Holly Hunt, 16, has returned to Avonworth High School after spending a year in Japan, where she learned of a new culture and developed an appreciation for a different way of life.

The junior traveled to Niigata, Japan, where she spent 11 months as an exchange student through the American Field Service program.

The largest city on the Japan Sea coast, Niigata has a population of over a half million and is home to several cultural events throughout the year.

During her 11-month stay, Holly lived with a host family and attended school which, she said, differs from American scheduling.

"The school year in Japan starts in March and they have short breaks each season rather than one long summer break."

Holly said that she could have traveled to other destinations, but "…I was interested in Asia. I wanted to learn another language, and I had always heard that the Japanese language is beautiful.” That and several other reasons all built up and all pointed to Japan.

She lived with her Japanese parents, the Gocho family, her host father an engineer and host mother a medical assistant. The family included a daughter, one year older than Holly, but the girls never met until two weeks before Holly was scheduled to return, as her "sister" was on exchange in Argentina.

Holly admitted that she had some homesick moments, but not many.

"Sometimes I would miss someone or something. During Christmas, it was hard not to be with family."

In Japan, the people do not celebrate Christmas as a religious occasion. "It's just a holiday," Holly said, "about the same as Valentine's Day here. People give little gifts and they have a tradition of having a Christmas cake, a cake with a Santa Claus on it. I explained to them that we didn't really have Christmas cakes in the U.S., but it is something they like."

While Holly had the opportunity to visit other cities -- Okinawa and Tokyo, which Holly described as being "gi-normous" school consumed much of her time.

Her day began with a train ride to school. She traveled by herself, one hour each way, never having any fears of traveling alone.

"There are buses, but most students arrange their own transportation. I always felt safe in school and when riding the trains. Someone can leave a purse on a table and come back an hour later and it will still be there."

Students at her school -- Niigatu Commercial High School -- carried homemade lunches because there was no school cafeteria, and they wore uniforms. For girls, a blue suit, white blouse, red tie with school symbol. Boys wore a black jacket and trousers, shirt
and tie. All students wore a school pin on lapels.

The school day ran from 8:30 a.m.until 3:15 p.m. and classes included English, chemistry, music, and calligraphy, after which Holly and her classmates cleaned their classrooms and the hallways of the school, a practice that is common throughout the country.

So how could a Pittsburgh girl who did not know much Japanese language survive for a year?

Holly said that her classmates could speak conversational, polite English, as could her teachers, but her family spoke minimal English, "…so there was lots of miscommunication at first. I had to learn Japanese or else I would not have been able to communicate."

She admits, "It's a difficult language."

However, there were a few similarities between American and Japanese schools. Everyone has cell phones and iPods, and interscholastic sports are important: basketball -- for which her school had a strong reputation -- soccer, baseball, softball, volleyball, track and field.

And that is where the similarities end.

Unlike her home school, where Smart boards, mobile computer labs and overhead projectors are commonplace, very little technology is used in most Japanese classrooms. And unlike many American classrooms, where dialogue between students and teachers and among classmates is encouraged, most Japanese classes are silent, with instruction delivered via the lecture method, with very little discussion. "Once when we had to do speeches in a class, everyone was very nervous," Holly said.

Outside of school, Japanese teens also differ in some ways from Americans of their age.

"They dress far more stylishly," Holly said. "Girls wear skirts -- some very short -- but you rarely see a girl in jeans." She added, "You never see a boy with sagging pants!"

Holly said that, in many ways, the Japanese people benefit from living in a far more moral society. The perception of America is that "…we are hardcore. They see shows like CSI and they ask if life is like that here."

She noted that people do not have guns in Japan because guns are against the law. Anyone wanting to go hunting has to obtain a permit.

While the Japanese have accepted some aspects of American culture -- McDonalds and performers such as Taylor Swift and Avril Lavigne enjoy popularity there -- the civility of the Japanese people made a lasting impression on Holly.

"I wish we could bring some of their respect here," she said. "I do not want to make it sound as if American culture is bad, because it isn't. But people, overall, are far more polite in Japan. Kids have more respect for their teachers. Really, it's hard to describe."

Holly, the daughter of Gary and Madonna Hunt, lives in Ohio Township with her sister, Hanna and her brother, Houston. Following high school, she plans to attend college for Asian studies.