East Meets West At Villa Duchesne

Students from a sister school in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan spent a summer afternoon in July on the Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill School campus. Seventeen students and two teachers from Fuji Seishin Joshi Gakuin were welcomed by ten Villa Duchesne student ambassadors. Head of School Elizabeth Miller greeted the visitors with a bow in adherence to Japanese custom. Mrs. Miller is fluent in Japanese and holds a Master’s Degree in Regional Studies East Asia from Harvard University.

This was more than just an opportunity for Villa Duchesne students to learn about another culture. Villa Duchesne theology teacher and global exchange coordinator Tim Hellmann spoke with his Japanese counterparts about 21st century education in Japan versus the United States. In the past year, Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill School has hosted 15 international students from nine different countries.

This visit is an annual tradition hosted by the Academy of the Sacred Heart in St. Charles, Missouri and led by Shrine of St. Philippine Duchesne Director Carol Pfitzinger. The Japanese visitors will spend the next two weeks with her touring St. Louis. She says the St. Louis Art Museum, Busch Stadium, Forest Park, and the Gateway Arch are just some of the highlights.