Wouldn’t it be fun to go on a high school field trip to an entirely new country? In early October, a group of about 40 Japanese high school students visited the United States on what could be considered an extended field trip. After flying in from their school in Kanazawa City, Japan, visiting New York City, and doing a brief homestay at Princeton High School in New Jersey, the Japanese students came to the city we love and cherish: Ithaca.
The Japanese students visited the Ithaca Ecovillage, a tightly-knit community with a focus on sustainability and agriculture found on West Hill. There, they spent the day discussing issues they chose to research, such as biodiversity and the refugee crisis, and learned about the farms at Ecovillage.
Many of the students had never visited the United States, so they explored the American lifestyle during both their homestays and their visit to Ithaca. One Japanese student, Takashi, commented that he was surprised by the food portions in the United States, which tend to be significantly larger than those in Japan, mentioning that he had trouble finishing his food here. Another Japanese student noted that he enjoyed the fast food that has come to characterize the American lifestyle, although he found it a bit greasy and unhealthy compared to Japanese cuisine.
Fortunately, I had the opportunity to partake in this experience along with the Japanese students. Upon arriving, I was surprised by the idiosyncratic design of some of Ecovillage’s buildings. Although the design of the buildings varied greatly depending on which part of the settlement they were in, the first cluster of buildings I noticed had a unique shape and were equipped with many solar panels.
I then met with the Japanese students in the Ecovillage common room, called “Frog.” From that point on, we divided into small groups of roughly 5 students. Once we assembled into groups, we walked around Ecovillage with a few kind Ecovillage volunteers, and went on a brief tour, though we had to duck inside for shelter when the rain got too heavy. After the rain let up, the volunteers took some time to explain the setup of the garden and how it allows the community to sustainably grow crops. We also worked together on a lunch that included homemade nigiri rolls (like sushi but made with cucumbers, tuna salad, or other fillings) and a home-made soup cooked from vegetables grown at Eco-Village (see photo above). The hosts were Ecovillage residents Kurt and Chieko, and, being bilingual, they helped those not fluent in English.
Altogether, I found the experience very enjoyable and I found the Japanese very amiable, kind, and easy to talk to. I was surprised by their relative fluency in the English language― many Japanese are stereotyped as being inept at English, but these students were able to communicate with relative ease with the Ecovillage volunteers. From what I observed, the Japanese were able to understand even some fairly complex terms. For all those interested in learning the Japanese language and culture, I recommend the new IHS Japanese Language and Culture Club, with meetings on Thursdays with Ms. Wilcox in G-209.