FAVORABLE EXCHANGE RATE SISTER-CITY KIDS PAY VISIT.Byline: Alex Dobuzinskis Staff Writer BURBANK - In World War II, the cities of Burbank and Ota, Japan, made the planes that fought the war. Today, the two are sister cities sharing a peaceful agenda - an exchange program for students and families. Twelve students and two chaperones from Ota arrived in Burbank on Tuesday as part of the exchange program's 20th year. ``I think it's important that we do understand our history and (how) our sister-city relationship did grow out of terrible conflict, and we try to make our kids aware of what our history was between the two countries,'' said Library Services Director Sharon Cohen cohen or kohen (Hebrew: “priest”) Jewish priest descended from Zadok (a descendant of Aaron), priest at the First Temple of Jerusalem. The biblical priesthood was hereditary and male. , who runs the exchange program. Burbank and Ota alternate between hosting and sending students each year. John Capellaro, 68, and his wife, Karen Christoffersen, 53, have hosted students from Ota since the exchange program began in 1984. Communicating with the Ota students can sometimes resemble a game of charades, said Capellaro, who said he has found a good way to bridge the language gap. ``Smile a lot,'' Capellaro said. ``It makes them more comfortable, it puts them at ease.'' Ayaka Kenmochi, 16, is one of the two students who will be staying with Capellaro and Christoffersen. Her parents initially opposed her coming to the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. out of safety concerns, but she convinced them. ``I want to study English more, and I want to communicate with people all over the world,'' she said. After the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, Ota had a fund-raising campaign Noun 1. fund-raising campaign - a campaign to raise money for some cause fund-raising drive, fund-raising effort crusade, campaign, cause, drive, effort, movement - a series of actions advancing a principle or tending toward a particular end; "he supported and sent $9,940 to Burbank, giving it the authority to pick aid recipients in New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of . Burbank sent the money to five public schools that hosted students displaced because of the attack on the World Trade Center. Burbank's other sister cities are Solna, Sweden; Inchon, South Korea; and Gaborone, Botswana. Burbank will spend $4,900 this fiscal year on sister-city activities. Ota is the only city Burbank has an exchange program with, and though the students must cover their airfare to get to Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. , their boarding, living and entertainment expenses are paid for the two weeks they are in Burbank. On the list of destinations for the students this year are Disneyland, Warner Bros BROS Brothers BROS Benefits and Retirement Operations Section (King County, Washington) BROS Barnes and Richmond Operatic Society (London, UK) . Studios and Dodger Stadium • • [ . Alex Dobuzinskis, (818) 546-3304 alex.dobuzinskis(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1) Burbank Mayor Marsha Ramos, right, stands with a new group of exchange students from Ota, Japan, on Tuesday. (2) Japanese chaperon chap·er·on or chap·er·one n. 1. A person, especially an older or married woman, who accompanies a young unmarried woman in public. 2. An older person who attends and supervises a social gathering for young people. Marie Murata, left, and Debby Graves, who chaperoned American students in Japan last year, walk Murata's suitcase to Graves' car. Tom Mendoza/Staff Photographer |
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