From Mexico to Shinjuku: International Exchange Event Held at KALS Shinjuku Main School!
“Tacos!” “Sushi!”
The classroom at KALS Shinjuku Main School was filled with laughter and English conversation as students from Colegio Williams, who had traveled all the way from Mexico, met with students from ICU High School (International Christian University High School) for an international exchange event.
A total of 23 students from both schools participated in the approximately three-hour program, enjoying the kind of face-to-face interaction that simply cannot be replicated online.
5 student volunteers from International Christian University High School (ICUHS)
Three Goals of the Exchange Event
This exchange event was organized with the following three goals in mind:
- To learn about student life in each other’s countries
- To broaden students’ perspectives by hearing the real voices of peers their own age
- To enjoy communicating in English
Facial expressions, gestures, and the shared experience of being in the same physical space all contributed to a richer and more meaningful form of communication than online interaction alone can offer.
Icebreaker Activity: Telepathy Matching Game
The event began with an icebreaker activity called the “Telepathy Matching Game.”
Participants were asked to predict what answer most people would give to a particular prompt, write it down on paper, and reveal their answers at the same time.
When asked, “What comes to mind when you think of Mexican food?” everyone answered “tacos.”
For “What comes to mind when you think of Japanese food?” most students wrote “sushi,” but one student wrote “ramen,” which brought laughter to the room.
Each time answers matched, applause broke out, and the students—many of whom had seemed nervous at first—gradually began to relax and smile.
Self-Introductions in Small Groups
After a short break, the students were divided into mixed small groups of four to six members, each including both Japanese and Mexican students. They introduced themselves through a game of “Two Truths and a Lie.”
In this activity, each student shared two true statements and one false statement about themselves in English, while the other group members asked questions and tried to figure out which statement was the lie.
Students used gestures and expressive body language to help explain themselves, and the game quickly helped break the ice and create a friendly atmosphere.
The icebreaker session
Cultural Comparison Discussions
The main part of the exchange event was a group discussion in English, in which each group selected topics from the following ten themes and explored similarities and differences between school life and culture in Japan and Mexico:
- Daily School Routine
- Lunchtime
- After-School Activities
- School Events
- School Regulations
- Pop Culture & Entertainment
- Travel & Tourism
- Traditional Culture & Festivals
- Food Culture
- Future Dreams & Goals
Lively discussion could be heard from every group. Students shared observations such as:
“It’s really interesting that Japanese students eat lunch in their classrooms! In Mexico, cafeterias and cafés are more common.”
“Having school uniforms seems convenient because you don’t have to choose what to wear in the morning… but I wonder if it also makes it harder to express individuality.”
Because the students were speaking face-to-face in the same room, they were able to support each other with gestures and facial expressions whenever words did not come easily, creating the kind of rich communication unique to in-person exchange.
After the discussions, each group gave a presentation to the whole room summarizing the similarities and differences they had discovered. Every group delivered thoughtful and engaging presentations, which were met with warm applause.
Students presenting after the group discussion
New Friendships Born in Shinjuku
This event became much more than just an opportunity to practice English. It was a true international exchange built on curiosity, openness, and a desire to connect.
The students did not need to speak perfect English. Their genuine desire to communicate and learn from one another made face-to-face interaction especially meaningful.
The event concluded with a group photo, capturing a special moment shared by high school students from Mexico and Japan who had come together across the Pacific Ocean. For the students who took part, this memorable day will surely become a valuable experience and perhaps even an inspiration for their future.
