By Enny Wang, Staff Writer
Two weeks ago, Moreau welcomed students from Ichifuna High School in Funabashi, Japan for a two-week exchange program, marking 35 years of this sister school partnership. This year, the school had the honor of welcoming Chao, Jenny, Keigo, Kosei, Midori, Mitsuki, Mizuki, Mona, Roko, and Ryo into the Mariner community.
The students arrived on Saturday, September 27, and explored the Bay Area with their host families. Although many were nervous to meet each other, they quickly warmed up and immersed themselves. The next day, some of the hosts took them to Mystery Spot and Santa Cruz Beach boardwalk, where they got to experience rides like the Ferris wheel and bumper cars and enjoyed many snacks.
“I think she enjoyed them all despite being tired from jetlag,” said junior Aayush Gupta, Mona’s Host
Throughout the school week, the students immersed themselves in school life in Moreau by shadowing Mariners, who took them to a variety of classes to meet teachers and learn more about the traditions of American education.
“It was fun to show them around the school,” says sophomore Olivia Au, one of the shadow hosts.
On top of regular classes, the students also had the opportunity to learn more about MCTV and its production process. Moreover, they also watched a school football match as an introduction to American sports culture.
Not only were the exchange students exposed to American culture, but the Mariners also had the chance to discover more about Japanese culture, such as music, school life, and the language itself, through conversations with them.
“I talked with each student, and each one was super friendly and amazing. I loved learning about their lives in Japan and telling them things about America. When I attempted to speak some Japanese to them, they were patient with me and helped me to improve on it, and I’m very grateful for that. That only encourages me to practice more!” Aiden James Lee, a senior and the Japanese Club president, recounts.
Along with regular school days, every Green day, the Japanese exchange students also had excursions to explore more about American lifestyles. One day, they visited the mayor of Hayward and a local fire station, and later toured the CSU East Bay campus. On another excursion, they visited San Francisco again by ferry as a group and got to explore around the city for a while. Over the weekend, the hosts took them to Lake Chabot for a picnic.
After almost two weeks with the Mariner community, the Japanese students were finally prepared to leave. At the farewell party, students were able to reminisce about their time with each other and celebrate newfound friendships. Finally, on Wednesday, October 8, the students prepared to leave for the airport. Although many were sad to go, they were also ultimately happy to have spent time with their Mariner family.
This long-lasting bond between the Mariner family and Ichifuna High School through this exchange program not only provides students with amazing memories, it also introduces them to a different culture and allows meaningful friendships to blossom.
“Saying goodbyes was definitely difficult, but I learned that building relationships shouldn’t be stopped by cultural or language barriers. All of the Japanese students adjusted really well to America, and it just shows the power of the bonds you build all over the world, no matter the background,” sophomore Ava Yambao, a student shadow host, recalls.
Special thanks to the hosts, sophomore Emi Grippin; juniors Aayush Gupta, Heera Murray, Sean Uyemuera, Keerthana Savhanayakam, and Aarush Bhuktar; and seniors Devarsh Duvvury, Nicholas Christen, Nori Grippin, Ellie Le, and Reah Raj, as well as their families, for housing the students and creating a warm environment to help them adjust!
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