Hana Iwashita, a high school junior from Yokohama, Japan, spent the school year in Maricopa and is now preparing to return home, according to InMaricopa. She said she came to the U.S. hoping to improve her English and experience American culture, but ended up learning much more than she expected.
When she first arrived in Arizona last August, she was struck by the dry heat and by how different it felt to use English every day instead of just in class. The first weeks were difficult, she said, especially when she felt alone at lunchtime and worried about making friends.
Iwashita said things improved after a classmate offered to eat lunch with her, and she later made more friends through swimming, soccer and tennis. She also said she enjoyed American school traditions such as homecoming, prom and Senior Sunset, which do not exist in Japan.
She told InMaricopa that living with the Garcia family in Santa Rosa Crossing also exposed her to Spanish and Mexican culture, including tacos and tortillas. Chris and Sylvia Garcia said they expected to learn from hosting an exchange student, but instead they feel she became part of their family.
As she gets ready to leave, Iwashita said she will miss her teachers, speaking English every day and the confidence she gained while living in Maricopa. She encouraged other students to talk to people, join sports or clubs and ask teachers for help if they are nervous about starting somewhere new.
