A Japanese exchange student, a military man and a college
student hardly have anything in common. But this Christmas, all
three will share the joy of being with their families during a
special time of the year
– opening presents, eating sumptuous food and telling stories
about the year gone by.
Hollister – A Japanese exchange student, a military man and a college student hardly have anything in common. But this Christmas, all three will share the joy of being with their families during a special time of the year – opening presents, eating sumptuous food and telling stories about the year gone by.
The greatest gift
The homecoming is especially sweet for Sgt. John Avina, a National Guardsman who spent the greater part of 2004 in the Northern Samara Desert in Iraq, safeguarding equipment supply lines as they entered and left a military base. It was noble work, he said and he had a good crew, but he missed his wife, Lauretta and their two sons, Isiah, 13, and Garrett, 10.
Avina, who has been in the National Guard for 23 years, would have spent his Christmas in Iraq, but in a twist of fate, he injured his hip and had to be evacuated to the U.S. for surgery. He returned the last week of November.
“My family and friends have said, ‘We’re sorry you were injured, but we’re also glad because you got to come back’,'” said Avina.
Now he will undergo surgery at Stanford Hospital in late December and will not have to return to active duty. Instead, Avina will relax at home with his family, eat his wife’s famous Italian desserts such as bucellato di lucca – a sweet anise bread – and biscotti. On Christmas Eve, he’ll feast on clam chowder at his mother’s house. After the holidays, he will go back to work at his old job for John Deere in Gilroy.
“Christmas is icing on the cake,” he said. “I am just happy to be home”.
Lauretta said her husband’s early arrival is the greatest gift she could ask for, especially because he wasn’t significantly injured.
“All I can say is that I feel thoroughly blessed,” she said.
Christmas a world away
But for Satomi Motegi, a 17-year-old exchange student from Japan, Christmas in America is an exciting and slightly strange new experience. Although she has been to the U.S. before, this is Motegi’s first Christmas in the country and she is relishing the experience. She has gone holiday shopping at the Gilroy outlets, watched her host parents, Dave and Kayoko Jorgenson, hang up strange colorful socks, also known as stockings, and tasted egg nog for the first time – which she didn’t enjoy.
Back in her home town of Gumma, just outside Tokyo, the biggest holiday of the year is New Year’s Eve, when families get together for a big dinner and exchanged presents.
Now, she is enjoying her two weeks off from school, an unheard of treat in Japan, and is planning a trip to Las Vegas with the Jorgensons.
Asked what she found most unusual about Christmas in her host country, Motegi thought of a couple of things.
“I went to the store and all the clerks were wearing Santa hats,” Motegi said, giggling. She was also amazed to find shelf loads of Christmas items, from candy to clothing and home decorations.
Motegi’s stay in their home has been a good experience because she is a model student for the family’s younger children, said Dave Jorgenson.
“Having her here for the holidays makes us look at what this tradition means to us,” he said.
Home for the holidays
Kyle Valent, who grew up in Hollister, but is attending mechanic school in Laramie, Wyo., knows all about Christmas in a small town. On Thursday, Valent returned home to visit family and friends and will stay until early January. In the past months, the 18-year-old has braved below freezing temperatures and snow storms and is looking forward to the milder weather of California, he said.
“I’ll just try to relax and hang out a bit,” he said.
The graduate of San Benito High School plans on catching up with friends and making tamales with his father’s side of the family, who lives in San Jose.
Valent’s family did not see him for Thanksgiving, so they have extra reason to celebrate his coming home.
“It’s neat that he has had the experience of getting out of Hollister, but am also thrilled he will be here,” said his mother, Franki Valent.
Karina Ioffee covers education for the Free Lance. Reach her at (831)637-5566 ext. 335 or ki*****@fr***********.com
