Dear KGU Students:

Your arrival in Minnesota is coming very soon! In just a few days! We are ready for you and glad that we will finally be able to meet

you face to face. Your hosts have been preparing for your arrival. Just like you, they are both nervous and excited. During your final

days of preparation, we want you to relax and not worry.

Before you leave Japan, there are three very, very important things to bring with you to make your homestay and your whole adventure

in America a success. Perhaps they are the most important things.

1. A positive attitude.

2. A sense of flexibility.

3. A sense of adventure.

If you bring these three things with you, it is certain you will have a fantastic experience here in America!

You will be arriving at about 1:00 and you will have that afternoon to spend with your host. Please enjoy getting to know them! And

even though it will be difficult, due to jet lag, try very hard to stay awake and don’t take a nap. It will make the next day much easier if

you try to sleep only at night.

During the afternoon of your arrival, you will be introduced to your host’s home, and then at 5:00 PM there will be a Welcome Picnic, in

your honor, to officially welcome you to Minnesota. At the end of this picnic, you will be doing your cultural presentations for all of the

hosts. So be sure to bring whatever you need for your group’s culture presentation to the picnic.

The next day we will begin at Bethel University. Be prepared to wake up early! It will be very important to be on time for your car or

van ride. Many of you live quite a distance from Bethel. So you will experience “commuter life” in America. (If you get carsick easily,

please be sure to bring your medicine for this from Japan and use it.) This will be another opportunity for you to practice your positive

attitude and sense of adventure!  You can also think of this time as a chance to speak English with your host or van driver! And we

strongly encourage you to speak only English during your stay in Minnesota, especially when you are in the presence of other

Americans, such as your host or van driver. If you speak Japanese when you are with them, they will feel excluded. We know it’s

difficult, but you will learn so much more by committing yourself to only speak English. What is most important is not how good your

English is, but that you make an effort to communicate. Even if you are not confident about your English, Americans will really

appreciate it when you make an effort to communicate. And you will find that people here in Minnesota are very kind and patient. So

please don’t worry about your English! 

We would like you to be aware that seat belts are required by law in Minnesota. So whenever you are in a car or van you must wear

your seat belt. If the police see someone riding in a car or van without a seatbelt, they will pull the vehicle over and give the driver a

ticket and he/she will have to pay a large fine. So please help us keep you safe and avoid any problems with the police.

There are a couple of articles of clothing you will want to pack. You will want to pack a swimming suit if you enjoy swimming. There

will be opportunities to swim. It is a popular activity in Minnesota during the summer. You may want it for the canoe trip, and many of

you will have chances to swim in one of Minnesota’s 10,000 lakes with your host family. If you don’t enjoy swimming, don’t worry. You

won’t have to swim if you don’t want to.

Also, if you have a yukata, we really encourage you to bring it to wear at the graduation ceremony. This is something very special for

the hosts to see, and they will really appreciate it.

We have an exciting learning experience planned for you and know that you are going to have a very enriching and rewarding time here

in Minnesota. Please have an enjoyable flight.

Please remember that if you have any questions or concerns at all, you can e-mail us and we will be glad to answer your e-mail.

See you soon!!! We can’t wait to meet you!!!

Joel & Linda Frederickson

Program Directors for KGU

Mark & Sharon Norlander

Directors of the St. Paul Intercultural Institute at Bethel University