April 15, 2020
2019-20 Academic Year Exchanges Continue for Some Students
With a March 20 announcement, States’ 4-H began implementing plans for AYP students’ departure for their home countries of South Korea and Japan. These students were being impacted by schools being closed in their host states and international and domestic travel restrictions here in the U.S and in their home countries in addition to the risk of catching the COVID-19 virus.
Our Kansas AYP student hosted in Dickinson County, Seoyeong Ju from South Korea, was returned to South Korea departing April 8. March 30 YES students were told that individuals could not be returned upon request due to difficulties in arranging travel and closed boundaries and quarantines in their home countries. They were told to remain with their host families. Three YES students in Kansas from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and North Macedonia seemed satisfied to continue with their host families and participate online with their high school classes. April 5 Sanita Kozlić, Bosnia and Herzegovia, and the coordinator got word that her country had arranged a repatriation flight, and she would leave for home April 8. At the time of this writing, Marina Hiohi, North Macedonia in Wild West District, and Lekė Zeqiri, Kosovo in Meade County, remain in the program, potentially until their original scheduled departure June 10.