Seventh and tenth grade students from Katoh Gakuen Gyoshu participated in a homestay trip to Iowa this March. Students stayed with American host families and attended middle and high schools in the Iowa City and Cedar Rapids areas.
Each student attended school and lived with the family of their American buddy. They got to try activities such as ice skating, playing in the snow, attending sporting events, trying American food, and going shopping at the mall, all while developing their English skills and learning about a different culture.
They also participated in a scavenger hunt, which required them to do activities related to Iowan culture and build a scrapbook displaying those activities. Activities included students having a photo of taken them feeding corn to livestock and taking a photo of their American host family eating a Japanese meal with chopsticks.
This year’s trip to Iowa was one of the best yet — many of the students made lasting friendships with their buddies, and everyone had an unforgettable time. — SANDRA RODGERS
