YOUTH VOICES FROM OKINAWA • UNITED STATES
On her first journey outside the United States, Annie discovered new ways of thinking about school, wellbeing, sustainability, leadership, and the value of using her own voice.
Student story: Annie Wu • United States
Growing up in New York City, Annie Wu was accustomed to the energy of one of the world’s busiest cities. Okinawa offered something very different, and, to her surprise, she loved it.
The Federation EIL Global Youth Leadership Programme 2026 was Annie’s first experience travelling outside the United States. Before arriving, she wondered how difficult it would be to adjust to another continent, far away from her family and the environment she knew. Instead, Okinawa quickly began challenging her assumptions about where, and how, she could feel at home.
One of Annie’s biggest sources of curiosity was Japanese school life. At Naha Kokusai High School, she noticed everything from the gardens and fishpond to the size of the classrooms and the long days students spend balancing lessons, homework and club activities.
Comparing the experience with her own school life in the United States made the exchange particularly meaningful. Dress codes, uniforms and school routines were different, but friendships, activities and the enthusiasm of young people provided familiar points of connection.
Her favourite memories came from those connections. Meeting students from Naha Kokusai was a highlight, whether talking together or playing volleyball. Annie loved hearing about their daily lives and learning how Japanese schools differed from American ones. She also enjoyed spending time with her host sister and her friends, discovering how quickly an unfamiliar place can become more comfortable through conversation and shared experiences.
Beyond school, Okinawa encouraged Annie to think about the relationship between lifestyle and wellbeing. Learning about the lives of Okinawa’s long-living communities fascinated her. She was struck by how everyday habits, eating healthily, exercising and creating strong communities, can contribute to a long and happy life. Experiencing a less urban environment also made this New Yorker realise that she enjoyed a slower pace of life more than she had expected.
Environmental leadership provided another perspective. A session on “living with water” expanded Annie’s understanding of water security: scarcity is only part of the challenge, while water quality, flooding and responsible use also matter. Taking part in a beach clean-up made the issue of waste more immediate. Back in New York, she wants to be more conscious of her own water use, reduce waste and become more involved in clean-ups through her school’s Green Team.
Leadership also became personal. Annie was particularly inspired by Misa, one of the programme lecturers. Even when some leadership concepts were familiar, Annie valued hearing more context and learning from Misa’s international experience. Hearing how she had travelled, adapted to different countries and developed strong English-language skills gave Annie another example of what global leadership can look like.
Most importantly, the programme encouraged Annie to find more confidence in her own voice. She describes herself as someone who has not always been an active speaker, but Okinawa taught her that her ideas and reflections are worth sharing. Since returning home, she has been telling people about what she learned and thinking critically about changes she can make in her own life.
Her first journey outside the United States therefore became much more than a trip abroad. It showed Annie another way of living, introduced her to friendships across cultures and sent her home with a greater willingness to speak, act and reflect.
From the pace of life in Okinawa to the students she met at Naha Kokusai, from lessons about water to the example set by a lecturer who had made the world her classroom, Annie’s experience offered many different forms of leadership. Together, they left her asking a powerful question: what can I change in my own life, and what can I contribute to the community around me?
