Japanese Exchange Delegates are Looking for Utah Host Families

When she was only 16, Maresa Manzione left home and traveled to Japan for a short home-stay experience. Later, she spent time there as a university student. Throughout all her time across the sea, she learned to speak Japanese, made friends throughout the country, tasted their foreign foods and was forever impacted by her experiences. Now, over 25 years later, she runs a program that brings Japanese Exchange Delegates to Utah — it’s all come full-circle. Since 2016, Utah non-profit, Mountain West Cultural Exchange, has brought Japanese exchange delegates and Utah families together to build friendships around the world. The nonprofit works with UTREK, a non-profit in Japan

By Bailee Merrill

that arranges for Japanese delegates ages 10-18 to come to Utah for an immersive cultural home-stay with American families.

“This experience makes the world a smaller place,” Maresa Manzione, Chair of MWCE, said. “A lot of families in Utah aren’t going to be able to go to Japan in their lifetime — but by bringing these delegates to your home, the experience comes to you. … My children and neighbors have all been blessed with an expanded view of the world because we’ve participated in this.

These Japanese boys and girls come to the United States excited to learn about American culture and share their own. It’s custom for them to bring gifts for their host families, and they’ll often cook a traditional

Japanese meal, like the savory pancake okonomiyaki. They come ready to adventure with their host families and learn about life in Utah. Whether it’s playing with LEGOs, cooking, hiking up the mountains, going for a bike ride, camping or watching TV – these delegates come to experience whatever it is their host family enjoys.

The Hadley family from Ogden loved their time with their delegate, Kano.

“Our family had an absolute blast with Kano last year,” Brett Hadley said. “We went to an Ogden Raptors baseball game, a parade, golfed, played lots of games and learned about Japanese culture as well. We absolutely loved this experience and look forward to doing it again in the future.”

The Merrill family from Tooele, hosted an exchange delegate named Maiko almost 10 years ago. Her host sister, Bailee Merrill, who was 16 at the time, keeps in contact with Maiko and will be visiting her in Tokyo this year.

“I’m so grateful my family hosted exchange students when I was younger,” Bailee said. “It helped me look outside my little Utah bubble and know the world is much larger than it appears. I have a deeper respect and appreciation for other cultures as well, not just Japanese culture. I can’t wait to visit Maiko in Japan this year and dive into her native culture. I shared a bit of my life with her, and now she gets to