Sacred Hearts Academy  |   Honolulu, Hawaii

Ka Leo

Sacred Hearts Academy  |   Honolulu, Hawaii

Ka Leo

Sacred Hearts Academy  |   Honolulu, Hawaii

Ka Leo

Senior experiences cultural exchange program in Japan

During+her+time+in+Japan%2C+senior+Sara+Tashima+had+the+opportunity+to+learn+how+to+dress+properly+in+the+traditional+kimono.
During her time in Japan, senior Sara Tashima had the opportunity to learn how to dress properly in the traditional kimono.

Senior Sara Tashima participated in the Young Buddhists International Cultural Study Exchange (YBICSE) in Japan in July. Through this program, Tashima learned more about Buddhism, visited temples and also experienced the culture of Japan.

Tashima was encouraged by her congregation of Hongwanji and her priest to apply for the program. The program selected eight from a pool of hundreds of Hawaii high school students to participate in the two-week exchange program.

Throughout the trip, Tashima enjoyed the hospitality of her homestay family which created unforgettable memories. She toured famous temples and improved her Japanese by speaking with others.

During her free-time, Tashima was delighted to shop at the outdoor mall, Canal City Hakata.

“The malls where we got to shop were absolutely marvelous,”she said.

Tashima hopes to attend college in Japan after high school. She has been attending Sacred Hearts Academy since the eighth grade and has been studying Japanese for 11 years.

Tashima is taking Advanced Placement Japanese during her senior year and plans to continue her Japanese studies in college.

About the Contributor
Aina Katsikas, Editor, Reporter
Aina Katsikas is a senior and second-year member of the Ka Leo staff. She is an 11-year veteran of the Academy and is currently Student Body president. When not writing for the newspaper, she enjoys blogging and hiking. Aina plans to double major in Journalism and Economics and one day write for People magazine.
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Senior experiences cultural exchange program in Japan