ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Area Rotary Clubs are looking for 28 students to represent the region in a cultural exchange with Japan. The Short-Term Youth Exchange with Japan, now in its 42nd year, offers students ages 15 to 18 the opportunity to learn about Japanese culture, interact with Japanese students and form friendships that will last a lifetime. Applicants must live or attend school in Essex, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Morris, Somerset, Sussex, Union or Warren counties.
This three-week trip, tentatively departing June 25 and returning July 16 will visit major cities in southern Japan, including Osaka, Kyoto and Nara. There will also be a separate trip to Hiroshima to visit Peace Memorial Park and the Holocaust Museum. The group will stay on the island of Shikoku, the smallest of the four main islands in Japan. Each student will meet and live with a host family in each of the island’s four prefectures.
The total cost of the trip, including food, lodging and airfare, is $3,200. Students are selected through an interview process that occurs during January and February.
To apply, visit https://njrotary.org/SitePage/japan-youth-exchange.
The Short-Term Youth Exchange with Japan chairman, Jim Allison, can be contacted at JRA188@aol.com or 201-213-6382 to answer any questions.