The Mountain View Sister City Exchange program is an exchange program where high school students get to participate in nearly 3 weeks of cultural exchange between Mountain View and Iwata, Japan. During their stay, they get to meet with Japanese students their age and get to experience the culture of Japan. Being a part of the Mountain View Sister City Exchange Program was one of the most engaging programs I have experienced. I want to share my journey and experience with you.
Before the trip: Fundraising
In contrast to other exchange programs that simply just require payment for airfare and other costs, the Mountain View Sister City Exchange Program has students work together to create and run fundraisers. The preparation for this trip begins a year before the actual departure from Japan. We started a GoFundMe, ran a garage sale, and hosted a dinner party with the help of the city. All of these were with the help of a volunteer advisor. These fundraisers helped us to raise the funds for the trip, allowed for us to get to know each other better, and brought us together. Even though the participants were from the same school, we did not know each other very well. Therefore, working together at first may have been awkward but it helped us build friendships so we would not face awkwardness during the actual visit.
During the trip: Cultural Exchange
During our stay in Iwata, Japan, our week was packed with different activities. From visiting the mayor to making display food out of wax, we were able to explore and enjoy Iwata. For me, the most memorable during the exchange program was the overnight stays. Having a sleepover with people or friends your age has always made the best memories.
One of my favorite moments during the trip was a visit to one of the local high schools. Even though it was summer, so many clubs were still in session. From archery to volleyball, I enjoyed talking with the students, comparing American high schools to Japanese high schools. I noticed that the school was bigger than ours and that there were multiple stories (3 to be exact). It was quite a contrast to our school at home, where it was mostly one-story.
On the weekend, my host family took us to see a firework festival. I noticed that there were many symbols in their fireworks, such as Mount Fuji. It was the first time I had ever witnessed fireworks outside, and it was beautiful seeing them in person.
My host family treated me wonderfully during the stay. Throughout the week, my exchange student's mother would always cook homemade meals that truly made me feel as if I were at home. In addition to breakfast, she even made bento (Japanese-style lunch) for most days for both my exchange student and I. One of my favorite things about my stay at my host family's home was their cat. I have always loved cats, and since my father is allergic, I was never able to have a pet. However, always coming home to a cat at my host family's home, gave me a feeling of happiness I've never felt before. Overall, I am extremely grateful to my host family for treating me like their own. I was able to make so many fond memories and a lifelong friend.
After a week in Japan, the exchange students came to the US. During their stay, we visited many places California is known for such as the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Santa Cruz BeachBoard Walk. We also visited famous companies such as the Google headquarters and NBC News Station.
As a student from Mountain View, I was very proud to show what California had to offer. I was able to have insightful conversations with my exchange student as well as other exchange students. One conversation I will never forget is when we talked about the difference in academics. After hearing from the Japanese students about their school system, I can safely say that we have it much easier. I learned that Japanese education is based on memorizing and repetition, with many tests in order to cement their knowledge across different subjects. As a result, many of their tests are multiple-choice or problem-solving questions. While American school tests also have multiple choice and problem-solving, there are significantly more tests that test a student's knowledge through an essay. I infer that these essays push us to express ourselves in our own way, essentially embodying the "individual" and "independent" traits that many Americans hold.
After the trip: Lasting friendships
The good-bye at the airport was difficult. There were tears that were held back and tears that were shed. We all promised that we would stay in touch and maybe someday in the future meet again. To this day, we still update each other on our lives and talk as much as possible.
This exchange program made me realize how truly different and unique the world was, and that there is much more than our close communities, waiting to be explored.
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