From March 7-15, five Japanese exchange students from Kanto Daiichi School visited Burlingame for an exchange trip through a partnership between the Burlingame and Edogawa Rotary Clubs.

“We volunteered to host for BHS students over the summer, and so as an exchange, we came as well,” exchange student Rio Ito said, as translated by Japanese Club president and junior Karen Mikoshiba.

During their stay, the exchange students traveled to San Francisco with their host families and visited Hillsdale Mall and Stanford University.

“It’s so different from Japan, so they’re really enjoying it. Also, there’s a lot of nature compared to Tokyo,” exchange student Noa Kimura said, as translated by Mikoshiba.

Senior Brendan Gilmore, who participated in the exchange trip to Japan last summer, said he enjoyed hosting the students and sharing cultural experiences.

“My favorite part has just been seeing their reactions. Everything has been really fun, because they’re just so excited to see everything. Even if it’s a new person they meet or a new place they visit, they’re excited to see it,” Gilmore said. ¨And that’s how I was in Japan. So it’s very exciting to see the same feeling and happiness kind of thing happening to them.”

Career and EXPLORE counselor Carrie Hermann highlighted the cultural significance of the exchange program.

“It’s really such an educational and life-changing opportunity for our students to, first of all, start to build a relationship with and friendship with someone from another country,” Hermann said. “… And we were just so fortunate and grateful to the Burlingame Rotary Club to be able to participate in something like this.”

Though the trip was short, Ito said she was grateful for the opportunity to visit Burlingame.

“I’m really grateful and happy to be here, and I hope I can keep in touch with everyone I meet here, because I really want to keep the connections and the relationships I built here,” Ito said. “And if I ever come back on vacation, I hope I can meet everyone again.”