By; Tamia Jones & Naliel Candelas-Lopez
November 26, 2025
Kemeesha Rowe learns about Japanese culture in Asakusa Shrine in Tokyo, Japan.
Have you ever been around the world and have been put through culture shock? During the past year, Philadelphia students have been attending international programs connected to them by their schools, from places like Japan all the way to Spain, to experience a culture change that opens their eyes on America’s inner conflict.
In America, many people don’t even travel internationally. According to the PEW Research center, 19% of Americans have only been to one foreign country. Many Americans don’t even acknowledge the cultures of other countries. Recently, Philadelphia has been sending more students overseas and presenting them with opportunities to do so. Student, Kemeesha Rowe, studied abroad and when she was in her abroad program took notice of the division in America seeing how open Japan was with their community.
”America is divided amongst here. Most people in Japan are very helpful, very nice.” Kemeesha said.
Japan being open is something that many believe Americans don’t have. Regarding politics, in more recent years, America has been fighting with its own people. Being very difficult in how they treat their people. According to GALLUP News, 80% of U.S. Adults believe Americans are greatly divided on the most important values. Even our protests are beginning to turn violent and turning into cops versus protestors. Ike Bermeo, who visited Spain, described their protest to be peaceful, and not as much fighting as you might see at an American protest.
”Over there, all of the people gathered together and protested, they actually gathered in peacefulness unlike here where most people just like, fight and stuff nowadays.” Ike Bermeo said.
These students have all acknowledged just how different America is compared to places out of the country, and it’s not just with unity. Bermeo boasts about the environment of Spain.
”It was cleaner, the architecture was definitely different, and the social structure was better than there.” Bermeo said.
This culture shock opened up Bermeo’s eyes. Although, this shouldn’t be a shock at all to students. According to the STS Foundation’s Article, Why High School Exchange programs are more vital than ever, These exchange programs also enhance unity within their culture. It states that around 80% of Americans claim these exchange programs help embrace community. This is telling about why so many students are going overseas.
Zarina Cotto was able to compare unity in America to was able to compare unite in America to unity in Poland, which was where her exchange program was.
”I think politically, we are less divided than Poland, as a society, we’re definitely more divided as we cannot come to an agreement.” Zarina said.
Regardless of where it is overseas, all of these countries have the same thing in common, the same thing we don’t, and that’s bringing people together. America is at this point, at the longest government shutdown we have ever had.
Although, America’s political standing isn’t that bad, when we’ve seen worse from other countries. There are other countries handling conflicts currently, and possibly not being able to resolve these issues at all.
”We’re not in the best political situation right now, but when you go to places like Europe, you kind of realize that people are also going through some, similar, political situations.” Cotto said.
This media takes place in Retiro park, Spain, and features a statue of King Alfonso XII
The situation abroad in other countries gives input that not just America is in turmoil. Europe is also having its own issues within its politics, especially with the government in the UK trying to take away the rights of its civilians online.
The students that have gone abroad have a changed perspective when they have visited other countries. They have seen the culture, and they can compare to what they experience in America, from the people being generally nicer, to how they can see protests to politics. Hopefully with these students seeing how Europe was they can bring the good from the culture they have seen back to America.
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