Kelly High School senior recounts experiences from six weeks living, studying in Japan

Editor's note: Kelly High School senior Brandi-Lynne Kern spent six weeks in Japan this summer as part of a cultural exchange program. She lived with a host family, attended classes at a Japanese school and learned to navigate the train system. Here, in her own words, Kern describes some of her experiences in the country.

How does a teenage girl from rural Southeast Missouri end up spending six weeks in Japan with a host family she's never met?

My journey first began in August 2009 with the encouragement of my FCCLA adviser, Alvina Mainord of Kelly High School in Benton, Mo. Mrs. Mainord told me of a program that would allow an American student to live with a Japanese host family for the summer at no cost to the student. I didn't know a program like this existed, and I was gung-ho from this point forward. So, the journey begins!

After filling out 16 pages of paperwork, writing five essays and composing a letter to my future host family, I was relieved to finally get the application completed in January. It would be three months until the recipients of the FCCLA/Kikkoman scholarship were announced; those were the longest three months of my life.

In mid-April, I received a letter that informed me I had won the scholarship along with 13 other students across America. I was so excited and couldn't believe that I had actually been chosen from the pool of other students that applied.

On June 11, I flew from St. Louis to San Francisco for a three-day Japanese orientation in Berkeley, Calif. Finally, on June 14 -- 10 months after my adventure had begun -- I left San Francisco bound for Narita International Airport in Tokyo. After an 11-hour flight and an hour bus ride to the train station, I finally met my host family, the Tanakas.

My family was welcoming. My host dad and two older host sisters spoke English fluently; my host mom and I relied on a translator and the international language of hand gestures and pantomime to communicate with each other.

During my stay in Japan, I lived in Yokohama, Japan's second-largest city. To get around, I used the trains and subways. The second day of my stay was spent in stations learning how to navigate the trains alone and how to ask basic questions if I needed help. Since I would be attending a Japanese high school, I needed to learn to ride the trains.

I attended Yokohama Prefectural High School of International Studies (YIS, for short) in Gumyoji, Japan. I spent one week as a student there. School started around 9 a.m. and would end at 4 p.m., but because of travel time, my school day began at 7 a.m. and didn't end until nearly 8:30 p.m. My experience at YIS opened my eyes to how lucky teenagers are with the American school system; I was assigned homework my second day as an exchange student. Most Japanese students had a minimum of three hours of homework a night plus the time they spent studying for their college exam, which determines which college students are allowed to attend.

I also spent three days in Kyoto, Japan's former national capital, with my host family. While in Kyoto, I watched the Gion Festival, one of Japan's largest and most famous events, which began in A.D. 869. The monthlong festival was originally started as a type of public prayer of the Shinto faith (Japan's national religion) to stop an outbreak of the plague in Kyoto, and because the plague ended soon after the event, the festival has continued through today.

I also visited many temples and shrines throughout Japan and toured the emperor's former palaces; these places were exotic and beautiful, and many had strict traditions that Japanese and foreign tourists are expected to follow. Other highlights of my trip include seeing a Yokohama Marinos Professional Football (soccer) match, going to Tokyo Disneyland with my two host sisters, shopping in Shibuya and Harajuku and swimming at Inoshima Beach with other American exchange students.

During my six-week stay in Japan, I was able to see the truth in various preconceived American notions about Japan. For instance, you should not put soy sauce on rice, and it is considered very rude to do so. The Japanese do eat rice at every meal, and there is definitely a "wrong way" to eat rice! You should never stab your rice with chopsticks. The Japanese are very superstitious, and stabbing your rice is a sign of death. Also, you never tip in Japan. Waiters and taxi drivers receive a set salary and will consider it offensive if you try to tip them.

A true impression that Americans have about the Japanese is that they work many long hours; in my host family, it was not unfamiliar for my host father and sisters to leave for work by 7 a.m. and not return until 10 p.m.

Although many Americans believe Japan is a difficult country to visit because of cultural differences and the language barrier, most Japanese can speak at least a little bit of English and are more than happy to help a lost tourist.

My stay in Japan was an unbelievable experience that taught me a lot about a completely foreign culture while also making me much more grateful for American culture. I now know that, as a high schooler, teenagers should not complain about the amount of homework we are given.

One of my more difficult tasks in Japan was to get used to the strict rules that govern many aspects of society and determine who is allowed to do what. In contrast, America is very open and allows everyone the chance to do what they love, regardless of their test-taking ability or their family's background.

Spending six weeks in Japan was something I would have never dreamed of just a few years ago, and it's still exciting to think back to all the things I experienced. One of the best and most unexpected benefits was the realization that we should really love and appreciate all the opportunities we have here in America. This is one lesson I will always treasure and never forget.