2011年6月1日水曜日

A Teeny Bit of Silver Lining

Tragedy is devastating, but recovery can be beautiful. Among the more than 10,000 fatalities in the March 11 earthquake and tsunami were two very young English teachers from the US. If they had survived, what wonderful ambassadors between the people of Japan and America they would have become!

In their memory, a new exchange program has begun. These are the details as reported in The Japan Times online:

"Japan will invite 32 U.S. high school students who are studying Japanese to take part in a program in July to study the language and culture in memory of two American teachers killed in the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

Foreign Minister Takeaki Matsumoto, during a speech at a symposium in Tokyo on Monday, referred to the program intended to nurture people who will serve as a bridge between Japan and the United States in the future.

The program is in commemoration of Taylor Anderson, 24, and Montgomery Dickson, 26, who were taking part in the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program."