As 34 students from Japan are in Lawrence practicing their irregular English verbs, they’re also taking time to pull weeds, help out local farmers and sweep behind some bookshelves.

Kansas University’s Applied English Center is hosting the students, who are studying English at Kansai University in Osaka, Japan.

Aaron Huerter, a program assistant at the center, said the students are required to complete 50 hours of community service while they are in Lawrence in addition to their course work.

“Last week, we took them to some small farms, so they could learn about sustainable agriculture,” which is an important part of the local community, Huerter said.

David Kapusta-Pofahl, a lecturer at the Applied English Center, said the service requirement came from a professor at the students’ home university who got involved in community service while was studying abroad in Lawrence. He The professor wanted future generations of students to have a similar experience, Kapusta-Pofahl said, and made the service a requirement.

“It’s such a part of our culture, volunteering,” Kapusta-Pofahl said. “If you’re not used to this aspect of our culture, it’s kind of like, ‘Where do you start?'”

Mei Egawa, 19, a student from Hyogo, Japan, said she learned how hard farm work could be last week when she visited the Wakarusa Valley Farm about seven miles southwest of Lawrence.

“I’ve never been on a farm,” she said.

Last week, she helped collect radishes and weeded around onions. But don’t look for her to become a farmer.

“No,” she said. “It was very hard.”

On Thursday, she and a group of other students were helping to clean up at the Social Service League Thrift Store, 905 R.I. The group swept and dusted, occasionally getting gentle reminders from Kapusta-Pofahl to stick to practicing their English without slipping back into Japanese.

Jean Ann Pike, the thrift store’s manager, said she appreciated the help, and turned the group loose on the kids’ room, which needed a deep cleaning.

“This place does not function without volunteers, period,” Pike said.

Egawa said she hadn’t done much volunteer work before. Along with the various other experiences she’s had with American culture and food (macaroni and cheese is her favorite), she said she hoped to take volunteering back home with her to Japan, too.

“I enjoy it,” Egawa said. “I want to do more.”