The East and the West came together last week as Fountain Hills Charter School played host to six exchange students from Japan.

Shinsuke, Yamato, Kairi, Taiki, Fusayasu and Haru were in town for one week, living with Fountain Hills host families, visiting various hot spots in the area, like Bearizona, and going to school alongside their peers.

The Japanese group that organizes this exchange is Fun Fun Kids and, according to Charter School Principal Lynda Rice, this was the first time the organization has been able to send such a large group at once.

“Living with host families and going to school each day allowed the boys to experience total immersion into the American culture,” Rice explained.

On Aug. 20, four of the boys crowded around a table in the FHCS computer lab, eager to discuss their journey. The boys were visiting from several locations across Japan, including the Hyogo Prefecture and Osaka. The visiting group attends grades three through eight.

When asked if they had enjoyed their stay in Fountain Hills, all four boys said “Yes.”

“I’ve enjoyed the school,” Fusayasu said.

When asked about their favorite subject, three of the boys said they enjoy math while Kairi grinned and added “P.E.”

Fusayasu and Yamato said they both enjoy swimming in their free time, while Kairi and Haru enjoy video games.

When asked how things in the U.S. differ from Japan, the boys had quite a list. They said the food is good, but in big proportions. Also, they had to get used to holding their food (like with a massive hamburger), as well as using spoons and forks as opposed to chopsticks. They said cars here, like the food, are bigger.

“America has no homework but, in Japan, we have a lot of homework,” Fusayasu said.

“That’s a big difference.”

Kairi added that Japan has much cooler weather, while Phoenix can get very, very hot.

“Japan has many apartments,” Haru chimed in.

“But in Arizona, there are mostly houses.”

When asked if they were eager to get back home and share their experiences with their friends and family, all four boys said they wanted to stay in Arizona longer.

“I want you to stay, too,” Principal Rice added.

Rice said she was excited to be able to host all six students for a week of school, adding that their coming in during the second week of classes allowed for a seamless introduction.

“It has been absolutely wonderful having them here,” Rice said.

“They fit right in.”

FHCS teachers made sure the visitors were buddied up with someone in their classroom to help them completely integrate into student life for the week.

“The kids were very welcoming and really excited, too,” Rice added.

“Our kids were learning about Japan and they were learning about our culture at the same time, which is what I was hoping for. I wanted it to be a two-sided cultural exchange.”

Rice said she is going to miss her momentary students, but hopes they had a fun visit.

“I hope they take away an understanding of how we’re the same, how we’re different, and an appreciation of those things,” she said.

“That’s what this has been about; an appreciation for different people and different places. I hope we can host some more students and I really hope that maybe someday we can send some of our own students on a trip like this. That would be great.”