I
Tessa Slifco, Berlin, sites by a flower bed planted In a tree stump In the Berlin Com
munity Grove. In July, as a delegate for the International 4-H/Japanese Exchange,
she will fly to Japan.
International 4-H Exchange
Delegate Nervous But
Excited About Trip To Japan
GAY BROWNLEE
Somerset Co. Correspondent
BERLIN (Somerset Co.)
“I’m excited, nervous, anxious
afraid of the plane ride,” admitted
14-year old Tessa Silfco who,
while spending the summer in
Japan, will celebrate her 15th
birthday.
The daughter of Edward and
Stephanie Slifco, Tessa, a dele
gate, was accepted for the Interna
tional 4-H/Japanese Exchange by
die Pennsylvania State University.
On July 14, she will depart from
Pennsylvania, returning on
August 12.
Her acceptance finds Tessa a
significant figure in Somerset
County 4-H, considering
besides being the only county rep
resentative in the 1997 exchange
the teenager breaks a 30-year
gap wherein no local 4-H rep
resentative has gone to Japan. In
fact, 10 years have elapsed since
the county has had an internation
al exchange representative.
History, culture, mastery of
chopsticks, accepting for a few
weeks, new culture and a new
family as her own, are thoughts
that send Tessa’s tummy into a
topsy-turvy state.
Her mother, however, says that
being an only child has turned her
daughter into a people person who
absolutely thrives with the bigger
families of her Mends.
Tessa, therefore, believes her
host family parents and three
children promises to be a pretty
super group.
Tessa’s own chopsticks a
gift from the Japanese girl she
hosted last summer she is tak
ing along, certain that, with prac
tice, she will leant to consume an
entire meal with them and so satis
fy her hunger.
“I wouldn’t say I have mastered
chopsticks,” she said with an imp
ish grin.
The parents in her host family
are a systems engineer and a
school teacher, a fact that sur
prised Tessa’s family. They later
contemplated whether two profes
sionals in one household is the
usual thing in Japan.
Another exciting tidbit Tessa
was delighted to leant, is that her
host sister loves the same things
she does sports, singing, and
listening to music.
At Berlin-Brothcrsvallcy High
School, Tessa, a sophomore, plays
varsity softball and volleyball. A
whip, also, in academics, she man
ages to retain a position high on
her school’s honor toll.
Besides the forensics team and
representing at states the Future
Business Leaders of America, out
side of school Tessa plays in com
munity softball and volleyball
leagues, the Somerset County
Community Band, and aedvely
supports St. Gregory’s Roman
Catholic Church in
MacDonaldton.
In the Valley 4-H she has com
peted in bowling, volleyball, publ
ic speaking, food and fashion
revues, and demonstration con
tests. She has square danced at the
farm show, a popular event
enjoyed by many of her fellow
county 4-Hers.
Marge Jano, Tessa’s grand
mother, isn’t about to neglect the
exciting plans necessary for her
granddaughter’s cross-continental
experience.
Already, the former airline
reservationist, who once worked
at a Cleveland, Ohio, airport and
knows the woes that can beset
travelers, has thought ahead to
Tessa surviving the O’Hare Inter
national Airport maze in Chicago.
Mrs. Jano, weeks ago, con
tacted a relative who lives in the
airport’s proximity. She will be
there when Tessa’s flight arrives
from Pittsburgh and will send her
on to San Francisco.
And, with the quick-wits God
gave to most grandma’s, Mrs.
Jano, while shopping at her favo
rite Wal-Mart store, espied match
ing tee shirts bedecked on the
MILK.
ITDOESA
BODY good:
front with a circle of International
flag replicas, which she instantly
purchased for Tess, and the
16-year old host sister.
Although, Tessa’s mom says
it's nigh to unbelievable that Tes
sa prefers only butter on her pan
cakes and not maple syrup, Tessa
plans to take Somerset County
pure maple syrup as a gift for her
hosts.
The menu for the meal that she,
herself will cook for them, Tessa
said, isn't complete, however it’s
bound to feature the sweet amber
commodity from home.
“We are urged to try everything
they give us,” Tessa said, quoting
information from her recent orien
tation. They also should acknow
ledge when they don’t like a food
they have tried.
“Don’t pretend to like it if you
don’t," she said.
Otherwise, if the hosts believe
you like it, it will be served many
times.
Apparently, it won’t Dc m the
shower where Tessa will shampoo
her hair, as at home, but probably
at a sink. So while the long tresses
that reached mid-back had to be
sacrificed, Tessa judiciously
opted for a practical, abovc-thc
shoulders, haircut for her sojourn
in the Orient.
“One thing I am a little worried
about,” she added, “is where I am
there, they (the Japanese people)
will be remembering the bombing
of Hiroshima.”
Tessa will give a personal gift
to each of her hosts, including the
13-ycar-old boy, 8-year-old girl,
and parents.
And daily, she will keep a writ
ten journal of her life.
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