Salem Sister City Exchange With Ota, Japan Going Strong For 30 Years

SALEM, MA — A Sister City relationship between Salem and Ota, Japan has been going strong for more than three decades with host families needed for this year's Japanese exchange students in July.

Each year, Ota sends 28 middle school students ages 13 and 14 to Salem for a week of English language and cultural immersion. Students stay with host families on the North Shore and over the years many life-long friendships have developed through the exchange.

The host dates are July 21 to July 29. Host families do not need to speak Japanese as exchange students have basic English skills.

Each student must have their own bed but a shared room with children in a family is fine. Host families must have at least one child — ideally between 10 and 16 years old.

Exchange students join their school group during the day with the host family responsible for bag lunches, drop off and pick up for the program in Salem. Drop-off time is 8:30 a.m. with pick-up time generally at 4:30 p.m.

There will be a special luncheon for host families that includes presentations and performances from the students on July 27 at the Peabody Essex Museum. On July 28, families are asked to include the students in their regular weekend activities before the students leave for Japan on the morning of July 29.

Since 1993, 784 Japanese exchange students have visited Salem and 119 students have visited Japan.

Those interested in being a host family this July can contact salemotaculturalexchange@gmail.com.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)