Dear Host Families and Members of the Salem Ota Student Exchange Community,
First and foremost, I hope this finds you and your loved ones doing well during these most difficult times. It is truly a surreal time we are living in these days.
This is about the time that we would be beginning to scramble trying to recruit host families. However, much to the disappointment of the organizers both in Tokyo and here, the students from Ota will not be coming to Salem this July. With so much uncertainty and challenges, really, everywhere in the world, it is no time to be planning for this annual event.
As you know, we greatly appreciate your interest and support for the program so much. We hope that you will continue to communicate with the students you have hosted as we look forward to July 2021.
Most of all, please stay well and we will all have to get together for a giant gathering once this is all behind us.
Please take care.
xoxo to all of you,
Best,
Connie Arlander and Midori Oka