On Monday, Nov. 14, an all girls Japanese school visited Mater Dei to learn about American culture and education.

“Their school is very different, so they wanted to learn how an American school was set up, how kids went to classes and what they learned,” said Diana Neustadt, Director of Student Activities.

The students attended two class periods and, during lunch, were given the chance to have  the a cappella group perform for them. In exchange, they shared their culture with Mater Dei.

During lunch, they performed activities such as kendama, calligraphy, martial arts, hip hop and dance.

“They got to experience a much larger school and also a male and female environment,” said Neustadt. The Fujimigaoka school has only 500 students ranging from 6th grade to 12th grade.

“I love other cultures, and it was cool to experience a different culture,” said Jillian Neustadt, Freshman Class Secretary.

Overall, the students exchanged glimpses of each other’s culture, education, and environment.