Local students depart for visit to sister city Kawakami

Local students have embarked on a trip to Watsonville's sister city, Kawakami, Japan. In the second picture, the students have arrived and are seen on a crowded train in Japan. (Photos by Todd Guild/Register-Pajaronian)

Editor’s note: Register-Pajaronian reporter Todd Guild is traveling with the Watsonville Sister City Exchange program to Kawakami, Japan. Depending on the availability of Internet connections, he will continue to report on his experiences and share those of the students.

SAN FRANCISCO — The students slowly trickled into San Francisco International Airport Wednesday afternoon; 16 young people about to become world travelers.

Many of them have never left the state, much less been away from home for an extended period.

The students are part of the Watsonville Sister City Exchange program to Kawakami, Japan, and come from seven schools throughout Santa Cruz County.

Many said they had never been on a plane, but all experienced airport security, a jarring experience of passing through, a trying experience for even the most seasoned travelers.

The 5,000-mile, 12-hour trip to Japan will take them across the Pacific Ocean to a culture largely unlike their own, where they will stay with a family, eat unfamiliar food and struggle with a new language.



For the complete article see the 05-10-2012 issue.

Click here to purchase an electronic version of the 05-10-2012 paper.

Share on Facebook