On Monday the 16th, Japanese exchange students could be seen walking the halls, laughing with BSM students, and learning about our school. They come from BSM’s sister school, Kaisei Gakuin, located in Hokkaido, Japan. Started in 1934 by the Benedictine sisters, Kaisei Gakuin is a private school with a Catholic administration, though many of the students identify with other religions. Well-known for its English language program, Kaisei Gakuin’s partnership with BSM allows students to expand their skills, as well as learn about other cultures.
For the past 20 years, students from Kaisei Gakuin have made the trip to Minnesota to visit BSM, staying with host families, and getting to experience BSM. Since COVID struck, this was the first year that these students have been able to visit, and they made the most of it. Touring St. Ben’s and making a stop by the Mall of America, the students also tried classic fall activities, like hay rides and corn mazes. “[The students] stay with host families, get to sit down in BSM classes, and really kind of see what [an] American experience is like… This is the first time they’ve been back since COVID, so they were really excited to come back,” Director of Junior High Admissions, Ted Freese said.
[The students] stay with host families, get to sit down in BSM classes, and really kind of see what [an] American experience is like… This is the first time they’ve been back since COVID, so they were really excited to come back.”
— Ted Freese
Coming from a different country, these Japanese exchange students speak a different language and have different religions, experiences, and learning styles than many students at BSM. These varying cultures offer students from both schools a broader perception of the world outside of their own high school experience. “I think it’s great for perspective. It’s always nice to learn about different cultures, and expand your worldview,” Freese said.
On Monday, the students were able to experience what education at BSM is like, accompanying their host students to their classes and being immersed in all aspects of high school life, from lunch to passing time. “Despite not knowing too much English they really went into it headfirst and tried their best to ask questions, they talked to people in the halls and they got involved in classes,” junior Jonathan McMerty-Brummer, host for students Koyo and Shota, said.
For McMerty-Brummer, the experience of a new culture was a part of the reason his family decided to host. “When I learned that… the school was coming for a trip, I thought it would be nice to help some of the [exchange] students acclimate to BSM because I know it can be a bit of a culture shock moving halfway across the world to go to school,” McMerty-Brummer said.