By Sarah Pfander
Gargoyle staff reporter
Posted Wednesday, June 7, 2006, The OG, features

[Note: This story originally appeared in the Sept. 27, 2005, issue of the print Gargoyle. We are republishing it in conjunction with Sarah Pfander's farewell interview with Sayako Kanazumi, which you can find here.]

With the new school year barely a month old, one of the additions to Uni High's student body, Sayako Kanazumi, a 16-year-old exchange student from Konan Girls High School in Kobe, Japan, has already made herself right at home. Currently she's living with me and my family, but it hasn't been all fun and games as Kanazumi makes the transition into American life.

When first quarter ends, Kanazumi will move in with her next host family and continue to move at the end of each quarter. While many students would find it daunting to move every few months, Kanazumi insists she isn't worried.

“I was worried, but not anymore because I have met all of my host families and I like them all, and they are all nice,” she says in nearly perfect English.

And, it's probably a good thing that Kanazumi isn't wasting time worrying because she has a lot on her plate this year. She's taking seven classes and spends her second hour helping teacher Hiroko Ito in Japanese 2.

However, education isn't the only thing on Kanazumi's mind. She's also looking forward to meeting new people and seeing American life and culture firsthand.

“When I was young, I saw ‘Sabrina,' the TV show about the witch,” she recalls. “Since then I have always wanted to experience the American high school.”

As Kanazumi gets used to life at Uni, she has noticed some differences between her two schools. First of all, there are no uniforms here and all the classes are coed. Another new thing for Kanazumi: school dances. This made attending the Howdy Hop and the September dance interesting experiences on numerous levels.

“When I first heard about the dance, I thought that it was going to be a disco and everybody would do the same dance,” she says with a laugh.

Coming to America wasn't without sacrifices. Kanazumi had to give up playing for her school's tennis team and had to leave her friends. However, one of the things she doesn't miss is Japanese food.

“I don't really like Japanese food,” she says. “My favorite is the Italian food, and I prefer the American sweets and drinks.”

Kanazumi has also been enjoying old pastimes and activities, such as watching movies and TV. Her favorite films are “Troy,” “Gladiator,” and the “Star Wars” series. Her favorite actors are Hayden Christensen and Orlando Bloom. The TV shows she watches the most in Japan are “Newly Weds,” “Simple Life,” and “Full House.” She also likes “Play It Straight” (called “Gay or Not” in Japan). Her musical tastes are Americanized as well. She mostly enjoys rock, and one of her favorite bands is Green Day.

All in all, Kanazumi is enjoying her time at Uni.

“The people are really kind and gentle,” she says. “And the teachers are close with the students. I really like it.”