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Stephanie-こんにちは！Konnichiwa! Hello!

こんにちは！Konnichiwa! Hello!

My host sister Asuka and I in 小えど, Japan
Hi everyone! My name is Stephanie, but in Japan I've already been given the nickname Su-chan　す－ちゃん  (su from Stephanie since the Japanese pronunciation is su-teh-fah-nee, and -chan is added to the end of a name when you are speaking to a younger person or a friend), so you can call me Su-chan! I am one of the five Hippo interns working in the LEX headquarters office in Tokyo this year. In addition to me, from Wisconsin, the intern team is made up of Tino from Mexico, Sakun and Ken Ken from China, and Hiu-chan from Korea. It's great to have such an international group!  

Before coming to Japan I attended the University of Wisconsin and graduated with a degree in fine art. During that time I also worked for Wisconsin 4-H International Programs, which is how I first learned about Hippo through the 4-H/Hippo summer and yearlong exchanges. Last summer I had the opportunity to be a Hippo intern in Mexico for 3 months and it was an amazing experience. I met so many people there, not only from Mexico but also Japan, with corazones abiertos (open hearts) and learned so much that me animó irme como intern a Japón,  and I decided to apply to for the internship in Japan. I’m excited to be here!!

Celebrating Hippo's 30th Anniversary with Hippo friends
from around the world!
It’s been wonderful to see so many members of the Hippo family here that I met before in Mexico and Wisconsin. My arrival in Japan was great because I felt like I was being welcomed into a big extended family that I already belonged to, the Hippo family! At the Hippo 30th Anniversary workshop, which was attended by around 700 Hippo members, it seemed like every other person I met had a connection to someone I knew from Mexico or Wisconsin.  It was a great welcome to Japan and beginning to my adventure, and I'm excited to have the opportunity to get to know so many more people and experience and learn many more things in the year to come.

よろしくお願いします！Yoroshiku onegai shimasu!

す－ちゃん (Su-chan)
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