On Tuesday, March 28, 40 students from Torutsunishi, Tokyo, traveled to Portsmouth High School to experience life as a high schooler in New Hampshire. 

“Before coming here, the Torutsunishi students had to qualify by demonstrating proficiency in English by writing and reading a speech in English. Each student had to present in English on the morning of their arrival at Portsmouth High School,”  explained Laura LaValle, a PHS English teacher and organizer of this event. 

This is the 5th cultural exchange and the Torutsunishi students’ 4th time on campus. The students heard about PHS through the Nichinan students who will be coming here in the fall. 

Before arriving at PHS, the Torutsunishi students explored China Town in Boston, Harvard, MIT, a Cancer Research Center, experienced Senegalese drumming, and took an overall tour of Boston.

All the Toritsunishi students were amazed by the cultural differences. “My student, Honami, said that the hallways were super colorful and that they don’t have that back at their school in Tokyo,” said Sydney Ruel, a PHS Freshman.  “They were also shocked at how big the school was and how many hallways and floors there were.” 

Other students noticed the student-to-teacher relationships. “The Japanese students found the teacher-student relationships at PHS very strange. At their school, there is a big hierarchy between the students and the teachers, but at PHS, it seemed as though they were more equal,” said Jillian Richmond, PHS junior.

As the day ended, everyone involved, including the PHS students and their new friends from Toritsunishi, felt this was a worthwhile experience. Jillian Richmond passed on the message from one Toritsunishi student saying, “We all loved the positive energy, the welcome feeling, and appreciate having had the opportunity to come to Portsmouth High School and experience this in person.”