In the West, Japanese culture is often portrayed as reserved when it comes to open displays of emotion. Nowhere have I seen this oversimplification more clearly disproven than during the Shimukappu Exchange Program in Aspen. From the welcome at Sardy Field to the farewell dinner, the delegation’s heartfelt enthusiasm for all things Aspen was on full display. Through jet lag, some sensory overloads in Target, and a couple bouts of altitude sickness the group dove into the Roaring Fork experience with a vigor that left me winded. I would venture to say the only competition the Shimukappu group had in their excitement to do and see everything was the greater Roaring Fork communities’ eagerness to share their favorite spots.
Having had a front row seat this year to both the exchanges in Shimukappu and Aspen, it was a blast to watch the participants get to play the role of both bug-eyed visitor and knowledgeable local. What impressed me most was the implicit trust that both groups had in one another from the outset. From gamely trying new foods to blindly following their hosts down ski runs of uncertain difficulty, the 2024-2025 Sister Cities Exchange built on a proud 31 year tradition of international citizen diplomacy.
I think this is what makes our Sister City bond so special. While many such relationships are based on little more than a shared industry or population size, Shimukappu and Aspen’s connection runs far deeper. Our love for our respective mountain homes and lifestyles overwhelm the linguistic and cultural barriers that stand between us. In many ways, our two communities sitting half a world apart have more in common with one another than we do with the countries we belong to.
On behalf of myself and the people of Shimukappu, I would like to extend our profound gratitude not only to the Sister Cities host families who opened their homes and hearts to this year’s exchange group, but also to the individuals, organizations, and companies who helped make our stay something we will remember fondly for the rest of our lives.
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