China Exchange Program

My name is Mohona Yesmin. I am a senior at Marble Hill High School for International Studies in the Bronx. I moved to New York from Bangladesh in 2015. As an immigrant, I am quite familiar with Indian, Bengali and Pakistani culture, but going to an international school has inspired me to learn about all the other cultures around the world.

Through Marble Hill’s China Exchange Program, I will get to live in China for two weeks: one week to travel around the country, another week to live with a Chinese student’s family and go to their school to learn about their educational system. I have taken Chinese for the past two years at Marble Hill. Even though China has an ancient culture, they also have the most advanced new technologies and new research, which plays into my passion for engineering.

My diverse interests inspired me to participate in several programs. High school was chappan bhog for me, a traditional Bengali plate consisting of 56 different dishes, and I took every opportunity the smorgasbord presented to me. It helped me to be a better leader, a thinker, and a human being. This China Exchange Program will help me to grow more.

To participate in this trip, I need to raise $2500 dollars, which includes airplane fare, traveling cost, hotel rooms and food. My parents are unable to pay for these expenses, so I am spending my own savings from my summer internships. But it's not enough.

Now, with your help, I can fulfill my desire to learn more about Chinese culture and Chinese advanced sciences by visiting China during spring break with my school. If you believe in the value of travel and cross-cultural communication and would like to help me achieve my dream, I would appreciate anything you can give. Thank you!