By Paula Pyzik Scott

For four days in March, the Global Communication Club at Bluffton High School hosted 10 students and 2 English teachers from Ogawa High School in Japan. 

The Japanese students stayed with local host families, attended classes at Bluffton High School and participated in a variety of cultural and community activities. They also visited with employees at SumiRiko Ohio, a supplier of anti-vibration products to the auto industry, which is headquartered in Japan.

On their final evening in Bluffton, the students enjoyed an evening of games and a cookout at Bluffton High School. 

Ogawa English teachers Sean Yamada and Mami Kareko told the Icon that some of the students have traveled to Kolkata, India, on another exchange, but that this was the first time for others to travel by air. They also noted that some students’ parents have worked internationally.

Prior to this visit, the Ogawa students had some five Zoom sessions with Bluffton students. 

The Ogawa teachers said that perhaps the biggest learning opportunity was not in the classroom but in learning about daily life in Bluffton. They noted that Bluffton offers more foreign language classes than Japanese schools. It is unusual for high schools in Japan to offer second-language classes other than English.

While both Bluffton and Ogawa are small towns, the teachers described everything here as “huge” including the land, the houses and the school. They described Ogawa as being surrounded by mountains and rivers.

It is hoped that Bluffton students will have the opportunity to visit Ogawa High School in return.