Letter to the Editor

Senior+Mia+Yang+poses+alongside+junior+Vikram+Raghu%2C+both+decked+out+in+red%2C+white%2C+and+blue.

Photo courtesy of Evan Williams

Senior Mia Yang poses alongside junior Vikram Raghu, both decked out in red, white, and blue.

Trenton Elliott

Dear Zia Sun,

Your article about High School Diplomats 2019 focused in on the most important aspect of cultural exchange: relationships. When I was accepted to the HSD program this year, I expected to form restrictive, somewhat weak relationships with all the japanese students, but this wasn’t the case. Like Vikram and Evan, I believe that HSD was “the best 10 days of my life” because I could genuinely connect with other intellectual, funny, and loving students from another world! I am so happy that TJ recognizes the importance of cultural exchange and interpersonal communication because it has made such an impact on my character. I come from a family that places language skills and cultural enrichment above most other subjects, seeing as how my mother is an art-historian and my uncle taught Japanese at the University of Tokyo, but HSD has been my first true Asian culture experience. The only change to the article I might make is to emphasize the community aspect of the program. Our roommates were inseparable during the entire program. Both American and Japanese students integrated so well because everybody walked together, ate together, sang together, so I feel that another essential part of High School Diplomats is the communal atmosphere surrounding the program. I recommend that everyone eligible should apply to HSD because it was such a formative experience. I made a lifelong friend during those 10 days, and I am grateful that you took the time to share details about the best summer activity found at TJ. Thank you for helping continue the legacy of HSD!

Sincerely,

Trenton Elliott