2025 Ebetsu-Gresham High School Exchange Program Participant Reports
"Grateful for the Opportunity!! - Study Abroad in America" by Shinyu Sazawa, Junior, Sapporo Keisei High School
First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who has been involved in the Ebetsu-Gresham Sister City High School Student Exchange Program.
These three weeks were a priceless and wonderful experience for me in America.
When I was in the third year of junior high school, I wanted to participate in the Junior High School International Exchange Program, but it was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was very disappointing. Therefore, one of my goals in high school was to apply for the Sister City High School Student Exchange Program. When I heard that I had been selected, I jumped for joy.
I like being in an English atmosphere, so I communicate with my friends abroad in English. Rather than just talking on the phone or using social media, when I actually experience life in an English-speaking country, I discover new things about English, and am impressed by ways of thinking that are different from those of Japanese people.
America was my fourth country to visit after Canada, South Korea, and Australia, so I saw it as the culmination of my international exchange experiences during my high school years. I was looking forward to going to the US.
It was a big adventure traveling to another country with only one other high school student. We were a bit nervous, but we arrived safely by relying on signs and receiving help from staff. We gained confidence from this experience.
I love planes and airports, so I was thrilled to board an Embraer plane, which is a Brazilian aircraft manufacturer. I was also excited to see airlines that are not familiar in Japan. I was impressed by the beauty of the V-shape of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) from the sky, and felt a sense of familiarity with the green carpet and warmth of wood at Portland International Airport (PDX). I enjoyed my journey to Oregon.
I felt relieved when I saw the smiling faces of my host family welcoming me, and I couldn't contain my excitement for starting my life in America.
My host family was a family of five, and I was warmly welcomed by Pa, Ma, Aunt Carmen, Isaiah, and Josh. Isaiah is a first-year university student who came to Ebetsu High School in 2024, and Josh is a junior at Gresham High School. The conversations between Pa, Ma, and Carmen were in Spanish, and it was interesting to hear native Spanish for the first time. I often ate Mexican food during my stay, and I looked forward to every meal. There are many different types of tacos, and many ways to eat them. The handmade tortillas and meat tacos that Carmen made were really delicious. I will always remember their taste. My Japanese family liked the corn tortillas that my host family gave me as a souvenir to bring back to Japan, and tacos have become a staple menu item in my house.
I also wanted to introduce Japanese culture, so I brought a small helmet ornament as a souvenir and explained the meaning of displaying helmets on Boys' Day. I also made teriyaki chicken and served matcha green tea. My experience in the tea ceremony class that I attended in my elementary school was useful. I was very happy that Carmen liked matcha and requested it.
Gresham High School is large, with about 1,700 students. It has about twice as many students as Sapporo Keisei High School, where I go. The high school has a large campus with an athletics track, tennis courts, and an electronic bulletin board on the baseball field, and the high school has facilities similar to those at Nopporo Athletic Park. I was amazed at how wonderful the learning environment was at an American public high school.
My host brother Josh attended Gresham High School as well as CAL, a school that focuses on the career he wants to pursue in the future. American high school students start school early in the morning, starting classes at 7:35. I attended Gresham High School with Josh in the morning, taking classes in Japanese, mathematics, and American history, and went to CAL in the afternoon to take classes in medical practice, medical terminology, biology, and English. Josh’s friend Connor from another school picked us up and gave us a ride to CAL. Seeing someone driving a car at the age of 16 really gave me a sense of what it's like to live in a car-driven society.
I thought the high school system of studying at two schools while preparing for one’s future was wonderful. CAL has students from various high schools, so I have fond memories of being able to make friends with students from other schools. The students at CAL were all very friendly with each other, and I enjoyed my time there.
At Gresham High School, many students were studying Japanese. I think this is because of the sister city exchange. I was happy to hear that some students said they wanted to go to Ebetsu as part of the exchange program. I hope that their wish comes true and that we can meet again in Ebetsu.
As my return to Japan drew near, I realized that I wanted to stay in the United States a little longer. I wanted to live here a little longer. I was sad to say goodbye, but Ma and Carmen told me, "You're a part of our family. This is your home. Come back anytime." I was filled with gratitude for meeting the Mendez family. My friends told me that we should keep in touch, which made me really happy. Even after returning to Japan, I've kept in touch with my family and friends in the United States. The other day, the CAL members sent me a video message, and it made me want to see everyone again.
What was particularly impressive during the exchange was the diverse backgrounds of the students. When I talked to students at Gresham High School, many of them said, "I was born in XX but grew up in △△," and I realized that I, who was born and raised in Japan, was in the minority. In America, people with different backgrounds live together as a matter of course, and I felt that intercultural exchange occurs naturally.
In English conversation, I was also interested in accents. There are differences between American and Australian English, and there were times when I wondered if the words were the same. I also learned that depending on the background, there seems to be accents in English pronunciation, and even native speakers can have difficulty understanding each other. When I saw how even native speakers would casually ask each other to repeat what they were saying, I realized that even if I couldn't understand or communicate something, I could just ask them to repeat it, and there was no need to be upset. From now on, I would like to learn more about regional differences in English.
During my stay, there were many unique occurrences that I could only experience thanks to sister city exchange. When I attended a Japanese class at Mount Hood Community College, where Isaiah attends, I was approached by a university student who had previously spent time in Ebetsu as a high school exchange student. Also, when Isaiah told me about his experiences at Ebetsu High School, the name of an older student from Oasa Higashi Junior High School, where I had attended, came up, and I was very surprised to learn that we had mutual acquaintances. It seems that Tara, a teacher in the Japanese class, and Barry, a local volunteer, are also involved in this exchange program every year, and I felt reassured by their generous support.
During my visit to the mayor of Gresham, I was able to express the wonderfulness of our sister city exchange. It was a great honor to meet Mayor Travis Stovall. I am grateful for the opportunity.
My host family and Barry took me many places: large supermarkets, malls, restaurants, fast food, movie theaters, game centers, Portland, and so on. We also used the highways a lot, so I experienced the “big America.”
In Gresham, if it snows a little, schools and companies are closed, stores are closed, and you can't travel by car. Even if it snows a little, you have to stay home, and there were several days when I couldn't go out as planned. I was surprised that even though it's the same latitude north as Ebetsu City, it doesn't snow much, and when it does snow, you have to take a day off. I'll save the places I couldn't go this time for next time.
Through my time in America, I have gained a deeper understanding of cultural differences and diversity. Although there are many differences between America and Japan, I feel that learning about the good points of each has broadened my perspective and way of thinking. I will use this experience in my future life and will cherish the attitude of respecting and trying to understand different cultures.
Someday I will go to America again to see the Mendez family and friends!! I promised Ma and Carmen that the next time I see them, I will try to speak Spanish as well, so I will study Spanish hard!!
Lastly, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Josh, who volunteered to be my host brother; to Isaiah, who loves Japan and chicken, and contacted me in Japanese saying, "I'm waiting for you"; to the Mendez family, who welcomed me as a member of their family; to my American friends, who have been friendly even after I returned home; to everyone involved with the Ebetsu-Gresham Sister City High School Student Exchange Program; to the teachers at Sapporo Keisei High School, who supported me in my application; to Ayane, the other high school student from Ebetsu who was sent to Gresham; and to my family in Japan, who always supports me. Thank you very much.
"A Whole New World through Study Abroad" by Ayane Sudo, Sophomore, Oasa High School
This was my first time going abroad. Without this opportunity, I may never have gotten a passport.
In America, I strongly felt the difference in culture and values between Japan and the US. It was also an opportunity to realize how much my family cares about me.
At school, my teachers and friends welcomed me warmly. What surprised me the most was that students have the same class schedule every day.
I took the classes that my host sister had selected. She was taking film history, student council, Japanese, English, mathematics, chemistry, and geography. In Japanese secondary education, students study a wide range of subjects, but in America, like in higher education, students seem to focus on their interests and areas of expertise. I love movies, so I think that if I had a better understanding of the language, my film history class would have been even more enjoyable.
As expected, the most fun part was Japanese class. The students in my class were very motivated to learn Japanese, and many of them were interested in Japan. I became particularly close with a few of them, and we even hung out together on weekends and on the last day of the program. The time I spent with them is truly a fond memory.
One of the things that surprised me about America was the wide acceptance of diversity. Even people whom I didn’t know well boldly came out to me as homosexual or bisexual. It was not uncommon for many of my friends to fall for boys who were gay. Diversity is gradually being accepted in Japan as well, but I feel that there is still a tendency to view it as something "shameful." I felt it was easier to live in America, where there is less prejudice against living as your true self, regardless of gender.
On the other hand, even aside from the language barrier, there were times in my daily life that I was confused. These were the differences in culture and values that I mentioned earlier. Because Christianity is a big influence in America, I had the opportunity to learn about creation in my English class. Also, the concept of "mottainai" (not to waste) is deeply rooted in Japan, but it seemed like it wasn't really taken seriously in America. There was a lot of leftover food at home, school, and when eating out. I was also surprised at how large the portions were. Even when I wanted to have a light meal, the food I ordered often came out in a larger portion than I had expected. Even though I usually try not to leave any food behind, there were many times when I couldn't finish it all.
I was nervous about going to America, thinking, "I might say something careless on the street and get shot," but thanks to my host family and friends, I was able to stay safe and return home without any problems. Furthermore, some friends have made plans to visit Japan and said, "I'll come to see you." Next time, I would like to be the one to welcome them and show them around Japan.