MORAN — Some students spend their summers at camp or working. Payton Wilson spent his in Japan. NOW that he’s home, Wilson is leaping into FCCLA activities. He is a state officer as well as first vice president for Marmaton Valley. In September he will go to Washington, D.C. for a five-day conference.
Wilson, a Marmaton Valley High School junior, spent six weeks with a Japanese host family in Tokyo as one of 14 members of the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA), chosen for the Japanese Exchange Scholarship.
Kikkoman Corp., maker of a popular brand of soy sauce, underwrites the program and scholarship, valued at almost $10,000 per student.
For the first two weeks Wilson attended a school that regularly hosts exchange students. At the time of his visit there were eight exchange students from other countries attending the school in Seikei. One girl was from the same FCCLA program.
“In history they were learning American history and I knew they were talking about the Panama Canal but I didn’t understand the questions,” he said.
“In English class they would have us read or help with English,” he said.
Wilson said high school students are required to learn English. Students attend school from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday as well as from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday.
His host sister, Kyoka Matsuo, 15, attended junior high. His host brother, Junpei Matsuo, was the same age as he, 16.
Wilson said while he would get home from school around 4 p.m., Junpei would attend Cram School until 8 p.m. This is a school where students take additional classes to focus on certain subjects. Junpei was taking English, math and science to help prepare coming to the United States to study. He is currently attending school in Syracruse, N.Y. as an exchange student.
When he wasn’t in school Wilson went on trips with his host family. He visited Tokyo, Hakona and Mt. Fuji.
“At Fuji-Q (an amusement park) I rode the steepest rollercoaster in the world, twice,” he said.
He was also able to visit Disneyland three times during his stay.
Wilson said he has a hard time deciding his favorite part of the trip.
“The whole trip was my favorite part,” he said. “Anything I got to do with my family.”
Wilson said he was glad he applied for the scholarship.
“You can’t be scared to do stuff like that,” he said. “You can’t let the fear of it stop you from doing it.”
While there Wilson dove into the Japanese culture by using its public transportation and trying the cuisine, including sushi and raw fish eggs. He said he was glad he didn’t eat only American food while there.
“You have to keep an open mind,” he said.
He also brought back green tea Kit Kats and said the candy came in all sorts of flavors, everything from blueberry cheesecake to sushi-flavored.
Wilson said he hopes to go back to Japan some day. If the Olympics are in Japan in 2020, he’d like to go with a friend who can speak Japanese. He said he recommends other students try for the scholarship.
“I would recommend a trip like this,” he said. “It’s important for people my age to experience stuff like that.”
Wilson experiences Far East
