Exchange student returns for 30-year reunion

Published 10:44 am Thursday, October 2, 2008

SNOQUALMIE – Thirty years ago Naomi Nakaya boarded a plane in Tokyo, Japan, leaving her friends and family behind. She was leaving them in hopes of an adventurous experience at Mount Si High School in Snoqualmie. Last weekend she completed the 4,800-mile journey again to meet with old friends and reminisce about the experience.

Naomi was a young girl in Tokyo when she and her parents decided that studying abroad in the United States would be a great experience for her. A primary goal of the trip was for her to become proficient with the English language, a skill that she still uses regularly to this day. She thought it would be an exciting experience, so she was off to Snoqualmie.

Naomi was excited when she arrived in Snoqualmie in 1973. She believed that she was well prepared for the experience. However, she soon realized that learning to live in a foreign country was more difficult than she anticipated. She recalls, “It wasn’t easy. I couldn’t speak any English at first. I didn’t know how to talk to my friends.”

Things soon changed for Naomi. Although she still hadn’t fully grasped the language, after six months Naomi had gained many friends and she felt very positively about her time in the United States. She enjoyed her host family, the Lyons, and was making friends at school. All of this support helped Naomi to quickly become proficient in the English language.

With this mastery also came an appreciation for the town of Snoqualmie. Coming from a very large city in Japan, she enjoyed the mountains and outdoor beauty in her new location. The standard of living was higher than what she was accustomed in Tokyo, which was a pleasant surprise. Above all she loved how friendly the people were in Snoqualmie. “Everyone here was so nice,” she said with a smile.

Naomi continued to enjoy herself in Snoqualmie. She moved in with a new host family, the Kossows. They, like the Lyon’s,were wonderful to her. All of the goodwill that surrounded her made Naomi’s experience in Snoqualmie very special. “The kindness of people here really changed my character,” she reflected.

By the time her two years in Snoqualmie were up, Naomi was ready to leave. She had had a wonderful experience in Snoqualmie, but it was time to go home. In 1975, she returned to Tokyo and finished her academic career. She now works for an American company in Tokyo and speaks English daily. She has a 21-year-old son and is very happy.

Several months ago, Naomi realized there was a chapter in her life that she wanted to revisit – that of her time in Snoqualmie. She visited the Web site “Classmates.com” looking for information on old friends. What she found was information on an upcoming 30-year reunion. She jumped at the opportunity to see old friends and return to the city she loved.

Because of this reunion Naomi arrived in Snoqualmie 30 years after her first trip. She is looking forward to reconnecting with old friends and enjoying the town she remembers fondly.