Sausalito program fosters international connections
A group of young travelers is preparing to head to Japan in an 11-day venture with Sausalito Sister Cities.
For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, a Sausalito program is sending young delegates to Japan as part of a cross-cultural exchange program.
On July 26, a group of 12 participants will depart for Sakaide, a city in the Kagawa Prefecture, for 11 days as part of the Sausalito Sister Cities program. The participants, who range from 14 to 18 years old, will stay with host families and participate in cultural events to increase their confidence, expand their perspectives and promote cultural understanding.
“It’s very typical of kids who go through this program to go on and do something they didn’t think they were capable of doing,” said Harrison Chapman of Sausalito Sister Cities. “It’s a kind of confidence where the world isn’t as scary, or maybe as unknown as you thought it was, and the confidence to talk to other people, to share culture and talk to them, and it opens up the world.”
While in Japan, the kids will get to kayak on a lake where Olympic athletes trained, do a traditional kimono fitting, learn about flower arranging, experience authentic Japanese food and make their own udon noodles. Chapman said the schedules are packed from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
“Rest and relaxation is not on the list,” Chapman said.
Sausalito Sister Cities is a nonprofit organization that began in the 1960s. Its Viña del Mar, Chile, program focuses on women in business, and the program with Cascais, Portugal, is a youth sailing exchange.
The trip to Sakaide this month marks the 36th year of the Japan program. The program’s pandemic-related hiatus ended last summer when students from Japan visited Marin County and stayed with host families.
Chapman said that because the program is entirely volunteer run — and relies heavily on previous participants or host families to volunteer — it’s been a “ragtag team” of veterans putting everything together. Chapman himself was first introduced to the program as a student delegate in 2003.
“That was a challenging time because we really rely on the parents to get involved and help send future kids, and we didn’t have that for the last four or five years,” Chapman said. “That’s been one of the struggle points for us, getting new volunteers and parents to get involved.”
Jill Knott, a parent-chaperone going on the trip this year, is one of the veterans. Both her kids, now graduated from college, were student delegates years ago. She hosted kids from Japan previously, and is on the board of the nonprofit.
“I’m kind of coming full circle,” Knott said. “It’s life-changing for kids because you’re going to the other side of the world. It opens up their world to other cultures, and gives them confidence to go off on their own and make friendships across the pond.”
The cost of the Sakaide trip is about $1,000 in program fees, which cover everything except airfare. This year, tickets were around $2,000. The nonprofit offers some scholarships, and it accepts donations or sponsorships.
More than 20 youths applied this year. Participants are chosen through applications, references and interviews.
Antanasia Cook, who just graduated from Tamalpais High School, is one of the student delegates. She said that while she is mostly excited to go, she is also nervous because she has never been outside of the United States.
She said she is especially eager to meet her host family and form a connection, as well as try authentic Japanese food.
“I’m open to the whole experience,” Cook said.