15 minutes of fame
At Home Abroad M AY 2 1 , 2 0 2 0
Senior Sarah Hao remains in Japan for foreign exchange program despite pandemic
ANGELA QIAN Q&A
DA-HYUN HONG GRAPHIC
SARAH HAO SUBMITTED PHOTOS
How did you get involved with the Rotary Youth Exchange (RYE) program? I asked (my parents) if I could study abroad, and my dad was like, “Actually, I think this would be a really good opportunity.” I took the chance and applied because I knew that if I didn’t get accepted, it wasn’t going to be soul-crushing for me because I was really wagering missing my whole senior year to go abroad. I just applied on a whim, and then I got accepted.
How did you end up in Japan? RYE piqued my interest more than other exchange programs, but a downside is that you don’t get a final say in which country you go to. Rotary does send you a list of countries, and most exchange students get within their top three. Japan was in my top three countries, and that is why I’m here.
Why did you make the decision to stay? Some (exchange students) were pulled back by their home district in America, and some of them chose to go back early. The Japanese Rotary wanted everyone to go back early, but my parents wanted me to stay in Japan, because at the time they believed that for the next 30 days, America was going to be really high-risk, so they asked Rotary if I could stay for at least the next 30 days, and Rotary said yes.
What was the original timeline supposed to look like and what are your plans now? A SECOND FAMILY: Senior Sarah Hao smiles with members of her host family, including her host sister, her sister’s baby and her host mother. They were on a walk during Japan’s cherry blossom season to see the flowers in full bloom. Cherry blossoms, or sakura in Japanese, are very symbolic, representing spring and the fleeting nature of life.
damage control
Take a look at Japan’s response to COVID-19 VOX, KYODO NEWS, CBS NEWS SOURCES
JAN. 28
FEB. 1
Japan reports its first death related to the virus
A bus driver becomes the first Japanese infected with coronavirus in Japan
I left America in August and would be going back in June, so roughly 10 months. School has been out since March, and in Japan, the new school year starts in April. I was supposed to go back April 20, but now I won’t be going to school (regularly) until after May at least. Currently we go an hour every week in groups of 10 for homework. Japan adopts a 1 trillion yen ($9.6 billion) emergency package for affected businesses
FEB. 27
MARCH 10
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe shuts down all public schools
