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Inbound exchanges consist of a visiting club coming to you; members of your
club will host the visitors for one week. Both clubs will participate in some
events; at other times, the individual host family and/or day host will spend
time with their guests, showing them the culture and lifestyle of their country.
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Outbound
Exchanges
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Outbound exchanges usually consist of one club visiting another club
for one to three weeks of homestay (one week with each club) in another
country, living with people in the host club. The homestays may be
followed by an optional tour. Groups are from 10-40 people, with 20 being
an average.
See the article in a recent
AARP Magazine: Real Deal
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| Dallas Exchanges
for 2008
 | Inbound from
Kempsey, Australia - May, 2008. |
UPDATE 1/21: Kempsey has canceled due to lack
of participation.
| Outbound to
Turrialba, Costa Rica - October 7-14, 2008, for one week homestay and one week
tour. There is a very high interest in this
exchange because it is a joint exchange with Austin and the number of places is limited. Ray Enstam is the Exchange Director. Click here
for more
information. |
UPDATE: This exchange is full; contact Ray to be
on the waiting list. UPDATE from Ray -
8/22/08:
To all Costa
Rica participants
I just got my copy of the second quarter Friendship
Magazine and on page 8 there is a story entitled "Learning the Tico Way"
regarding the education exchange to Costa Rica that John Whaley told us about at the
monthly meeting several months ago. John's picture is on the upper right of
the page. "Tico" is a word that the Costa Ricans use to refer to
themselves. Turrialba is in the central plateau so hopefully we won't have the
temperatures the article refers to!
We are now down to a month and a half to departure and
all seems in order. Remember we have a pre-exchange meeting Saturday
morning Sept 6 at 9:30 at the house of Paula and edward. (I'll remind you
again!).
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Outbound Inter-club
Exchange to Harrisburg, PA - July 1-7, 2008. Cost: $100 (get there on your own).
We enjoyed a fun
time of sightseeing - visiting
the state capital and governor's home in
Harrisburg; Hershey and the Amish country around Lancaster
and Gettysburg; and enjoying a special 4th of July program on their
waterfront. This exchange had 16 people participate. Frits
Andeweg was the Exchange Director.
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Travel plans were the responsibility of each person since many people drove. Many
participants incorporated family visits and sightseeing into this trip. The website www.Virginia.org
is an excellent website for all of Virginia.
A reciprocal inbound
exchange from Harrisburg is pending for a later date.
Frits will present a short report (with photos) on the exchange at the September 14th
meeting.
See photos.
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Costa Rica
Humanitarian Trip
Club member John Whaley joined a Friendship Force International exchange  to Costa Rica in March. The group traveled to tiny Brasilito on the Pacific coast where they
brought school supplies and taught English for the town's
school of 150 kids. The school has very few resources and needs a computer and photocopier. The group hopes to raise funds
to provide these as well. Our club has donated $250 to purchase equipment.
If you would like also to donate to the equipment fund, you can send a tax deductible check made payable to Friendship Force International, 233 Peachtree St., Suite 2250, Atlanta, GA 30303 attn: Ana Smulski. John
will tell of his adventures at the June club meeting. Three photos from the school are
shown here.
UPDATE: This letter was received June 14 -
Dear Wendy:
Thank you and the Friendship Force of Dallas for your contribution of $250 to the Costa
Rica Humanitarian School Fund through Friendship Force Internaponal.
Your commitment to assist the local school in the village of Brasilito with needed
teaching aids, books, student supplies, clothing, computers and equipment is sincerely
appreciated. We're excited about the vast array of new opportunities our members have for
changing the way they see the world through the perspective of understanding and respect
between people as a result of personal connection through the "force of
friendship."
Again, thank you for endorsing this grand vision, and then working with us to make it a
reality.
In friendship,
George T. Brown, Jr.
President
UPDATE: See the article on this exchange in the Second Quarter 2008 issue of Friendship
Magazine.
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Exchanges
for 2009
On January 21, 2008 the
Dallas Board approved assignments for 2009 international exchanges and
arrangements for a domestic exchange:
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April 24-30, 2009 inbound
exchange from San Francisco - accepted; Dale Klosterman, ED and Hilda Klosterman assistant ED
(They will visit San Antonio 4/19-24.) |
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Outbound Exchange to Sibiu, Romania - Late May or early
June (Dallas has a firm invitation to this newer club for late May or early June, 2009, but a firm date can not be determined until early January.)
- Ed Edgren, Exchange Director. |
Tentative plans include a home stay in Sibiu (to coincide with the Performing Arts Festival),
Bucharest, Brasov, and 2-4 days of touring. We will also visit Brasov, but as part of a week long add-on tour. Please contact
Ed for a brief 20 minute overview meeting after the Dallas FF dinner meeting September 14. Costs will not be known until later this year depending on numbers committed to going. Ed will give notice when reservations will be taken.
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Sacramento CA Inter-club Exchange -
Early August, 2009 - Need ED
We need a volunteer Exchange Director for a domestic exchange to Sacramento, CA next August. With only one city it is thought members may want to also visit Reno or San Francisco in small groups before or after. Guidance and overview for a new ED will be provided by Ray Enstam and Ed Edgren. Please contact
Ed Edgren by Wednesday, September 10, if you would like to participate and he will arrange a group meeting if there is sufficient
interest.
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Inbound
exchange from Taupo, New Zealand - November 11-18, 2009 (tentative dates) -
accepted. We need an Exchange Director; contact Ed Edgren ASAP. Peggy and Ken are planning to spend most of next year traveling the US in their RV. To replace them during this period, we will need
an ED for the Taupo, NZ inbound exchange. This position needs to be filled right away. |
In addition, plans are
pending for:
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Inbound inter-club exchange from Harrisburg, PA - accepted;
tentatively late April 2010 ; ED TBA |
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Outbound to San Francisco - date and ED TBA |
The 2009 Southwest Conference
will be hosted by Dallas February 6-8. See the next section.
Two of our members will lead special national
exchanges in 2009 with plans still pending:
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Ray Enstam will be ED for a Spanish language school
experience with homestay in Bogota, Columbia in fall 2009. |
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Teresa Wilkin will be ED for a Discover China
trip (similar to one this year) with homestay in Nanjing in summer 2009. |
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 Southwest
Conference 2009
Dallas hosts the next Southwest Conference. Dates have been set for
the weekend of February 6, 7, 8, 2009 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in
Dallas. Planning has already begun. Any members wishing to volunteer can
contact Wendy Whaley. Flyers and registration forms will be
sent out this fall.
What:
Friendship
Force SW Regional Conference Dallas Club is hosting the best conference ever!
See
how we can put into practice FFI goals to
Explore •
Understand •
Serve
Friday: Meet new
friends and renew friendships from the ten clubs in our Southwest Conference in our
Hospitality suite with private patio. Attend
small group dinners at area restaurants hosted by FF Dallas members
Saturday: Attend
buffet breakfast, hear speakers, FFI representative, morning workshops; see club displays,
have lunch, attend afternoon workshops and SW Club reports, enjoy social hour, evening
banquet and entertainment. (Three meals and parties
included in the fee!)
Sunday:
Attend optional
buffet breakfast and say farewells in our Hospitality suite. Host and/or participate in
one-day post-conference home stay
When: Friday - Sunday, February 6-8,
2009
Where:
Crowne Plaza Hotel North Dallas-Addison
14315
Midway Road, Dallas, TX 75244. 972-980-8877
website:
http://cpgalleria-nr.crowneplaza.com
Hotel rate $79+tax
Fee:
$90
Registrations
received by December 31, 2008 pay $90 (regular
rate). Registrations received after December 31 pay $100 ($10 late fee).
Mail your registration form with check or money order
payable to Friendship Force of Dallas to FF SW
Conference, c/o
Edward Perez
,
9511 Liptonshire Dr., Dallas, TX 75238.
Once we process your registration, we will send you a
confirmation per your selection.
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Past
Exchanges, International Conferences and Southwest Conferences
See this page just for past
events.
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Open
Doors Weekends
The "Open Doors Southwest" concept is underway.
Each club in the Friendship Force Southwest Conference has agreed to home
host members of other SW Conference clubs for a 3-day weekend. The weekend may be chosen to coincide with a
special event in the host club's city.
The Fort Worth club hosted the first Fort Worth event on September 17-19,
2004 for a weekend of Jazz on the
Boulevard and the Latin Arts festival. Jazz on the Boulevard is a free event on the lawn north of the Will Rogers Complex and includes free concerts.
Many excellent jazz musicians performed and two tours were also offered.
These events added options
for the weekend visitors.
Two
Open Door Events were scheduled for September and November of 2007 in Fort Worth and Oklahoma City. Please see Open Doors Events on the Events page.
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Other
Club Exchanges and Festivals
You many join an outbound exchange from any other club from your
country. Click on this title for a list of exchanges you may join. Also
listed are missions, festivals, and other hosting opportunities. Go to
the Other Clubs page to see where you can
go!
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Recruiting for Exchanges
From Lauren Tepley, Communications Coordinator, Friendship Force International
There are two questions club leaders always seem to ask:
How can we get new members?
How can we fill our exchanges?
FFI has worked with experienced volunteers to develop answers to these questions, answers that are practical and based on proven results. The
purpose of the World Exchange Recruiter program is to begin to give concrete
steps to expand membership AND fill exchanges. The goal is to fill 200 spaces on exchanges through the World Exchange
Recruiters and connect with 300 hosts in the Friendship Force community.
How? World Exchange Recruiters will:
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Be up-to-date on all upcoming exchanges |
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Actively recruit members from within their club to travel with other
clubs |
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Be responsible for distributing the monthly on-line FFI e-flyer to all
members |
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Be the contact for new and current members to discuss all exchange opportunities available in the United States |
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Promote all outbound US exchanges in whatever way your club authorizes |
FF World Exchange Recruiter
Want the early scoop on upcoming FF exchanges? Want to help get these exchanges
filled so friendships can be formed around the world? Below is information on
a new program that FFI is starting. If you are interested in becoming FF
Dallas' "World Exchange Recruiter," contact Paula Rose at paularose2000@hotmail.com.
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Conversation
Partners
For those wishing to volunteer to be a conversation partner in
English to those from other countries who wish to practice, consider
these opportunities:
| Volunteers are needed for an hour a week with Richland
students taking English as their second language. Wed/Thurs from
12:30 - 1:30 at Richland College. Call 972-761-6743 for details. |
| Volunteers who do not
speak Spanish are needed in Spain to be English speaking partners to
Spaniards sent by their companies to Englishtown (Pueblo Ingles). These are
one-week programs. As a conversation partner volunteer you are responsible for getting to
Madrid (you are transported from there), but your hotel and meal expenses are paid while you are
at Pueblo Ingles. See www.vaughanvillage.com. |
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| Travel
Insurance
Please continue to use Travel Guard Travel Insurance as your preferred travel insurance provider if you are traveling on a USA outbound exchange. The policy is available online at
www.travelguard.com. Click on the agentlink box in the top right hand corner and enter the number
122525. Click on the products tab at the top of the page and select your state of residence. Or call 1-800-826-7489 giving them the same number to identify yourself as a Friendship Force member. You can use this insurance for all Friendship Force travel or your own personal travel too.
Be sure to get insurance that pays for your return to the U.S. in case
you need to come home.
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Mentoring an Egyptian Student
The following is passed on from Jeana Remington, Associate Dean, International Education -
posted 7/25/08. If you might be interested, please contact Noeli Biggs at address below..
The Dallas County Community College District and Richland College are participating in a program called
Community College Initiative Egypt.
Twenty-two students from Egypt will be converging on Richland, Brookhaven and El Centro for a 12 month cultural and educational experience through Community Colleges for International Development and the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State.
This program provides a study abroad opportunity for Egyptian students who would otherwise be unable to afford a U.S. educational experience.
Would you be interested in providing a service to these students by serving as a mentor family? The
following document provides more details. It is possible, and in some ways preferable, to mentor two students. And, of course, there are many ways to define "family." Noeli Biggs and I would love to have you join us in this experience. Please contact Noeli by email
noelibiggs@dcccd.edu to get involved.
Mentor Families for Egyptian Students
Mentor families should assist students with their transition to living and studying in the United States. Students will stay with the mentor family for the first two weekends of the program, August 9-10 and August 16-17 and will participate in one activity per week for the first two weeks on-campus. The student will not live with the mentor family, with the exception of holidays/breaks when invited.
The relationship formed during the initial weeks will continue throughout the year. Mentor families will become a surrogate family to the student and will provide the following functions:
| Provide a point of contact for the student to voice and obtain advice on issues that they may face during the program. |
| Welcome the student as a member of the family and offer an “open door policy” so the student knows she/he is welcome to visit the mentor family. |
| Receive a monthly honorarium ($30 per student) to help cover costs associated with required activities. |
| Participate in two activities per month with the student. |
Types of Contact:
1. Face to Face: Mentor family and student participate in an activity at minimum twice a month.
2. Events: Mentor family and student participate in at least one cultural event once a month (museums, art and cultural fairs, concerts, speakers, etc)
included in twice a month activities.
Mentor family and student take at least one trip out of the immediate area once a semester (historical sites, nearby cities/tows, vacation houses, etc.) also included as one of the twice monthly activities.
3. Communication: Mentor family and student communicate via phone, email or personal visit at least twice per week
Please contact Noeli Biggs at 972.761.6742
noelibiggs@dcccd.edu
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Eyeglasses needed for Romania
Update Aug 4: To all FFDallas members,
Peggy Benton found the article below in the Cincinnati Friendship Force Club newsletter. Dick Jameson is the editor of that newsletter. When we hosted the Romanian inbound last year, Hearts Across Romania organized the lunch at the Romanian Orthodox church and helped get the Romanian ambassadors to Ft. Worth to catch the Amtrak to Oklahoma City. Susan Flanagan is the secretary for that organization.
(Click Here for more information on Hearts Across Romania)
A Hearts Across Romania group is going back to Romania the end of September. As part of this project, they are taking eyeglasses to the people of Brasov. Donations of eyeglasses are needed for this project. They especially need reading glasses—sizes 1.25—3.50 but will take any sizes. Cases are helpful too, if available.
If you would like to help with this project, gather up the glasses you no longer use. Also ask your friends and your eye doctors for glasses. Please
send donations to Hearts Across Romania, 2544 Brookside Dr., Irving, TX 75063. (214) 213-9001.
Ken Walker
Newsletter Editor; Email Distributor
From the Cincinnati FF Club Newsletter, 1 August 2008
EYE GLASSES NEEDED IN ROMANIA. Susan Flanagan of Hearts Across Romania, wrote to the Jamesons :
“I met you in Romania when you came to our party with the teens in Poiana in the mountains. Remember that beautiful place? We are going back to Romania at the end of September. At one time you said that you might be able to send us used glasses. We have done lots of work there in the eye field (from buying glasses for kids to buying a top microscope so that the children’s hospital eye doctor could perform eye surgeries). We’ve also found a huge need for glasses for the people of Brasov. If you could gather up any glasses from friends and eye doctors we would be so grateful. Some of the people we gave these to in Azota’s office cried when they tried them on.”
... we will send them on to Susan to take to Brasov ... Ruth and Dick Jameson
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| Host an Exchange
Student
Good morning! My name is Lauren, and I work with an organization called EF Foundation for Foreign Study. We are a worldwide, non-profit organization dedicated to international student exchange and education with students coming from over 35 countries! Our aims are to encourage cultural awareness and mutual respect between nations. We believe that young people should be given the opportunity to build friendships without frontiers. The lessons that they learn and the experiences they share will be passed on to future generations, creating a global family.
We are currently looking to expand our organization in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, and are searching for volunteers who would like to work with foreign exchange students in their communities. I feel that some members of your organization would enjoy this opportunity!
I would also love to hear from members of your organization. If you have any questions about what we do, please give me a call. I would be happy to explain the program to you!
Lauren Cotoia
Recruitment Manager - CA, TX
EF Foundation for Foreign Study
888-44-SHARE
www.effoundation.org
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