NEWSLETTER 

MARCH 2008 
 
 
 
 
HOSTING/SENDING NEWS
 
Host Families Needed • Have a supervised home where all musician, let us know and we can request a
the kids like to hang out student to be reviewed.
We are gearing up for the big push of • Are flexible, adaptive
securing host families for the coming year. • Are curious about the world and Host Family Applications can be found in
We would love to have permanent homes other cultures AFS Online or by contacting Sally Ann
for all of our 43 students and 3 teachers by • Like to travel (or bring the world Wells, or your local chapter coordinator.
June 1. Many schools are moving to early home!) www.afsonline.org (password required)
deadlines and other schools fill their • Are interested in diversity and
allotment early, so now is the time to make promoting peace Please, send us your nominations, so we
our move! And remember the following considerations: can secure homes for this year’s incoming
• Not necessary to have two parents or students. See the sample of mini-bios,
It is always a good time to “speak AFS” and kids in the home already available. We are getting new
identify families who you think would make • Host parents can be any age (over students every week and have several
great host families. Current host families 25) families already in the selection process.
and hosted students are the best recruiters • Don’t need to know another
of new families. language If you have questions or suggestions about
• Don't need a spare bedroom, just a host family recruiting, contact either Sally
Please discuss the ideas below and call if bed (and lots of love!) Ann Wells: sawells@teleport.com or your
you want further direction. local AFS contact.
We now have the opportunity to submit
Think about families who: “wish list” requests for families who have Sally Ann, Interim Hosting Coordinator
• Are busy and full of life begun the application process. If you know
• Interested in other cultures of a family who really wants a French
speaker, or a volleyball player or a
 
COLUMBIA PACIFIC AREA TEAM NEWS
 
THE CHAIR REPORT – Bonnie Richardson‐Kott 
 
We need host families! This is the time of year that we need to ask our friends, family members, co-workers and
neighbors if they would like to host an exchange student for the school year 2008-2009. Our students start arriving in
July but we need to establish our families well in advance of that date. Portland Public Schools allows us only 10
students for the entire district. The slots that fill up the fastest tend to be Lincoln High School, Wilson High School and
Grant High School. For these schools, we need to establish our host families before April 30, 2008. Please help us
get the word out about hosting!

We need volunteers! As we start the “host family finding season”, it stands to reason that we also need volunteers to
help us with the process. Please contact us if you are interested in volunteering for our team. We have jobs of all
sizes and for all types of skills, from writing bios for our prospective students to interviewing families to contacting schools.

Bonnie Richardson, Columbia Pacific Area Team Chair

 
COLUMBIA PACIFIC WEBMASTER NEWS
JOIN OUR ONLINE FORUM/SOCIAL NETWORK
We’ve recently set up an online social network for Columbia-Pacific returnees as well as host families and other volunteers. It’s a password-protected
site where you can set up a personal page, communicate with others, and share ideas in the forum. You can also upload pictures to your personal
page. It’s a great way for hosted students to keep in touch with their host families and fellow AFS’ers when they return to their home countries. Please
visit www.afscp.com today and join the network! You’ll be glad you did. If you need any help at all, feel free to get with our webmaster, James Spears,
at james@spearsintl.com.

PLEASE NOTE: Current exchange students and teachers are specifically prohibited from using this social network. Upon
your return home, you can request membership. During your exchange, AFS encourages you to immerse yourself in the
local culture!

James Spears, Columbia Pacific Area Team Webmaster

 AFS/USA NEWS
 

Regional Council Report
Our new AFS President has taken the helm and has handled the Egypt PR event with decorum and professionalism. Please watch AFS Online for
updates regarding media events and how to handle difficult questions. We have available a comprehensive “Talking Points” communication for any of
you who may be dealing with worried participants or natural parents.

Organizational study is moving forward with the details now being worked on. A committee headed by Sharon Held from Michigan is working out all the
details for presentation to the National Council at their May meeting in St. Paul. Sharon’s team is working on details from the Area Team level down. The
NC will focus on the governance piece at their St. Paul meeting. Continue to ask for patience from your volunteers with details. More information will
come out as soon as it is available. We will see some changes in the way AFS is functioning at the National and Regional levels. We’ll keep you
updated about the major structure changes that will be affecting the way we work together.

Of significance is action taken by AFS National Council and the Board of Directors in regulating how decisions are arrived at in the upper echelons of our
organization. There are safeguards to ensure that decisions affecting AFS volunteers are made cooperatively with input from staff and volunteers.

"Decision Making" for the National Council was identified as one of the critical issues in AFS through the surveys taken prior to the first Leadership
Conference in Chicago in October, 2006. A workgroup was formed to address this issue with Lynn Whetstone as its chair. Click here to log on and view
the workgroup recommendations:
http://www.afsonline.org/IntranetNewsletter.nsf/e745d25194bc57b085256826004f02f0/2bbfff68f526b346852573d90075244d/$FILE/Decision%20
MakingX.doc

Regionally the Northwest is on target for our hosting and sending benchmarks, with an emphasis on increasing our sending numbers to assist in
balancing the budget.

Of critical importance is all of us working together to improve the support reporting statistics. We are preparing a document that we hope will assist
liaisons and local coordinators to this end. We know our students are well supported, but we have to document the contact, if we want to pass CSIET
review!
 
 
COLUMBIA PACIFIC HOSTING/STUDENT NEWS 
 
ISNEEN ‐ THAILAND
 
Hello, Everyone.
First of All would like to introduce myself to every who knows and who don’t know me. My name is Isneen and I’m exchange
student from Thailand (A small country around south of China) to USA in 2007-2008. I grew up two different provinces, my father
had to moved cause by his job- So, I moved with my family and my big adventure start by then. I went to many difference schools
also my older sister and my youngest sister .One day, my older sister came back home and said “I got the AFS scholarship to go
to US.”.She went to spend her year in Wisconsin, USA. And that’s what brings me to AFS program.

A year later, I got the AFS scholarship to come to US as what I dream. I got to stayed with my first host family. My host mom is
Philippine—married dad who is American. They have to two cute little boys (my little brothers).

One day, my host mom said she isn’t going to be home until its dark tomorrow so she gave me the key of the house to get in. I went to school in the next
day. Unfortunately; I forgot the key when I went back from school. I just realized that I totally forgot it. I found the paper that come out from under the
door, wrote by my host mom said “we’ll be home late”. I tried to find the number of my liaison (as I’m exchange student. Liaison is the person who help
me contact with AFS) but the thing was I don’t have a cell phone, the only way to contact her is walk to my neighbor’s house that live 1 km. away (who I
knew her before. She is a nice old lady that stay by herself cause her husband died a few years ago) .I determined that I have no way else to do. I can’t
just waiting from them out side because it was so cold. When I get to her house, I told her the story that forgot the key and asked her to use the
telephone. I called my liaison but she didn’t answer her cell phone on that time I just though that maybe she can help me or I can go hang out at her
house until my host family come back. Next minute, I found out in my schedule said liaison gone to Canada all week. Then, I have no idea what I’m
going to do. I sat at her house for 2 hrs. Her son and her two grand children came to visit her and I got to talk to them .They’re very nice people .They
asked me a lot of question like where are you come from? Where is Thailand? Why you are here? What do you do there that we don’t do it here? I got to
know a lot of things from them about America that I don’t know. Then, They asked me “Why you are here?”. I told them and he said may be you can get
in to the house if some of the door don’t lock .Bingo, I feel like I have a flash on my head. I said Thank you to them and I walked back to my house. I
tried to open the door but I can’t, I walked around the house so many times then I got so tired. I sat down and
looked up into the sky and said “What I’m going to do”. About 5 minute late, my eyes saw something that can
open, stick to the house’s wall called WINDOW. I don’t know what I was thinking but my leg was walked
straight up to the window and started claimed up there. I’m not a tall person so it took me a long time to claimed
it but fortunately, I got in to the house .I walked straight to open the door .I found the key under the paper that
my host mom left it. I laugh at myself but it was fun adventure. Isn’t it?

From a little who lived in the small town, small country that got to know, got to learn, got so many experiences
and met many people from all over the world. I’m very thankful to AFS that gave me a chance to be there,
United State of America.

Alhamdulillah-Thank you Allah

Isneen, Thailand
 
WANG ‐ CHINA
 
I am so grateful…
Being an AFS teacher is one of the most wonderful and significant experience in my life. I feel so proud of being an AFS teacher,
but life is not always as we expected, you never know what will happen in the future.

Last month I got the worst news from my family that my mother was ill so seriously that she couldn’t live even a week longer. It’s
such a big shock for me that I couldn’t believe my ears. You could understand how regretful I would be that if I couldn’t see her
when she passed away. My tears came down out of control. At that time my host family saw me and asked me what happened.
When they knew everything about that, they said they would like to do everything they could to help me. What a great host family!
How grateful I am! Because they knew I didn’t have enough money for my trip home at that time. I really appreciated that they
would lend me some money for my air tickets.

I really want to say AFS is a very thoughtful organization. At that time I got a telephone from Barbara Rogers, my liaison, who said that AFS would pay
for my family emergency trip. You can tell how grateful I was at that time.

AFS not only offers us a wonderful experience, but also is a thoughtful organization. I want to say it again” I’m proud of being an AFS teacher”.

Wang, Teacher from China

A Visit to the Courthouse and TV Station
 
Suad ‐ Ghana
 
TV station and courthouse report
I really had fun at the TV station and it was somehow different but not very different from my country
although I’ve never being on TV in my country before. The first thing I said when it started was that none of
my friends would see me on TV because there are a lot of TV stations here and one can watch whatever
channel he/she wanted. But if this was in Ghana everybody would have seen me on TV because we only
have three TV stations and so everybody watches one of those three and so I would definitely be seen on
TV.

I realized those hosting the show were trying to make the show funny and interesting and so at the end it
was really fun and interesting. I really enjoyed it and had fun and I am really happy because I can tell my
friends I’ve ever being an audience on a TV show in the United States and I have also learnt a lot from it.

I’ve never being to a courthouse in Ghana before but I have seen it on TV and I think it is pretty much the same way as it is here. I was really excited to
really see it and it was very interesting. But then this was real and wasn’t like the ones I have been watching on TV and this can really affect the life of
the person. I also liked how they had interpreters for people who did not understand English. I think it would be better if the judges themselves could
speak these other languages like Spanish because the interpreter can make a mistake and this can cost someone his/her life.

I also realized one thing which was I listened to four trials and some pleas and all these prisoners were minorities and none was white but I don’t really
know why.

I really had fun and it was very interesting.

Suad, Ghana
 
Olga T. ‐ Ukraine  Youssra ‐ Egypt
 

KATU live TV Audience experience, Multnomah County
Court House, Oregon State Judicial Bldg…
Trip to the TV station was a very good experience. We were exposed
to the off screen of American TV. I was amazed by technical abilities
of the studio, especially automatically moving cameras. Knowing the
show from inside you begin to see it differently on television. And see
your self on TV was kind of cool. Visit to court houses was
interesting. I have never been to court houses before, even in my
country. We got to be on the traffic trails. The judge explained all the
steps of the trail, as we were doing along. In the end he stayed and
answered all our questions. We tried to compeer the jurisprudence
systems in different countries. It was pretty amazing.
The visiting of the TV show and the court house…
It was very cold day and we had to get up very early then we went to
the Katu 2 channel it was very good from AFS to make us take part in
TV show or some thing like that to make the people think about all
over the world and to think about hosting student from other countries
by this way we will make the world very small and trying make world
peace. after that we went the court house this was awesome to see a
different system of law than what you have in your country and we had
the very good opportunity to ask the Judge about any thing we want to
know then we went to the federal court house and the Judge their was
very friendly and answer all the questions we ha. It was a very good
trip :)

Olga T., Ukraine Youssra, Egypt

   
 Hina ‐ India
 
Memorable Day…
28 December was very memorable day for us. Days do not have memory people make the day memorable. So all the AFS people including student
converted that ordinary Friday to a special Friday. We went to Portland. My host parents drove my friends and me to Portland. All my friends were sleepy
including me on the way to Portland. But how can anyone sleep after arriving in that beautiful city. The morning was so chilly. We went inside the TV
Station and met our other friends. We all started talking like "Cats and dogs" we were excited to meet our friends after a long time and I was excited to
tell them about my first incredible Christmas experience with my loving family. I told my friend my story of sneaking out to check my Christmas gift.

We were lucky to attend of the life show in Portland. We felt really good about being on a life TV show. One of the worker of the TV station came and
told us how much she is excited to meet us. We were the part of the awesome audience there. We enjoyed the host of the program. And the Karate
activity they did. The guest they had on the program made us laugh out loud. We also noticed how the people on TV Station work. We enjoyed being a
part of the audience so much.

You are found to be guilty for that crime and now have such and such punishment. Yes I am talking about court.
Where people get punished or they have to pay penalty. Initially I have never been to a real court so I was really
excited about the Multnomah County Court House. It was the best experience for me to have or to take back to
my country. We visited some session of the court. We saw the traffic judge in the court and saw him solving
cases. It was really interesting. To know the differences in the rules in different countries. But the thing I noticed
was there wasn't any difference of color and any thing all the people were treated the same way. There was one
person who couldn’t speak English so the judge made arrangement for a translator to solve his case. It was
really amazing. After the session got over the judge talk to us and he gave all the answers of our questions. He
was really good he let my friend and me pause in his robe on his honorable court room chair. It was a really
good day. All of us had fun.
Hina and the Judge
Hina, India
 
Olga S. ‐ Kazakhstan
 
TV station and Courthouse…

I've never been to TV station before and I found it pretty exciting to be there and to participate in the morning show. The most
interesting part for me was to observe how people work with all this equipment, how they prepare - in general, the way they
work. It was something that I would never think of, but I had this brilliant chance to be there.
Later in the day we went to the courthouse as visitors. Even though it was not my first time being there (I went there with my
school's Mock Trial team) I enjoyed listening to different trials and see how it works again. This year I started thinking about
being a lawyer and I must admit that experience that I went through in the courthouse was useful for me.
I enjoyed that day a lot! Thank you,

Olga S., Kazakhstan

 
World Peace Forum
 

Bernie Gerhardt – Columbia Pacific Area Team Volunteer Support Coordinator
 
th
My husband, Paul and I had the wonderful opportunity to attend the “World Peace Forum” one of the events to celebrate the 60 anniversary of AFS.
The forum was held at Columbia University in New York City on October 27, 2007. This forum convened a distinguished group of leaders who are
working toward peace in many different ways. The mission of AFS – USA of working toward a more just and peaceful world, permeated the weekend
th
60 Anniversary AFS activities. It provided a booster shot and impetus for the participants to continue the mission of world peace where they were
planted. Paul and I were able to see the “Big Picture” of AFS which often can be lost on the day to day activities on the local level.

This Big Picture was very evident in the welcome evening reception, on October 26 at the Swedish Consulate General to the United Nations home.
Besides meeting H.E. Ulf Hjertonsson, Consulate General of Sweden and his lovely wife, I met: Judy Weyand- USA
2007 Galatti award winner, Kim Ritrievi – Chair of the USA Board of Trustees, Margaret Crotty-President AFS-USA (
who remembered I missed her visit when she came to Portland), J.Brian Atwood-Chairman of the AFS International
Board of Trustees and other volunteers from around the United States and other nations in the world. This reception
also, was a microcosm of how AFS carries on their mission-world peace.

A memorable event was when Ward Chamberlain, one of the original Ambulance Drivers and AFS Life Trustee
introduced Ken Burns, award winning documentary filmmaker as the lunchtime keynote speaker. Ken thanked Ward
Chamberlain for being his mentor and inspiring him about the mission of AFS. Ward Chamberlain appears in the 2007
“The War” documentary and narrates the story of AFS. Ken related that in doing the documentary on “The War” with its
atrocities, “ It became very clear the importance of Peace.”

It was very powerful to experience a “community of nations” all exploring and walking paths of peace. Margaret Crotty
wrote, “Let us all remember that Peace brings with understanding-a different perspective, a new language, a foreign
custom, an age–old tradition.” Peace.

Bernie Gerhardt, Volunteer Support Coordinator for Columbia/ Pacific Area

Bernie with H.E. Ulf Hjertonsson, Consulate General of
  Sweden to the United Nations at his home in New York.
 WORLDQUEST GLOBAL KNOWLEDGE COMPETITION OR HIGH SCHOOLS
 
WORLD QUEST 2008!
Columbia Gorge AFS Chapter
The Sponsored Program students from the Columbia Gorge Cluster won a trip to the annual CECF conference in Orlando, Florida in February. The girls
were third place behind a cluster from Illinois and a cluster from Texas in the number of presentations given during International Education Month, Nov.
1-30. Our girls gave an average of 11 presentations each to school classes, civic organizations, professional
and church groups and community committees in The Dalles and Hood River. The Civilizations Exchange &
Cooperation Foundation put on an inter-faith conference focused on leadership skill building and learning
about religious diversity. The theme was Better Understanding for a Better World. 43 students from 21
countries visited and examined similarities and differences between the Muslim, Jewish and Christian religions
as well as heard about Buddhist, Hindu and other religions represented. The students took part in the Disney
Y.E.S. Millennium Cultures Experiential Program at Epcot Center and also enjoyed recreational free time at
Disney World Magic Kingdom Theme Park and Hollywood Studios Theme Park. The focus of the four days
was exemplified as this very diverse group of students came together as strangers and departed as close
friends, making connections for peace and better understanding around the world. This was truly an amazing
event.

by Rymmel Lovell, Cluster Coordinator/chaperone

 
Hina ‐ India
 
“The Future of The World Lies in Our Hands”
"I know that my unity with all the people can't be destroyed by national boundaries and governments orders."
This sentence just seems a great statement to all readers that is all, but it has a strong meaning in it if we
really understand. Life is not about having fun and enjoyment; it is about commitments which we all make to
ourselves, our parents, our relatives and so on. But the is one more commitment we all should make is to
make our world a better place to live, where all people treat each other like a part of a same tree, no matter if
it is the fruit, branch or leaves still they all belong to a same tree.

I went to Florida a week before for a conference the conference was about "unity in diversity" it was to teach
us how to be a better leader. Because the future of the world lies in our hands, I understood that our world
needs us. We need to work for it, we need to stand on our feet and make our thoughts in action. I met a
really good example of this thing in Florida.

I met an exchange student from Afghanistan, in the conference he told all the people about his live, his childhood etc. There wasn't a single person in
the conference who was not thrilled by his speech. He is a real good example of making your work in action. He started a project through which he
collected money about 20, 000$ for a public library in his society it is such a good work. He remind me "United we stand; divided we fall."

There were Forty-three students in the conference from Twenty-one different countries. We all lived together in a hotel for five days and within those five
days we all got real close to each other. Without any discrimination of countries and religion, we went to all different religious places and we all
respected each other believes and differences. This is a full example of "The powerful light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth." We had lots
of fun together and at the day when we all were coming back you could see tears in everybody's eyes. But we are united and we are friends forever and
we keep in touch now.

I end up my article by saying" Peace in something we build", so work for it.

Hina, India
 
TINA LEE – WORLDQUEST COACH – 2001 AFS RETURNEE FROM ARGENTINA
Which of the following countries is NOT a member of the European Union?

Is it:
A. Norway B. Romania C. Bulgaria D. Czech Republic

If you answered A, then you should coach World Quest next spring. If you didn’t, that’s alright because the question wasn’t meant to be easy. Whether
you are a walking encyclopedia or an average American recluse, you should think about coaching our competitive team of eight brilliant minds. And
more than eight world mavens you shall meet (I promise you you’ll start kissing the path treaded by your fellow coaches and volunteers by the
tournament’s end). This year, I am joined by Jackie, Soloman, and Russ to coach our amazing group of kids, Costanza, Margaux, Guillaume, Faten,
Danial, Adam, Irem, and Olga S. AFS representation doesn’t stop here though. We were joined later at the World Quest tournament by fellow AFSers
th nd
Olga T and Hina representing their school teams. AFS teams placed impressively at 15 and 22 out of 41 teams from the region’s schools. The five-
hour event comprises of ten questions on more than a dozen topics that change every year and range from war crimes to economics.
How our kids did on the aforementioned question? They smiled knowingly on this one. Once prompted to respond, they blurted out in synchrony,
“Norway!” with Guillaume adding, “You need to have more questions like this!”
Tina Lee
 SUAD ‐ GHANA
My CECF Conference Experience…
The civilization Exchange and Cooperation Foundation conference is one of the experiences I
would never forget in my life. The goal of the conference was to foster cooperation among
different religions and cultures. In order to achieve this goal the conference consisted of 43
high school students from 21 different countries. It was a very diverse conference and I learnt
a lot from it because I made friends from 21 different countries and even some countries that
I’ve never heard of before.
In the religious aspect of the conference, we visited a mosque and an Imam gave a
presentation about Islam. We got to ask him questions about Islam and at the end we
understood more about the religion. We also visited a synagogue which is a worship place for
the Jews. We met a Rabi who talked to us about their beliefs, and the way they worship and
then we visited a church and a Reverend talked to us about Christianity. After all these visits,
we had an Imam, a Rabi and a Reverend all sit down at one place for we the students to ask
them questions, they made discussions about their similarities and differences. I thought it
was very interesting because never in my life have I thought I would ever visit a synagogue or
learn about the Jewish religion. At the end of the day I realized that at least all these religions
have something in common which is they all want peace in the world and that is what we the youth should try to promote in future.
On the main conference day, there were a lot of presentations which talked about stereotyping and its effects, students from Egypt, India, Ukraine,
Serbia and Ghana (I) made presentations about our countries which was very educating, there was also a presentation about showing leadership among
the youth and how the youth can promote peace in the world. This session was very inspirational because the one who made the presentation used her
own life to make it. She talked about how she reached where she is now. We made a discussion about leaders and heroes of the world and the most
inspirational part was that we did a SWOT analysis of ourselves and with this I realized who I really am because I thought about my strength and my
weaknesses, my opportunities and my threats. In the end, I realized I can be a leader at any place I found myself and I told her I want to be a hero to the
world.
On the last day of the conference there was a banquet and then a social worker gave a speech about how we should learn about different countries
and not our country only. She talked to us about the number of countries she has visited and I was very impressed. She has traveled to almost every
continent before. She talked about how it felt like and I felt I would also travel to a lot of countries in order to experience what she has experienced. After
her speech there was a presentation by a student from Afghanistan who talked about his country, he talked about how the war affected his country and
the situation the country is in now. He talked about his project to build a library in his community and how organizations here are helping him do that and
that the project has already started. I realized his parents and his community would be proud of him. I also felt like doing something for my country too.
Since I came back from the conference I have just being thinking about what I can also do for my country.
The most fun and amazing part of the conference I thought was Disneyworld. The place is so amazing. I was really surprised and amazed by what I
saw and having so much fun in just four days. The rides, the fireworks and the beauty of the place were all something different to me. I thought what
made it a lot more fun is the fact that we were with students who were from different parts of the world, and whom this is also a new experience for them.
And so we all had something in common. I know my CECF conference and the time I spent in Disneyworld will always be a memorable part of my life
because I never imagined being a part of such a fun and inspirational event.
To me this was an experience of a lifetime and I would never forget it.
 
Suad, Ghana
 
WorldQuest 2008 Thank You!
 
A BIG THANK YOU!...
A big thank you goes out to our great coaching staff : Tina Lee, AFS returnee summer program to
Argentina 2001 willingly gave of her time even though she is in the middle of studying for her GMAT;
Solomon Arthur; AFS returnee from Ghana to Denmark, 2000 (currently spending interim year between
college and grad school, living with Bernice Schuchardt (who hosted his sister in 2001) Jackie Freni-
Rothschild, many-time host mom and natural parent of double-dipper, Sarah; (Jackie and Keith are
hosting Costanza this year;) and Russ Burns, also a former host Dad who plans to host again this
coming year (and he's already volunteered to coach the team next year!) Many, many thanks to them for
all the time and effort they put in working with the students. Thanks also go to the host families who
hosted the practices, and did all the carpooling. This was a great event for Columbia Pacific AFS
students and good exposure for AFS in the Portland International community. Thanks to all who made it
happen!

 
RETURNEE NEWS

Those of us at AFS Columbia Pacific are always interested to hear from our recent returnees. If you want to share your story,
become a volunteer or just reconnect through an AFS social event, contact Lynette Ledgerwood returnees@afscp.com or
Sally Ann Wells sawells@teleport.com or visit the local website www.afscp.com for more information.

 
 Eric Quist – 1981 Returnee to Tunisia
 
Tunisia – Summer of 1981
As I negotiated the turn-styles at the Great Falls, Montana airport looking back at my weeping mother, all I
could feel was a great rush of adventure and freedom. This was only my third time flying and I was to expect
eighteen hours ahead spent in various airplanes flown by no less than four airlines. This trip was to prove
many firsts in my life.

For a small-town 17-year-old who had never been east of Montana, New York city could have been my final
destination with it’s own richness of culture. CW Post Center on Long Island prepared me for the long journey
ahead. No less than two days were spent at each of the stops along the way: Casablanca for a long layover,
Tunis for orientation at La Maison de Jeunes in the ancient Roman city of Carthage. After numerous trains,
planes and taxis, and a week after leaving home, I was with my family in M’Saken, Tunisia, not the final stop. Teboulba, on the coast was to be my
home for my summer stay.

After two weeks of “getting somewhere” I was used to change, however, one thing still amazed me: I was there! Walking down the street in this small
town where I was “the American”, fare skin and blond, I couldn’t get used to the constant smell of Peugeot diesel pick-ups, the sound of Arabic, the waft
of every kind of imaginable food smell some of which I have not smelled together since.

My host family was comprised of eight children, two girls and six boys. Since this was a summer stay, no one in the family had any outside
responsibilities such as work or school, so I got to know each one as well as I could. I had a couple of years of High School French to work with, some
Arabic language (general etiquette), but most Tunisians under a certain age are tri-lingual, that is, they speak Arabic, French and English (in order of
fluency, generally). My host brother, Houcem, was two years my senior and spoke English reasonably well, better than my French. He was also the
family member who applied to AFS to become a host family. As a result, I spent most of my time with him.

Time passed after my return. I was not in touch with my host family for 20 years until recently. I have written them and spoken to a couple of host
brothers on the telephone. I plan to visit them all again someday soon.

One thing I would recommend to everyone participating in any AFS program is to keep a journal of the experience. Twenty-seven years later, I have a
glimpse into who I was back then. I cannot only relive that summer, but I can also discover new memories or gain new understandings of who I am
today.

I have AFS to thank for my experience, without whom I would not have attained such an enrichment the breadth of which surpassed my expectations of
both knowledge and understanding of another culture. I can say this event lives today in my politics and in my compassion for others both near and far.

Eric Quist, USA

Lindsay Jonasson – 2002 Returnee to Argentina 
 
Argentina 2002…
On my first night in Argentina, I called my host cousin a penis. (Unbeknownst to me, her nickname
was a single, fatal vowel away from one of many Spanish words for the offending anatomical feature.)
Looking back, the linguistic blunder marked the beginning of a month of pivotal encounters that fed the
emerging political and social awareness that has since become central to my life. It was the summer of
2002, just months after Argentina's economic crash, and AFS had placed me, along with five other young
women, at the foot of the Andes in the city of Mendoza. We each lived with our own host family and, as part
of the community service program, spent much of our time volunteering. Because I had grown up in a
relatively wealthy, sheltered environment, the work we did with poor and homeless youth in marginalized
urban neighborhoods was my first tangible experience of intense poverty. As I was forced to confront my
own privilege, I was also becoming more aware of my identity as a U.S. citizen asked to answer for the actions of my government. I vividly remember a
conversation I had with my host cousin, talking late into the night, about the U.S. bombings of Afghanistan that followed September 11th – and the
inadequacy I felt when I realized how little I knew about atrocities in which my citizenship implicated me. The general goodwill and compassion with
which I had entered the trip were evolving into a specific sense of my own location in the world and the social responsibilities that should accompany
privilege.

Almost six years have passed since I traveled to Argentina with AFS. After graduating from high school, I went on to major in Gender Studies
and Politics at Pomona College in southern California. I spent a semester backpacking in Latin America, attempting to learn outside of the classroom,
and ended up putting down roots in a community in Nicaragua through another home-stay experience. I wrote my senior thesis on field research I
conducted on the sexual and reproductive health needs of adolescents in the same community, with the intent of promoting programs and services to
guarantee their rights. I am currently involved with a small nonprofit organization called ATRAVES that works across borders to connect Nicaraguans
engaged in social justice projects in their own communities with increased resources.

Since my experiences with AFS in Argentina, I have come to believe that international exchange programs can be tools of social justice to the
extent that they create networks of solidarity which lay the foundation for collaborative struggle toward common political goals. A broadened global
perspective challenges us, as consumers and voters in the United States, to be mindful of our own participation in systems that perpetuate inequality
and violence around the world. International tourism is too often voyeuristic and exploitative, but I think that international exchange programs have the
potential to contribute to making change toward a more peaceful and equal world. I am grateful to AFS for providing me with the opportunity to expand
my own political and social consciousness through travel and service.

Lindsay Jonasson, USA

 VOLUNTEER NEWS/DEVELOPMENT
Catch the Wave for National
Volunteer Week
National Volunteer Week 2008 is April 27
through May 3. This is an incredible
opportunity for us to celebrate our
wonderful volunteers and focus on
recruiting new volunteers. If you would like
to help us promote AFS Volunteer
recognition and look for new ways to recruit
local volunteers, please be in touch with
any of the Area Team or local leaders.
www.afscp.com will have additional
information available.
Recruiting young volunteers
Creating an on-line networking group for
your team is a great way to get young
volunteers interested and involved.
Research shows that young people are not
apathetic to volunteerism and civic
engagement. In fact they're already
involved on the web. Follow the link below
to read the article "Youth as E-Citizens" and
take a guided tour of websites frequented
by youth.
http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/ec
itizens/index.htm
Our own James Spears has created an on-
line networking opportunity for volunteers,
families and returnees, as well as our
hosted students (only after they return
home.) Check out the Col Pac Social
Network!
http://www.afscp.com/socialnetwork.htm
l
Volunteer Opportunities and
Information
AFS-Columbia Pacific has lots of ways to
involve new volunteers. If you have 10
hours a month or 10 hours a year to spare,
we have room for you. The more the
merrier!
*** VOLUNTEER REGISTRATION ***
 
VOLUNTEER REGISTRATION
  All of our Volunteers must register with AFS-USA
  and be approved by a local Area Team member.
And beginning this year, volunteers will now need to
 submit to an annual background check – you will be
  automatically notified. This is for the safety of our
  Volunteers and participants. The process is simple
  and does not require much time. The safety of our
AFS students is paramount to us. To register as a
  volunteer, go to www.usa.afs.org. Click on
  “Volunteer with AFS” then click on “Submit Your
  Application Online by Going here to the Volunteer
Online Application.”
Volunteer Positions feedback from the participants. As well,
many of these orientations require a set-up
crew, cooks and a cleaning crew, so even if
School presenter/school representative:
Working with our schools is one of the most you are not interested in being a group
important positions an AFS volunteer can facilitator, there are plenty of jobs needing
have. Without our schools, we would not to be accomplished at our orientations.
send or host any students. Throughout the
year school presentations help to draw Student/Family liaison: Each hosted
students to the benefits of undertaking an student and his/her family is assigned a
AFS experience. As well, these liaison. These liaisons work as a link
presentations open up students’ minds to between the hosted student, the host family
the idea of hosting an international student and the host school. The liaison is available
in their home, something they can then for advice (support) on adjusting to various
discuss with their parents. situations that may arise during the
exchange experience and/or as a resource
Sending interviewer: Columbia Pacific is in AFS policy and procedure.
looking to increase our sending numbers
and we need new volunteers involved to Community Volunteer: Each
cluster/chapter/area of Columbia Pacific
make that happen. We currently send
needs additional volunteers to help with
around 30 students each year and would
various small tasks throughout the year;
like to increase that significantly. Each one
from helping at arrival and departures to
of these students must have an at-home
coordinating a small AFS get-together,
personal interview. We are continuously
chaperoning field trips or volunteering for a
looking for volunteers interested in talking
completely new activity, our Community
with our prospective students and their
Volunteers are the backbone of our
families to ensure they have the necessary
success.
information about the exchange process
and to make sure they are the right
For further information on any of these
candidates for an AFS experience.
positions or for other volunteer
opportunities, please contact Sally Ann
Host Family interviewer: Similar to that of
Wells sawells@teleport.com or go to the
a sending interviewer, the host family
following website to begin the volunteer
interviewer conducts in-home interviews of
registration process.
potential families applying to host our
http://www.usa.afs.org/usa_en/focus_on/
international students. The interviewer is
volunteer
also a resource for these families regarding
AFS policies and procedures. Training and
tag-along interviews are available!
Orientation facilitator/volunteer: A
minimum of ten orientations occur each
year between our American students, our
International students and our host families.
The orientations require volunteers to
facilitate small group sessions of 5 to 15
people. The facilitator works as a guide,
giving out information but also requesting
END OF STAY PICNIC
END OF STAY PICNIC
When: Sunday, June 22
Where: Oaks Park
Time: 2:00 PM until close
Who is Invited: All AFSers, Host Families (new and old), Returnees,
Liaisons, and all AFS friends.
What to Bring: This is a potluck so bring your favorite food to share.
AFS will provide Pepsi and bottle water as we are not allowed to bring in
outside drinks…an Oaks Park rule.
For more information contact Bernice Schuchardt (503) 775-4161 or Ron
Combs (503) 777-8117.
Please RSVP…this means you should contact Bernice or Ron to let us
know if you plan to attend.
 Student and Hosts Reconnect
AFS Student and Hosts Reconnect After Ten Years…
In 1998 Marissia from Costa Rica, was hosted by John and Barbara Rogers of Amboy, WA. In January of 2008 they
were able to reconnect when John and Barbara traveled to Central America. After a few days in San Jose meeting
Marissia's friends and celebrating her birthday, they traveled to Santa Cruz where they met and were extensively
hosted by Marissia's family. Marissia is employed by the Costa Rican Government in the office of the Minister of
International Affairs. Barbara has been an active AFS volunteer since 1976.

 
CLUSTER‐CHAPTER  NEWS  /  UPCOMING EVENTS 

Notes from a Host Mom

I grew up with an English Major, and I’m not referring to a member of Her Majesty’s Army. As a child, I would have liked to express my oral creativity
through flamboyant use of slang and vulgar jargon, but it was not allowed in our house. While my friends were practicing their prowess with ain’t, all y’all,
Pig Latin, and various profanities, I was learning the difference between uninterested and disinterested - in more ways than one. As a result, for many
years I harbored a secret rebellion that looked for opportunity to express itself. I found a harmless outlet several years ago, and made an exciting
discovery at the same time. I learned that having a foreign exchange student living in the house is like having a blank slate on which to establish a new
form of English.

Consider Anna from Moscow, for example. Although she was very intelligent, and had studied English for nine years before coming to Oregon, the
American dialect was a problem for her. Several weeks into her stay, she was still struggling to understand our particular vernacular, and was completely
unacquainted with our slang. "Aha! I see an open door!" I said to myself. Anna had a lovely shape - one that would rival Barbie. But, like many teenage
girls, she worried about her "thicker" areas. Seizing my opportunity, I taught her that thighs were commonly referred to as "chunk-chunks", and that she
should assign the name "flubber" to her behind. After that, it was hard to suppress a giggle when she would ask if her flubber looked big in a pair of
shorts she was wearing, or if her chunk-chunks were too big in a bathing suit.

Then there was Miko from Japan. She arrived armed with only one year of college-level English. She was an easy target, but only here for six weeks.
She was so unfamiliar with spoken English that she never knew what was being said, even if we were speaking proper English. In an attempt to help
her, I condensed the language whenever I could. For example, before she went home, I asked her if she had enjoyed her stay with us. "Yes, but I don’t
like camping," was her reply. Camping - as I defined it for her - meant riding on the back of a quad on the dunes at the beach.

Adriano, from Italy, was not so easily led astray. He, like Anna, had to adjust to our dialect, but Adriano had a more solid foundation in the language to
begin with. He was also more intuitive. Even so, he went back home with an "enriched" vocabulary. When he would say "Hey Mom, I only have one
more pair of clean panties," I knew it was time to wash his clothes (or clo-this as Anna would say). If he said, "The Dolly and her toys are rolling up the
driveway," I knew that my daughter and her children were coming. He learned that "Wally" is a more polite version of "Dork", and food that you don’t like
is "pook-n-ick". I purchased disposable razors for him, so that he could "scrape" his face each morning, and he would often help me "download" the
groceries from the car. When he was ready to retire at night, he would inform my husband and me that he was going to "wash his tooth and get on the
bed."

All these experiences, with exchange students, were rewarding, both linguistically and relationally speaking. I can’t help thinking that each of them are
now teaching "my" version of English to friends and relatives in their respective parts of the world. Although I have accumulated a fairly extensive
collection of words and alternate meanings, I’m not certain that Webster’s would be willing to include any of them in their publications......yet. So, until
they do, I will continue to warp the English of unsuspecting visitors. Hmmm, I wonder if there are any students needing homes this summer?

Rebecca Geary, Host Mom

SOUTHEAST CLUSTER NEWS – Bernice Schuchardt 
 
SEATTLE TRIP…In March or April?

Let’s talk about this trip at the next Cluster Meeting. So far Elisa and Niklas have signed up. We will leave Portland early on Saturday morning by train;
arrive in Seattle around noon; visit the Space Needle and Pike’s Marketplace, and go to dinner. On Sunday, we will have a complimentary breakfast at
the hotel, take our bags to the train station, then do the Seattle Underground Tour, visit a large oriental store and catch a late afternoon train back to
Portland. Your cost will be the train ticked (approx. $65), dinner and something to eat at the Oriental Market. I will need to know the headcount soon, so
I can make reservations.

IT’S A SMALL WORLD

In the last newsletter, I submitted an article entitled "A Sad Message From Bernice," regarding the death of my son-in-law, Bill "BJ" Fisher. Shortly after
the paper came out, I received an e-mail from Kelly Hanson, host mom to Valentina from Italy. Kelly read the article and told me that she and my
daughter and son-in-law had attended the same church here in Portland, that husband, Dean, and my son-in-law had volunteered together at the
church, and that they had lost contact with each other when my daughter and family moved to Redmond, Oregon. I forwarded Kelly's message to my
daughter, who was thrilled to again be in contact with the Hanson’s. The Hanson’s are in my SE Cluster, I interviewed them and had no idea they were
friends of my daughter.
ENTERTAINMENT BOOKS
I have ordered 60 Entertainment Books for 2009. The books will arrive around the first of August, so remember to call Bernice and have her reserve a
book (or books). The 2008 book was $20, and I will be notified in June if the price will remain the same. Watch for the 2009 price in this newsletter.
(503) 775-4161

EVENT FORESTERS BLOOMING BINGO

Come join us for a blooming bingo May 2,2008. We play bingo for flowers it's free to all. All we ask is for you to bring your favorite dessert to share.
Where Our Lady of Sorrows Church at 52nd and Woodstock SE When May 2nd 2008 Time 6:00 PM. I need students to help hand out flowers to the
winners. If you would like to help or need more INFO let Ron Combs know (503) 314-5243
 
Vancouver / Battle Ground CHAPTER NEWS 
 
AFS Vancouver / Battle Ground Fundraiser…
AFS supporters from far and wide turned out at the Vancouver Hilton Saturday, March 8 to attend a fundraising dinner and
silent auction to raise about $2,200 for the Vancouver/Battle Ground chapter.

Robert Dodd, a former ambulance driver in the Burma Theater during WWII, spoke to the guests and then led the group in
some rousing tunes of the era.

Mary Sisson, a longtime volunteer, delighted the crowd of 65 with her recollections of her AFS family and how it’s grown over
the years. She introduced each of the chapter’s current exchange students and teachers. Visiting Teachers Liguo Wang and
Tong Tong Gao each talked about their experiences with gratitude for the personal growth and support that AFS has given
them. They sang a beautiful duet in Mandarin. Gui Almeida (Brazil) and Ruben Neuroth (Austria) each gave wonderful talks
about the similarities and differences between their own native culture and their adopted U.S. culture. Catarina De Filippo
(Italy) sang a pop song in her native language, and Carlos Samayoa Arias (Mexico) performed a bolero, “Contigo en la
Distancia,” on the piano. Wearing a beautiful red floral costume, Viviana Vargas Sazo (Chile) danced a folk dance that celebrates her country’s
Independence Day. She appeared later in the presentation to perform a belly dance. Through her blending of cultures through dance, Viviana truly
captured the spirit of global peace and understanding that is AFS.

Lorraine Leedy

UPCOMING EVENTS AND STUFF
MAY 17TH ORIENTATION
This is a REQUIRED event for all AFS, YES, and FLEX students. Location: 805 Columbia Ridge Drive, Vancouver, WA in the Fellowship Hall. Email
Ron Combs if you have any questions. r1p2combs@aol.com

AFS T-SHIRTS AND CD’S

AFS T-Shirts and CD’s for the 07-08 host season are available for host family and students. Students shirts and CD’s will be free. All others will pay
$5.00 for shirts. CD’s will be free to all through Ron Combs. If you are interested in one or both please call Ron (503) 777-8117 or email
r1p2combs3@aol.com. Please provide shirt size. The shirts will be distributed on departure day.

SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL IN ASHLAND – May 3, 4, 5 2008

The Ashland trip to see the Shakespeare Festival takes place the first week of May. We leave on a Saturday and return on a Monday. Upon arriving
Saturday, we will have a free afternoon to enjoy the town and then will have dinner together at a Chinese restaurant. We have been staying at The Plaza
Inn and Suites at Ashland Creek, only three blocks from the theater, which has wonderful free continental breakfasts and snack times.
On Sunday, we will see two plays. We will leave early Monday for home and stop for lunch on the way. This trip has been a great success with those
who have gone the past four years and is open to AFS students. We are limiting the trip to the first 25 people to sign up.

The costs are as follows.

• Tickets for 2 plays $72.00 • On your own lunch for Sunday and Monday $14.00 approximately
• Transportation $20.00 • Hotel for 2 nights $100.00
• Saturday dinner $20.00

Total cost approximately $226.00 Per Person

FOR AFS STUDENTS THE COST WILL ONLY BE $120.00

To register for this trip you will need to fill out a registration form available on line or e-mail Ron Combs r1p2combs3@aol.com and include a $60.00
th
non-refundable deposit make all checks to Ron Combs. Ron Combs will coordinate the trip. His address and e-mail is: Ronald Combs 2134 SE 60 Ave
Portland, Oregon 97215-4072 E-Mail r1p2combs3@aol.com Phone 503-314-5243

JUNE 29 STUDENT DEPARTURE 500 p.m. at Lents Park

Students must be at the Lents Park drop off point between 5:00 & 5:30 PM.
For directions to Lents Park contact Ron Combs r1p2combs3@aol.com
   
  The Calendar 
MARCH or   
APRIL  SEATTLE TRIP – Contact Bernice if interested (503) 775‐4161 
MAY 2  FORESTERS BLOOMING BINGO – 6 PM Our Lady of Sorrows Church – Contact Ron Combs (503) 314‐
5243 
  ASHLAND SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL –Optional activity EARLY SIGN‐UP REQUIRED – Contact: Ron 
MAY 3 – 5  Combs (503) 314‐5243 
MAY 17  PRE‐RETURN ORIENTATION – REQUIRED ACTIVITY FOR ALL – Contact: Ron Combs (503) 314‐5243 
MAY 19  Newsletter Articles Due – Contact Tami Spears   tami@spearsintl.com  
JUNE  1  7TH ANNUAL AFS DAY AT THE ZOO 
JUNE  7  GRAND FLORAL PARADE 
JUNE  22  END OF STAY PICNIC – Oaks Park, 2:00 PM, RSVP to Bernice Schuchard (503) 775‐4161 or Ron Combs 
(503) 777‐8117 
JUNE 29  END OF STAY 
AUG 13 ‐ 15  ARRIVALS 
AUG 16  ARRIVAL ORIENTATION 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FG
Help keep our costs down so we can use our fundraising money for cultural 
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the website www.AFScp.com .  For now you can email me at 
tami@spearsintl.com.  
Peace, 
Tami 
ED
 
 

AFS 
COLUMBIA 
PACIFIC 
Tami Spears 
1025 NE Irvine St. 
McMinnville, OR 97128 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
HELP KEEP OUR COSTS DOWN…  
Switch to Receive the Newsletter  
Electronically!  
 
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E-Mail: Tami Spears tami@spearsintl.com  
 
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E-Mail: Ron Combs r1p2combs3@aol.com  
 
For more information and for our newsletter  
archive, visit the Columbia-Pacific website at  
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