On July 7, American students arrived in Dubna under the Cultural Exchange Program La Crosse-Dubna. They were much expected by their host families and the La Crosse-Dubna Friendship Association who prepared for them an interesting month program.

The program began with a traditional meeting of La Crosse-Dubna exchange project participants, American high school students, Dubna students, winners of the contest to take part in the 9th exchange program, their parents, and leaders.

The students knew their hosts in advance and communicated with their host brothers and sisters by e-mail. This made their meeting even happier and the words said by Elena Zhuravleva, President of the La Crosse-Dubna Friendship Association, Gennadii Ososkov, President of the Dubna Optimist Club, and Bill Trussoni and Ljudmila Leonova, leaders of the Project, about the role of ambassadors of peace and friendship played by the students by meeting new friends and their families, the importance of deepening understanding between peoples in our complicated world, were not just words for them as they have already stepped on the path of knowing each other and have shaken friendly hands.

At the meeting, each of the 12 exchange program students (6 Americans and 6 Russians) introduced themselves. They spoke not only about themselves and their hobbies but also about their families. It was pleasant to hear Russian students speak fluent English and see them being very open and complex-free leading the whole meeting by themselves.

Americans were to get acquainted with Dubna, to have tours of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, the ancient Russian city Alexandrov, our capital Moscow and, of course, of the most beautiful Russian city Saint Petersburg. Moreover the students were to do a traditional ecological cleaning of the bank of the Dubna River and they were also going to work a day for the "Ecomebel" Company to earn a bus for two tours. In their spare time the students and their host families could have a rest on the banks of the reservoirs in the beautiful suburbs of the Science City Dubna. All the willing students could take Russian classes.

And the first souvenirs dedicated to Dubna the American students got right at the meeting: JINR Management officials gave them T-shirts and caps with JINR anniversary emblems and, of course, badges, which the students immediately decorated their clothes with.

Have a nice time and enjoy getting to know Russia, our young city sisters and brothers!

Olga Melkumova.

Translation: Lena Krylova.