Sharing culture

<p>Petaluma families welcomed a group of 14 Japanese government workers and officials to town on Sept. 9 as part of a cultural exchange program. </p><p>Pictured here from left to right is Junko Kimura, a 41-year-old secretary of agriculture for the city of Hirosaki; host and program organizer Bridget Lyons; and Tetfuya Kaneko, 37, who works in human resources in Nagano. </p><p>In a short, four-hour visit, Petalumans like Lyons welcomed visitors into their homes to see an American house, cook and eat an American meal, and generally get to know their hosts. </p><p>Lyons said she focused on providing local food and drink for her guests, including Lagunitas IPA. </p><p>Lyons, who works for the nonprofit exchange organization PeopleLink, encourages anyone interested in international exchange opportunities to call her at 477-3191.</p>