Meet Yui Kondo, a 15-year-old exchange student from Japan who has enjoyed his first time in the U.S. for the better part of a month.

Kondo is hosted by the family of Lisa Ristuccia, the founder of the local 4-H Club where she and others volunteer their time to provide youth with environmental education, volunteer opportunities and a chance to learn alongside students from other cultures.

“Arizona is very dry. Japan is very sticky,” Kondo said. “I like [it] here.”

Kondo is a calm and composed young man, smiling as he talks about his host family and new experiences abroad. He is shy but his English is conversational, and after a few minutes discussing his favorite Japanese pop music and host family’s two huskies, he is eager to chat about all the things he’s experienced during his time stateside.

Kondo is from the sprawling City of Yokohama, Japan, in Kanagawa Prefecture. It is the second largest city in Japan by population (3.73 million residents) behind Tokyo (13.96 million residents).

Kondo lives there with his parents and 18-year-old brother, Soi, the same age as Ristuccia’s son, Devon, who Kondo speaks of very highly.

Through the 4-H Club, Ristuccia has organized various trips around the state with Kondo and his classmates, visiting the Grand Canyon, Bearizona Wildlife Park, Sedona, Four Peaks, the Grand Canyon Deer Farm and of course, his own backyard of Fountain Hills.

Kondo was amazed at the size of the Fountain and said there’s nothing like it in Japan.

“I like everyone in Fountain Hills. Very kind and friendly,” Kondo said, observing traits that he possesses himself. His favorite activities this summer have been swimming in the pool with his host family and playing with their pets, Yuki, a 2-year-old malamute/husky, Sachi, an 8-month-old husky and Cole, an older toy poodle.

Kondo’s father is from Chiba, the capital city of Chiba Prefecture, which Ristuccia’s husband, Billy Ristuccia, has visited many times for martial arts training. Kondo was astonished to hear that Billy had been there and happy to share another meaningful connection to his host family.

“We’ve had exchange students before, and for 15 years old, [Yui] is very mature and fits right in,” Billy said. “It’s been a pleasure having him.”

Through a collaboration with the Labo International Exchange Foundation in Japan, the State 4-H program provides host families an opportunity to open their home to Japanese youth delegates and expand their horizons through cultural immersion.

Labo is a family-based Japanese youth organization that aims to help Japanese students, ages 3 to 18, improve their English-language ability and expand their cultural and personal horizons. Roughly 500 Japanese students travel to American and Canadian families every summer for a month of friendship and discovery.

The Ristuccias connected with Kondo through the Labo-State 4-H collaboration and have given him the experience of a lifetime.

“He’s been awesome and super respectful,” Lisa said of Kondo.

Kondo loves to cook Japanese food, and one night for dinner he made Somen, a seasonal skinny noodle dish for his host family. He’s also assisted in cooking other meals.

His favorite type of music is J-pop and K-pop, but since spending time in the U.S., he’s begun listening to new types of music. “Love Yourself,” by Justin Bieber, “The Night” by Avicii and “Love is Gone” by Slander have been his summer listens, which he says help him with his English.

Despite having to return home, Kondo has enjoyed making new friends and going to school. In Japan, his favorite subject is social studies.

“I like Japanese history, but I don’t like math,” Kondo admits. “It’s so difficult.”

At 15, Kondo is still unsure what he’d like to pursue as a career, but one thing he does know is that he wants to make people happy and meet as many people as he possibly can.