Akua Sarpong, center, a senior at Zama Middle High School, listens to local Japanese students giving her a guided tour of a shopping mall in the city of Zama as part of a cultural exchange activity June 29.

CAMP ZAMA, Japan – Camp Zama volunteers joined local students at Zama City Hall on June 29 for a day of English-language practice, cultural exchange and games ahead of an upcoming sister city visit.

The event helped prepare Zama students to host peers from Smyrna, Tennessee — Zama sister city — who are scheduled to visit later this month.

Spc. Anthony Reyes, assigned to the38th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, right, listens to a local Japanese student giving him a guided tour at a shopping mall in the city of Zama as part of a cultural exchange activity on June 29.

Akua Sarpong, a senior at Zama Middle High School who participated with her family, said she appreciated the chance to connect with Japanese students her age — an opportunity she doesn’t often have.

A Camp Zama volunteer, second from left, listens to a local Japanese student giving him a guided tour at a shopping mall in the city of Zama as part of a cultural exchange activity on June 29.

“We had a lot of fun learning about each other’s favorite things and interests,” Sarpong said, adding that the local students guided her group through a nearby park and shopping mall. “Before meeting them, I thought communicating might be hard because of the language barrier, but I found that if we both make an effort, we can understand each other.”

Sarpong said the experience gave her more confidence in speaking with Japanese people.

Akua Sarpong, center, a senior at Zama Middle High School, listens to local Japanese students giving her a guided tour of a shopping mall in the city of Zama as part of a cultural exchange activity June 29.

“It wouldn’t feel like a real experience living in Japan if I didn’t talk to Japanese people,” she said.

Nene Ohkuma, a senior at a local high school, said rehearsing the city tour with the Camp Zama volunteers helped her identify areas to improve and provided insight into how Americans might perceive the tour.

Camp Zama volunteers take a group photo with local students at the Zama City office after a cultural exchange activity June 29.

“Even though Camp Zama is in my city, I rarely get to meet Americans my age,” Ohkuma said. “Talking directly with them about their lives made me feel closer to them.”

Ohkuma said she exchanged contact information with several volunteers and plans to stay in touch.