MKA Hosts International Exchange Students
MKA's Upper School is currently home to four international exchange students who are spending a month immersing themselves in the lives, language and culture of their New Jersey peers as part of MKA's Global Experience program.
Three MKA families are hosting three Chilean students, Carlos, Vicente and Andrea, from Instituto Abdón Cifuentes in San Felipe, Chile, from January 31st to March 5th. Two of their hosts will then join three other MKA students in Chile this summer. This is the sixth year of the exchange that, in Director of Global Experience Tracy Kuser's words, "has become a true community affair." She explains: "In addition to our wonderful host families, many other MKA families have organized events for our visitors - a welcome brunch, an excursion to go bowling and have dinner at a local restaurant, and an opportunity to see a taping of the Tonight Show."
In their first two weeks here, the Chilean students have spent time both in New York City and attending classes at MKA. They have also been helping other MKA students volunteer at the Boys and Girls Club in West Orange, and at a recent Upper School International Dinner, entertained attendees by dancing the traditional Chilean cueca.
In addition, the Upper School is hosting their first Taiwanese exchange student, Sven, who is spending three weeks at MKA following a similar schedule to the Chilean students. MKA's Global Experience will provide the opportunity for a group of Upper School students studying Chinese to travel to Taiwan during the 2017-18 school year.