Sister Cities 50 Years Strong: Foreign Exchange Students Reunited
By: Kim Behrens
Updated: July 25, 2012
BLOOMINGTON--Two women from two very different countries are reuniting to honor a big cultural milestone.
The pair, one from Asahikawa, Japan the other from Bloomington are celebrating the Sister Cities Program--which is now 50 years old.
It gives people the chance to experience life in another country by living with a host family.
A special commemorative event took place Wednesday afternoon at Bloomington's Center for the Performing Arts-featuring Japanese entertainment and art.
The women, turned lifelong friends say their time abroad helped them understand each other.
"We became very good friends and I asked her to come to my city next year as an exchange student and she came," said foreign exchange student Chizuko Nakata.
Friend and former exchange student Mary Cushing Resch agrees.
"The only way we're ever going to have peace in this world is for everyone to realize people are people. And people want the same thing."
Turns out Resch is the oldest living exchange student to have gone to Asahikawa Japan.
The two women have been friends since the early 70's.
