The Cross Cultural Internship Program (www.theccip.com) fosters a warm relationship with the NYPD´s 109th precinct, which protects the neighborhood where the exchange visitors stay. This last Wednesday, the 109th Precinct Community Council, a non-profit community liaison group, invited CCIP´s exchange visitors to join them for their annual BBQ, a fun evening where the visitors ate delicious food and met local community activists.

Along with the BBQ, the NYPD generously provided a safety talk to the exchange visitors newly arrived in New York City. Officers explained the best ways to stay safe while traveling in the city and how to avoid losing any of their belongings. They also provide tips on how to enjoy the city safely and without being overwhelmed by the crowds.

“I really appreciated how welcoming the NYPD officers were,” said Jackson Lai, a group leader from Hong Kong. “This is the first time in New York City for most of us in the group, so I know a lot of us were feeling a little nervous when we first got here. I think everyone feels more secure now.”

Another group leader, Natali Ghui from Singapore, talked about the sense of responsibility she felt. “Most of the group came here directly from their internships, so it took some effort to make sure everyone arrived at the right place at the right time. Organizing a group this large can be difficult, so it´s definitely valuable experience.”

The exchange visitors have internships all over New York City and do many activities together that require traveling by train of bus. For that reason, the NYPD´s safety talk is always a welcome start to the summer. And, of course, the tasty BBQ makes it a lot of fun.