Gastonia Sister Cities

☀️💓💫All interested candidates are encouraged to send in, at the very least, the application form and essays by 5 PM to secure an interview for the 2025 Sister Cities Cohort! 💫💓☀️

Applications can be found here:

https://www.gastonianc.gov/cultural-classes-student-exchange.html

Send questions and letters of interest to: [email protected]

Partial application packets will be accepted with completed form and essay questions.

Send materials to [email protected]

Find an application form at:

https://gastonianc.gov/cultural-classes-student-exchange.html

💫This is the opportunity to learn more about the world than you've ever dreamed. 💫

The Application Deadline is November 1st! Grab your opportunity to experience the world now!

Applications due November 1st! Don't miss this amazing opportunity!!

https://gastonianc.gov/cultural-classes-student-exchange.html

Ugh! Socials messed up this picture and cut out dear Theo!

So this post is most necessary! Hearts and stars my dears!!

Gotha in Gastonia: Farewell for now sweet sweet friends

Thank you especially and for our last day adventures. It was a nice laid back day. The students got to make their own commemorative tees and eat some exciting food before their long flight home.

The emotions were difficult as we had to part ways and I for one have missed this wonderful group of students all day today!

I look forward to getting to come visit and we will have some friends over in June!!!

🫶💜💙❤️🖤💛

Gotha in Gastonia: The Epic Reschedule of The US National Whitewater Center

Thursday, we were scheduled to have the super fun WWC day. However, a hurricane came through... and tornados from that. This is something we suspect is Fabian's fault somehow as he tends to carry them with him on his visits! 🫶

✨️🙏After a bit of begging, WWC let us reschedule to today.... one of the most beautiful days of the season so far! We are so thankful! 🙏✨️

All of the students had a great time rafting and ziplining. Several of our students did high ropes courses, advanced even!!, the free solo splash wall, and bicycles.

🌊 Most of the students fell into the water, and luckily, I caught 1 on video as they crossed under the bridge. Such a champ, Evan!! 🏆

Today I realized how much I will cry tomorrow when they leave. This is such a special group of amazing young adults. Each and every one of them has been a pure joy to get to know. 🥹🥺🤗

Gotha in Gastonia: African American Museum, Crowders MNT, and Monster Mini Golf

Sorry for the delay! We have been bobbing and weaving with the weather!

I am missing pictures from the incredible experience we had at the Loray Mill African American Museum. It was such a powerful and meaningful experience for the students and adults.

Crowders Mountain was an epic adventure that provided stories and views and an overall challenging quest!

Monster Mini Golf gave us all the fun vibes with arcade games, bowling, Mini golf of course, and snacks!

Gotha in Gastonia: Riverkeepers Day!!

Forgive us we have few pictures. Lol The crew gave us a fantastic day of kayaking with the amazing Greg and Alicia!!!

The was also amazing!!

We squeezed in some disc golf too at Goat Island! So much fun!

The day ended with ranch dressing, veggies, cheese straws, pimento cheese, and pepper jelly. Thank you Harris Teeter on South New Hope for all of your support in this adventure, and Bojangles on Garrison for fueling us for the day!!!

We love our friends and we love your support!

Xoxoxox- Gastonia Sister Cities

Gotha in Gastonia: Monday Adventures

Board VP Bill Gray started us out with a wonderful tour of Historic Kings Mountain National Park. There were ways that his wisdom and knowledge presented in the most graceful and thoughtful way, really inspiring conversations to launch into many directions and considerations.

Then we ate lunch at Kings Mountain Living History State Park, which was lovely.

The Schiele Museum was a blast and many of us will be back soon! Thank you Tony and staff!!

Farmer Aaron led us through a marvelous wagon ride through where the students got to play for a bit, pick out a pumpkin, and try candied pecans and candy corn.

We wrapped the day with Cheerwine and Sundrop Floats!!! So sweet and so tasty!

Gotha in Gastonia: A day in Uptown Charlotte

What fun it is to see skyscrapers and art on Segways, chill at , and play with optical illusions . We learned so much about the local history with these wonderful tour guides. Thank you!

☀️✨️🥳The kids had a great day, and the traffic back to Gastonia wasn't bad at all when we made it a party bus!!!

Happy Birthday Vlad!!! ☀️✨️🥳

Gotha in Gastonia: Gaston County Museum and Tony's!

Our fabulous tour guides at made this museum even more fun! Thank you! Feeling the textures of raw materials, the art exhibit, and strange house all made us very eager to follow our tour guides advice to get Tony's Ice Cream with no lid!!! Thanks Casey!

The students had a blast trying on the period clothing. Some fits were perfect, while others.... well, left some forearms exposed.

Gotha in Gastonia: Webb Custom Kitchen

Getting a tour of this historic monument to the days when Gastonia was developing as a bustling city. Hearing the history, the good, bad, ugly, and celebratory.

Thank you for an amazing tour, top tier dining experience, and delicious food!

Gotha in Gastonia: Alchemy History and Mini Ted Talk

Getting some lovely entrepreneurial advice and insight to American styles of business ownership and what it takes from the amazing .

And yes of course the coffee from .coffee was incredible.

Again the students engaged in thoughtful questions around discipline and observations about the culture of business from different places being different, but not at odds.

Gotha in Gastonia!

City Hall Meeting Mayor Franks and the lovely Teddi Daniels.

The students asked such thoughtful questions. It was a great way to kick off our first day!

🍦🍨🍩Gotha students and chaperones had a full day of amazing history tours, food, more history, more food, and some shopping! 🍩🍨🍦

✨️💫Thank you Mayor Richard Franks, Juliann , Jim , Casey ,
and for an incredible day! We are so grateful for your partnerships and support for our students and friends! 💫