’ve been learning the language for a while on my own. I can’t speak it fluently. I know a few phrases, like hello, thank you, goodbye.”
The group of 21 students will have three leaders. The students hail from all over the country. Jennifer is the only student from Missouri. Students home-stay with a Japanese family.
Jennifer plans to be an elementary teacher and is looking forward to the Japanese school visit.
“One of the fun things I’m most excited about is helping to teach English to elementary students,” says Jennifer. “I’m interested in being an English as a Second Language teacher as a hobby.”
Jennifer is the daughter of Julie Vyrostek of Gallatin and Darrell Teel of Pattonsburg. She is the granddaughter of Del Ray and Judy Vyrostek of Gallatin.