When I arrived in Kyoto, I expected to learn about Japan through temples, food, language, and history. What I did not expect was that some of the most interesting things I would learn would come from simply talking with Japanese students my own age.
During a visit to Hiroshima as part of my time in Japan, I had the chance to talk with local high school students. I was surprised by the questions they asked me. They wanted to know what American students eat every day and whether we go to tutoring classes after school. These were simple questions, but they made me realize how curious we were about the ordinary parts of each other’s lives.
Different Cultures, Similar Questions
As we continued talking, I started asking questions about their school lives too. We compared our daily routines, classes, and what we usually do after school. Some things were different, but we also shared many similar experiences—worrying about school, thinking about our future, and trying to balance what our families expect with what we want for ourselves.
That conversation stayed with me because it showed me that cultural exchange does not always have to begin with big topics like history or politics. Sometimes it starts with a simple question like, “What do you eat for lunch at school?”
From Curiosity to Connection
That experience made me think about how few opportunities students from different countries have to ask each other these simple questions. We often learn about another country through textbooks, news, or social media, but rarely from students our own age.
I wanted to create a space where young people could share those everyday perspectives directly with one another. That idea eventually became Connect Youth Asia—a place where students from the United States and East Asia can exchange perspectives, ask questions, and learn how people their own age see the world.
My time in Japan taught me that understanding another culture can begin with something very small: curiosity. A simple question can start a conversation, and a conversation can make another culture feel a little less distant.