A trip to Japan provides the experience of a lifetime

SPARTA — Annette Giacobbe spent her 16th birthday in Japan, a dream come true for this Sparta High School student. Being fascinated for many years with all things Japanese, Giacobbe was excited to finally visit the country.
“I have been interested in Japanese culture for a long time, especially since the fifth grade when I got into anime and manga, the Japanese cartoons. I also practice karate since I am five, and I love Japanese food,” said Giacobbe.
Practice may be an understatement for Giacobbe who recently earned her first degree brown belt in the form of ikkyu karate.
Anime is the Japanese abbreviated word for animation produced in Japan for adult audiences in various forms of television, video games and films. Available on American television as well as the internet, anime is popular worldwide.
When her father Richard learned that the Morristown Rotary Club was sponsoring a student exchange to Japan, he immediately thought of his daughter.
In its 33rd year, the Rotary Ross Redmond Short Term Youth Exchange Program sends students between the ages of 15 to 18 to Shikoku, Japan for three weeks in July.
Likewise, the club receives 30 students from Japan who stay in communities around New Jersey.
An interview and application later, Giacobbe and 29 others from New Jersey made the journey to Osaka.
Traveling outside of the United Sates for the first time along with the 14-hour flight from New York to Osaka did not bother Giacobbe. “I was over the top excited — I had to go. I was a little scared and shocked, this being a huge dream of mine.”
While there, she stayed with four different host families. Although most of the families had teenagers who spoke conversational English, Giacobbe had a chance to practice her Japanese and learning new terminology every day. The students experienced Japanese traditions — doing calligraphy and archery while some joined in a tea ceremony. One day they visited a local junior high school where they sat in on an English class. “Most of the highs school students speak basic English because they study it.”
While doing daily activities with the families, Giacobbe became impressed with the Japanese people, their principles and their cuisine. “Everything they do is 100 percent,” she said. “The food was delicious. White rice is served with every meal. There is a lot of tofu and vegetables. And mostly fish — it’s the most fish I have ever eaten. Also, a lot of green tea but with no sugar and the portions are smaller.”
A visit to the Hiroshima Memorial left a lasting impression. “The Rotary’s whole purpose of the exchange trip is that if everyone in the world becomes friends with each other, then there is no need for war. More love than war,” explains Giacobbe. “War can devastate people, seeing this was so moving.”
For her sweet 16 on July 1, her host family took Giacobbe to a museum, a skyscraper and a sushi bar where they presented her with a heart-shaped necklace and a cake bearing an American and Japanese flag. She said three weeks felt like a lifetime.
“The people were the highlight of the trip. Meeting all of them and staying in their homes — I will always be thankful.”
Right now, Giacobbe has returned to her American lifestyle of soccer, high school and training for a black belt in karate. “My favorite thing is sparring. I really enjoy doing karate, it is a form of art and self-defense. As you get higher, you have to earn your belt. You have to be ready with techniques and terminology.”
And in her free time Giacobbe enjoys more than ever her love of Japanese music and film. “I want to be a voice actor for animation, it really is my passion.”
For now, she is investigating more trips abroad through the Rotary Club and looks forward to returning to Japan someday.