Mayor Among Hosts for Japanese Students

The Japanese word for friends is tomodachi. Hiroko Kikuchi, 18, this week declared La Palma Mayor Duane Schuster and wife Jessie to be tomodachi. Jessie Schuster agreed: “Yes,” she said, “friends.”

The mayor and his wife have been hosting Kikuchi during her three-week visit to Orange County. Kikuchi is among 34 students from Atomi Junior College in Tokyo who are studying English in daily classes at Calvary Chapel of Cypress.

The students, all women, are here under the auspices of the nonprofit Pacific American Cultural Exchange. They are staying with families across Los Angeles and Orange counties, mostly in Cypress and La Palma, coordinator Terri VanderStouwe said.

The Japanese visitors have already toured many local attractions, including Disneyland, and are scheduled to see more before they return Aug. 19.

“They came here to study English and get hands-on experience with American culture,” VanderStouwe said.

Kikuchi said she is honored to be staying at the mayor’s home. The situation is indeed unusual, VanderStouwe said, because “city officials are usually too busy.”

Kikuchi, a resident of Tokyo, arrived July 28. Duane Schuster, who had been stationed in Japan while serving in the U.S. Air Force, said he and his wife have enjoyed getting to know her.

They said they quickly adapted to having a young woman in the house--they are the parents of three grown daughters.

Jessie Schuster said some preconceived notions about her Japanese guest proved to be wrong. “I thought Hiroko would like rice, but she doesn’t,” she said. “Hiroko really loves bread and pasta.”