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Family sponsors sought for student exchange program
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Posted on Jul 09 2008
The Saipan Mayor’s Office is looking for families to sponsor young Japanese students this summer for the 29th Annual Kokusai Seisyounen Kensyuu Kyokai exchange program from July 25 to Aug. 1, 2008, and for the 30th Annual SANPO-EN from July 28 to Aug. 4, 2008.
The KSKK will comprise students between the ages of 8 and16, while the SANPO-EN will have students between the ages of 10 and 17 years old.
As a tradition, the exchange program involves sending Saipan students to Japan to learn about their culture and lifestyles. The students stay for a few days at a youth hostel, which is similar to a dormitory, then lives for two days with Japanese families. This home stay program allows these students to gain experience and exposes them to the local culture and daily lifestyle.
In return, Japanese students travel to Saipan, usually in the summer time, and experience the same thing.
This year, the KSKK group, composed of 21 students, will experience home stay for eight days on Saipan.
The SANPO-EN group, with 30 students, will require two days of home stay from Aug. 1 to Aug. 3, 2008.
“For more than two decades we have been conducting this cultural exchange program as a tradition. We need your support, so that we can continue this friendship between the two countries. We would like to set up a sponsor list for those families who are willing to open up their homes to these young Japanese students who are more than anxious to learn about our island style and culture,” said Mayor’s Youth Programs coordinator Olinka Cabrera Chaudhry.
Any interested families may contact Chaudhry at the Saipan Mayor’s Office at 234-6208 / 234-6280 / 235-7304.
