Students at the Academy said, “Cute!” when they saw the Japanese exchange students’ elegant uniforms last week. The girls wore navy plaid skirts with a baby blue bow lining their collars. The boys wore navy slacks and shirts. Exchange student Kiyumi Kurita said, “Our uniform is famous and popular in Toyama.” It’s quite easy to see why.

However, not all of them were wearing their uniforms. Exchange student Ibuki Shiro was excited to not be wearing his uniform. “I like my school uniform but no school uniforms is better! It’s fun! We can enjoy different clothes every day,” said Shiro energetically. While practically bouncing off the walls, he said, “I’m very lively. I drank Starbucks coffee today. I love coffee! It is very, very good.” Shiro took various caps off markers and then carefully linked seven markers together before he said, “I love Japan but I don’t want to return home. This school is amazing and without uniforms. Everyone is so funny. It’s freedom!”

Stylish uniforms and caffeine overdoses aside, Kurita found certain cultural differences in America to be quite shocking. For example, she said, “When eating in Japan you hold your plate up.” Other things left her even more flabbergasted. To a student of the Academy, hugging a friend is as common as doodling on desks. Students hug pals, parents, occasionally acquaintances, and sometimes even teachers at special events such as graduation. Certainly, students hug friends every thirty seconds. Kurita said, “Hugs are normal here! In Japan only lovers and couples hug. It’s very rare to see people hug in public. Plus, if we see people hugging we tend to think that they are kind of weird.”

Of course, personal space isn’t the only thing America lacks. Kurita mostly misses Japan because she can take off her shoes there. She’s also worried about her family. All the exchange students came from Toyama, which currently seems to be relatively safe. Japan is currently undergoing a series of misfortunes. First there was the earthquake which triggered the tsunami. Then the tsunami caused nuclear power plants to break, causing radioactive leaks. Due to a broken transportation system, many fires are burning in Japan. Food distribution is problematic.

Understandably, Kurita was a little glad to not be in Japan during the disaster. “It’s kind of weird for me to think this but I’m relieved to be in America right now. I’m also just sad because there’s nothing I can do about it.”