Today (Monday), fifty Chinese students and their teachers will arrive in Traverse City for a month-long visit. The students, from the northeastern city of Dalian, speak English and will be staying with TC-area host families while attending ninth and tenth grade classes at Central and West High Schools. Several field trips around Northern Michigan, as well as trips to New York and Washington, D.C., are also being planned.

“The program provides students, community members and their families the opportunity to learn more about other cultures,” says TCAPS assistant superintendent Jayne Mohr. “We are able to learn and grow together while strengthening our educational systems.”

The students are being led by English teacher Jia Guo, marking his first time in the U.S.

“I’m excited because many familiar scenes in the movies will soon become concrete,” he says, adding, “It’s also an opportunity for the students of both countries to experience different cultures and improve language skills.”

Andy and Julie Six and their two sons will host one of the Chinese students. They say signing up to be a host family was an easy decision – and they can’t wait to meet their exchange student.

“Our family is very excited to see what this month holds. We're hopeful to learn as much about ourselves as I'm sure we will learn from our new friend from China.”

A group of TCAPS students will complete the exchange when they travel to Dalian in late May.