High School Diplomats: The best ten days of your summer!

Waking up to the incessant beeping of my alarm, I slowly climbed out of my bunk bed, and quietly opened the door, trying my best to not wake up my sleeping roommate. The comforting sound of pipes gurgling and creaky floorboards were all that I heard as I tip-toed my way down the hall towards the showers. At the end of the hallway, I looked out of the small window at the sprawling grounds of Princeton blanketed in the early morning light. This was how I started my mornings in the amazing, fast-paced program that is High School Diplomats.

High School Diplomats is a cultural exchange program which brings together an amazing group of American and Japanese high school students to form lifelong friendships. This 10-day summer program is jam-packed with numerous activity days and diplomatic discussions, to bring students an experience unlike any other.

My first experience in HSD US was the Homestay Picnic, when my Japanese roommate, Yoonjoo, and another Japanese student, Sakura, arrived at the meeting point for homestay families. We spent the weekend going to the mall, watching movies, having water-balloon wars, and experiencing Indian culture and food, with both of them as a part of my family. When the weekend came to a close, my little brother was quite sad at the prospect of saying goodbye to these new members of our family. Though I would see them again in a few days at Princeton, I felt the same as I hugged Yoonjoo and Sakura good-bye.

On the trip up to Princeton, the other kids from the DMV area and I had a great time, already becoming great friends despite only knowing each other for a few hours, demonstrating the power of HSD and the outstanding character of the participants. The actual program was full of exciting activities with our roommates, from Bunka no Hi, the Japanese Day of Culture, to celebrating Halloween months before the actual holiday. As the days passed, we grew closer to our roommates, bonding over living in the same room, eating together, and experiencing each other's cultures together. And these bonds were not limited to one person, as we formed strong friendships with those in our daily Japanese classes, those in our J-groups (either J-1 or J-2) with whom we did most activities with, and the 79 other students in HSD US.

However, on the last day of the program was when I truly understood how close we had become. After hugs, tears, and promises to keep in touch, the Japanese students left, leaving behind a void filled with silence and comforting hugs. Looking around and seeing the sad faces of my friends who had to say good-bye to their new brothers and sisters made me realize what a unique program HSD is, and how strong the relationships we form actually are.

HSD US is a place where students get to see a whole new side of themselves, spending time among some of the kindest kids from around the US and Japan. This program brings together a group of eighty students who form lifelong friendships, crossing both distance and societal boundaries. When the program comes to a close, students are amazed at how close they have become to those they’ve only known for ten days. I strongly recommend that students take advantage of this program and the unforgettable experiences it provides, and as we say in HSD, Seize the Wind.

Eligibility: All current sophomores and juniors nationwide are eligible to apply.
Program Dates: Wednesday, July 22 - Sunday, August 2, 2020
Application Period: Online application is available on website: www.highschooldiplomats.com
Deadline for application submission is January 8, 2020.

Interviews and Final Selections for HSD U.S. 2020:
Applicants selected for interviews will be contacted mid-February to schedule an interview.
Interviews (in-person or Skype depending on location) take place between February 15 and March 15. Final decisions will be released no later than April 15, 2020.

For further information, contact the American Director, Celine Zapolski at
celinezapolski@highschooldiplomats.com or 571-234-5072