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Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a
vital figure of the modern era. His lectures and
dialogues stirred the concern and sparked the
conscience of a generation. The movements and
marches he led brought significant changes in the
fabric of American life through his courage and
selfless devotion. This devotion gave direction to
thirteen years of civil rights activities. His charismatic
leadership inspired men and women, young and old, in
this nation and around the world. Dr. King’s concept of “somebodiness,” which symbolized the celebration of human worth and the conquest of subjugation, gave black and poor people hope and a sense of dignity. His philosophy of nonviolent direct action, and his strategies for rational and non-destructive social change, galvanized the conscience of this nation and reordered its priorities. His wisdom, his words, his actions, his commitment, and his dream for a new way of life are intertwined with the American experience. Dr. King sought to forge the common ground on which people from all walks of life could join together to address important community issues. Working alongside individuals of all ages, races and backgrounds, Dr. King encouraged Americans to come together to strengthen communities, alleviate poverty, and acknowledge dignity and respect for all human beings. Service, he realized, was the great equalizer. In 1994 Congress passed the King Holiday and Service Act, designating the King Holiday as a national day of volunteer service. Instead of a day off from work or school, Congress asked Americans of all backgrounds and ages to celebrate Dr. King's legacy by turning community concerns into citizen action. The King Day of Service brings together people who might not ordinarily meet, breaks down barriers that have divided us in the past, leads to better understanding and ongoing relationships, and is an opportunity to recruit new volunteers for your ongoing work. On January 15, 2007, as we celebrate the 21st anniversary of the Martin Luther King Jr. federal holiday, Americans across the country will celebrate by honoring the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Hundreds of thousands of Americans will remember and memorialize Dr. King by participating in service projects in their communities. Together, they will honor King’s legacy of tolerance, peace, and equality by meeting community needs and making the holiday... “A day ON, not a day OFF.” http://www.mlkday.or g/
  On the 1st of December 1955, Mrs.
Rosa Parks, an African-American seamstress, was
arrested in Montgomery, Alabama for not standing
and letting a white bus rider take her seat. It was
an “established rule” in the American south (at that
time) that African-American riders had to sit at the
back of the bus. African-American riders were also
expected to surrender their seat to a white bus rider
if it was needed. When asked to move to let a white bus rider be seated, Mrs. Parks refused. She did not argue and she did not move. The police were called and Mrs. Parks was arrested. Mrs. Parks was not the first African-American to be arrested for this “crime.” But she was the first to be arrested who was well known in the Montgomery African-American community. On the morning of December 5, in response to the arrest, the African-American residents of the city refused to use the buses. Most walked, those few with cars arranged rides for friends and strangers, some even rode mules. Only a very small number of African-Americans rode the bus that day. The boycott continued for over a year. It eventually took the United States Supreme Court to end the boycott. On November 13, 1956 the Court declared that Alabama’s state and local laws requiring segregation on buses were illegal. On December 20th federal injunctions were served on the city and bus company officials forcing them to follow the Supreme Court’s ruling. The following morning on December 21, 1956, Dr. King and Revered Glen Smiley, a white minister, shared the front seat of the public bus. The boycott had lasted 381 days and was a success. Rosa Parks passed away on the evening of October 24th 2005. She was 92 years old. Known as a quiet and modest woman, Rosa Parks’ act of civil disobedience altered the fate of our nation and earned her the title of “Mother” of the Civil Rights Movement. Accordingly, she was honored with a state burial at the United States Capitol building. Parks was only the second woman, the second African-American, and the second non-governmental official to lay in state. http://www.holidays.net/mlk/rosa.htm
What does diversity mean
to you and how would you explain it to others?
Mazuin Quiachon, YES Philippines (Capitol Area Team) For me, diversity means that a group of people with different cultures and traditions are being unified together as one in entire humanity. I would explain it to others by giving some sort of examples just like for instance, the AFS Program and its concepts wherein there are a lot of young student from different countries with different cultures and traditions being put together as one in order to build bridges of understanding and peace among ourselves and the entire humanity. Shreya Parikh, YES India (Michigan Area Team) Diversity is respect for difference and having different ways of seeing the same world. Diversity helps make the world more colorful and interesting. It helps us develop the ability to enjoy the world by getting into people's shoes and trying to walk a mile in it. Vaishnavi Ravi, YES India (Bay Area Team) Diversity just refers to the different ways of living. It is the way in which people express their religion, thoughts and beliefs. Diversity is seen in the way we celebrate our festivals, and the language we use to communicate. In these past few months I have realized that, whatever our personal beliefs may be, we all are alike in more ways than we could ever imagine! I love my host community for simply what it is. Elisabeth Vietz, CB Germany (Heartland KS Area Team) Diversity means to me that for example a person’s character has lots of different sides and aspects, that a discussion about an issue can cause very different opinions and feelings and also a country can be diverse when its people are from many different cultures, so they give lots of aspects to the country they live in, like the USA. Sarah Birnbach, CB Germany (Massachusetts Bay Area Team) Diversity is very important for me. I think it would be boring if everybody was the same or even just similar. Diversity means that there are individuals, persons that dress differently, talk differently, and think differently. Differences make the world more fun to discover. If there was no diversity, I would probably not be here because it wouldn’t matter where you go if everything is the same. Katrin Mattman, CB Germany (Great West Metro Area Team) I tried hard to show the people around me how we Germans live. A lot of differences appeared through that. For example, I found out that American teenagers don’t have as much independence as teenagers in Europe. It was not easy for me to get used to that. But it’s a new and different experience. And I’ll definitely learn from it! Describe how you have
impacted your community through the sharing of your
culture. Do you think your IEW presentations have
enhanced the opportunity for diversity to continue to
develop within your community? Noopur Bedi, YES India (East Metro Area Team) I think my community has learned a lot about Indian culture and even about different religions in India. They now know many traditions and facts about India. My IEW presentation with my host community was really exciting and it was a great opportunity to introduce my community to new culture. Mazuin Quiachon, YES Philippines (Capitol Area Team) After I did each of my IEW presentations, I heard a lot of good comments and feedback about it. Some of them told me that they want to go to my country, because they did not know that the Philippines is such a wonderful country with rich and unique culture and tradition as well as nice people. Aside from that, I made them obliterate the stereotypes that they had about my country. In that way, I have impacted my community through sharing my culture and also enhanced the opportunity for diversity to continue to develop within my community. Shahnaz Rafeyeva, FLEX Turkmenistan (Ohio River Valley Area Team) People know more about my country, my family, my culture and definitely they know more about me. So, by this way people know not just what I look like but also they know more about my personality. And yes, I think that IEW presentations enhanced the opportunity for diversity to continue to develop within my community. People came to know what I like and what I don't like, they’re asking me lots of questions and I can see that for them it is really interesting to know me! Shreya Parikh, YES India (Michigan Area Team) Everybody likes to hear from people with a background different from their own. I think people have learned to value their own culture which they didn’t know was different from others. They also learnt to see the world with a whole new perspective. Valeriya Bagrova, FLEX Russia (Northwest Ohio Area Team) I think for me IEW was a great experience, for people in my community – bigger. Several days after my presentation in elementary school I got “thank-you- cards” where kids wrote what they’ve learned from me, what they liked. And the day after I saw 2 boys from that class and they said ‘Hi’ to me in Russian! They pronounced it right! I was so happy! It is hard to describe, but when you see that people actually learned something from you it is just amazing! Elisabeth Vietz, CB Germany (Heartland KS Area Team) I think the presentations during the IEW helped people in my school to imagine what Germany is like, once I started talking about my home country, students started to ask questions about my old school, what the country looks like and what German teenagers do on the weekends. Many said in the end that they would like to come to Germany some day to visit me and to see how it really is. Victoriya Machekhina, FLEX Ukraine (Pacific Cascades Area Team) After preparing presentations for my school during IEW I really understood how different our countries are, the Ukraine and the USA. I really think that while we are here it is very important to share our culture with other people, even just through teaching my native language to my friends. Actually when I came here some of my American friends told me some Russian words which they learned from other exchange students last year, and it was so nice. Before I came here I thought that there would be a lot more similarities than differences, but it turned out I was wrong. It is really nice to live in a country that is different from mine, and it gives me an opportunity to learn and experience new things. How has your perception of
diversity changed since you arrived in your host
community? Danil Glumov, FLEX Russia, (Southern CA Mountain & Desert Area Team) After 4 months in the USA I can say that my perception has changed dramatically. I have understood that having differences between many cultures isn't bad - it is rather good! Of course, some aspects of foreign cultures could be not so understandable for me, but I always need to be open- minded and affable. In Russian culture for example "comradeship" and "mutual aid" are typical and usual; however in some cultures it is extremely important to be self-reliant. Shahnaz Rafeyeva, FLEX Turkmenistan (Ohio River Valley Area Team) My perceptions about diversity changed a lot cause I tried lots and lots of new stuff that I never tried and now I feel my personality developing fast cause now I know more and more exactly what I want, I can make my decisions faster than I did and I feel that my opinion about diversity changes everyday. Shreya Parikh, YES India (Michigan Area Team) I always thought that culture was the only aspect in life that could have diversity in it. But here I have found diversity in education, people, thoughts, behavior, laws and everything. Diversity does not make things good or bad. It just makes things different. Princess Moratin, YES Philippines (Grand Canyon Area Team) I have realized that you will never really learn about something unless you experience it, and that’s what I learned from this program. I have heard a lot of things, good and bad, about Americans. But when I started to mingle with them and be part of the family, I have discovered many things. Most of my perceptions of them changed. I have also learned that despite our differences, we can still understand each other, not only that, there are also a lot of similarities. Sarah Birnbach, CB Germany (Massachusetts Bay Area) I always wanted to see and know about different cultures, so I have to see my perception of diversity has not changed; and I think this is a good sign. If it had changed it would have meant that I would not be open to new things and try foreign things out. Here in America diversity is much more spread out. In my class in Germany, there is one girl with an Italian heritage and one with a Polish heritage, and that’s it. Here there meet so many different people, everyone telling his or her own story. There is no one who can say I am 100% American, everyone has his or her own roots, which makes this country so interesting. Janna Estares, YES Philippines, (Orange County Area Team) Before I came, I had thought that things would change. Well, that is true. A lot of things are different in most aspects – the food, clothing styles, the way people talk, humor, school, the weather and basically lifestyle. But these prove to be shallow differences. As I get to know my friends better, I found out that we share the same drama, the same hurts, the same thoughts, the same feelings, the same needs, the same wants, the same values. I see in them the friends that I have left for a while back home, which is kind of funny. I can see that, however different we all are from the outside, even if we do not share the same interests we can be happy together for variety can bring a unique spice that makes everything tastier. |
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December 15- 23 
Hanukkah, Hebrew for dedication,
is also known as the Festival of Lights or the Festival
of Rededication. In 168 BCE, the Greek King of Syria,
Antiochus IV, forbade the practice of Judaism and
seized the Temple of Jerusalem. When Judas
Maccabee recaptured Jerusalem three years later, he
restored the temple and celebrated its rededication
with festivities that lasted eight days. According to
tradition, only a one-day supply of oil could be found
to light the eternal flame of the Temple, but it burned
for eight days – the time it took to press, prepare,
and consecrate new oil. This is known as the Miracle
of Hanukkah. Today, many Jewish families commemorate this miracle by lighting a special candelabrum called a menorah for the eight nights of Hanukkah. Hanukkah is a festive family occasion, with special foods and songs. Children generally receive money, known as Hanukkah gelt, each evening after the candles are lit. Children sometimes receive chocolate in the shape of coins in place of Hanukkah gelt, and in more recent traditions, small gifts. Foods fried in oil, such as latkes (potato pancakes) and doughnuts, commemorate the miracle of the oil. Songs and blessings also play a part in the festivities and remind the family of the events commemorated. For more information on Hanukkah: http://www.chabad.org/holidays/chanukah/default.as p http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hannukah December 25 
Christmas is a holiday in the
Christian calendar, usually celebrated on December
25th. The holiday celebrates the birth of Jesus,
whom Christians believe is the messiah. According to
the Christian gospels, Jesus was born to Mary in
Bethlehem, where she and her husband Joseph had
traveled to register in the Roman census. On
Christmas day, many Christians attend mass in honor
of Christ’s birth. It is celebrated as both a religious
and secular holiday. In more recent traditions, Christmas is a time for families to gather, eat a special meal, sing Christmas carols and exchange gifts. In the United States, families often decorate their homes with lights, wreaths and cards. Many also put up Christmas trees and decorate them with ornaments. Many children believe in Santa Claus (also known as Saint Nick or Kris Kringle), a big jolly man with a white beard, who travels the sky at night in a sleigh pulled by flying reindeer, to deliver gifts to good boys and girls. Many people traditionally hang stockings on the mantle over the fireplace in hopes that Santa will leave a small gift for them. Families will often leave cookies and milk out on a table near the Christmas tree for Santa to enjoy. For more information on Christmas: http://www.2.worldbook.com/features/holidays/htm/c hristmas.htm http://www.history.com/minisites/christmas December 26-January 1 
Kwanzaa is a cultural, non-
religious, holiday that celebrates family, community,
and culture and lasts for seven days. It was created
in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga, professor of Black
Studies at California State University, Long Beach,
during the Black Liberation Movement to bring all
African Americans together as a community.
Kwanzaa is derived from the phrase “matunda ya
kwanza” which means “first fruits” in Swahili.
Kwanzaa builds on the “first fruits” celebrations,
making Kwanzaa a time of: ingathering of the people
to reaffirm the bonds between them; special
reverence for the creator and creation in thanks and
respect for the blessings, bountifulness and beauty of
creation; commemoration of the past in pursuit of its
lessons and in honor of its models of human
excellence, our ancestors; recommitment to our
highest cultural ideals in our ongoing effort to always
bring forth the best of African cultural thought and
practice; and celebration of the Good, the good of
life and of existence itself, the good of family,
community and culture, the good of the awesome
and the ordinary, in a word the good of the divine,
natural and social. Each family celebrates Kwanzaa
in their own way. Most celebrations often include
songs and dances, with African drums, storytelling,
poetry reading, and a large traditional African fest
called Karamu, held on December 31. The seven
days of the celebration are based on the Nguzo Saba
(the seven principles) which reinforces the
importance of community. The seven principles of
Kwanzaa are: Umoja (Unity), Kujichagulia (Self-
Determination), Ujima (Collective Work and
Responsibility), Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics), Nia
(Purpose), Kuumba (Creativity), and Imani (Faith).
On each of the seven nights, a child lights one of the
candles on the Kinara (a candleholder), and one of
the Nguzo Saba is discussed. Kwanzaa has become a
Pan-African holiday, celebrated by Africans around
the world. For more information on Kwanzaa: http://officialkwanzaawebsite.org/index.shtml http://www.historychannel.com/exhibits/holidays/kwa nzaa/hist.html December 31 
Eid ul-Adha, or the Festival of
Sacrifice, occurs immediately following the Day of
Arafat. This Muslim celebration marks the end of
Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca and
commemorates Prophet Abraham’s willingness to
sacrifice his son, Ishmael, for God. Because God
spared Ishmael, substituting a sheep in his stead,
Muslims commemorate this occasion by sacrificing a
domestic animal, usually a sheep, and distributing its
meat among family, friends, and the needy as a
special act of charity for the occasion. The
charitable efforts of the Muslims see to it that no one
is left without sacrificial meat during this celebration,
which lasts three to four days. The first day is the
primary holiday and Muslims dress in their finest
clothes and perform prayer in a mosque or community
center, which is followed by a community breakfast.
Muslims often visit with friends and relatives during
this time, hold gatherings or parties, and give gifts to
their children. For more information on Eid ul-Adha: http://www.colostate.edu/Orgs/MSA/events/EUA.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eid_ul-Adha December 31 
In the United States and many
other countries around the world, New Year’s Eve,
which falls on December 31st, is a festive occasion
marked by lively celebrations to welcome in the New
Year. In the United States, many people go to New
Year’s Eve parties where they drink a champagne
toast and sing a traditional song called “Auld Lang
Syne”. (
http://www.carols.org.uk/auld_lang_syne_burns.htm) The most popular past time is watching the ball
in Times Square in New York City. At midnight, bells
ring, sirens sound, firecrackers explode, and everyone
shouts, “Happy New Year!” For many, the New Year is a time to start fresh. People often clean their homes and finish up old projects, leaving nothing unfinished at the beginning of the New Year. It is also common for people to make New Year’s Resolutions, which are promises about what they will or will not do or they would like to accomplish in the New Year. What are your New Year’s Resolutions for 2007? For more information on New Year’s Eve: http://www.infoplease.com/spot/newyearcelebrations. html < http://www.infoplease.com/spot/newyearhistory.html February 2 
Every year on February 2nd,
Americans turn on the news to watch the famous
groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, crawl out of his
burrow and predict the winter weather forecast. It is
said that if Phil sees his shadow there will be six more
weeks of winter, but if he does not see his shadow,
then spring will soon arrive. For centuries, people in
Europe used to watch for signs of hibernating
animals, indicating that winter was soon ending.
February 2 is Candlemas Day, a Christian holiday that
celebrates Mary’s ritual purification. Early Christians
believed that if the sun came out on Candlemas Day,
then winter would last for six more weeks. German
immigrants, who came to Pennsylvania, began
keeping an eye on groundhogs to determine the
coming of spring. In the 1880s in Punxsutawney, PA,
a group of friends went in search of groundhogs,
abundant in that area, on Candlemas Day, and thus
the tradition of Punxsutawney Phil was born. Though
Phil is the most famous of the weather forecasting
groundhogs, other American cities have their own
groundhogs: New York City’s groundhog is Pothole
Pete. For more information on Groundhog’s Day: http://www.infoplease.com/spot/groundhogday1.html February 14 
February 14 marks a day of love
and romance which people celebrate by exchanging
chocolates, flowers and gifts with their loved ones, in
the name of St. Valentine. One legend contends
that Valentine was a priest who served during the
third century in Rome. Emperor Claudius II thought
that single men were better soldiers than men with
wives and families, so he outlawed marriage for young
men. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree,
defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages
for young lovers in secret. When Valentine’s actions
were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to
death. While in prison, it is believed that Valentine
fell in love with a young girl and she visited him during
his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that
he wrote her a letter, which he signed “From your
Valentine,” an expression that is still used today.
People celebrate Valentine’s Day by wearing red (or
pink) and giving cards, chocolates, or flowers to a
sweetheart! For more information on Valentine’s Day: http://www.history.com/minisites/valentine February 18 – Year of the Boar 
The Chinese New Year is the most
important of all Chinese holidays and lasts for 15
days. The date of the Chinese New Year is
determined by the lunar calendar and festivities begin
with the new cycle of the moon that falls between
January 21 and February 19. Each year is named for
one of 12 symbolic animals in sequence: the rat, ox,
tiger, hare, dragon, serpent, horse, ram, monkey,
rooster, dog, and boar.
People traditionally prepare for the celebration by thoroughly cleaning their houses to symbolically sweep away all traces of misfortune, pay off debts, decorate the home with flowers, and add a new coat of red paint to doors and windows. On New Year’s Eve, families gather for a large feast in honor of their ancestor’s, who have laid the foundation for the families’ fortunes. At midnight, families light fireworks to attract the attention of benevolent gods and to frighten away evil spirits. All the windows in the house must be open at this time to chase out the old year and bring good luck and prosperity with the new. One of the most spectacular festivities are the dragon and lion dances, where as many as 50 or more people support long paper dragons and lions while dancing in procession down city streets. The 15 day celebration ends with the lantern festival, an event in which merchants hang lighted paper lanterns outside their shops. Children often parade through the streets during the lantern festival, carrying lanterns of various shapes and patterns. For more information on the Chinese New Year: http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761595955/Chi nese_New_Year.html 
About the Boar: Contrary to its rather
negative reputation in the West, the Pig of Chinese
Astrology may be the most generous and honorable
Sign of the Zodiac. Pigs are nice to a fault and
possess impeccable manners and taste. They have so
much of the perfectionist in them that others may be
inclined to perceive them as snobs, but this is a
misconception. Pigs are simply possessed of a truly
luxurious nature, one that delights in finery and
riches, which can sometimes be misinterpreted as
being lazy. This Sign believes in the best qualities of
mankind and certainly doesn't consider itself to be
superior. Pigs ten to make wonderful life partners
due to their hearts of gold and their love of family.
Though, contrary to their seemingly benign
dispositions, Pigs can be quite venomous in response
to being crossed by someone they care about. Pigs
are highly intelligent creatures, forever studying,
playing and probing in their quest for greater
knowledge. When they open up their world to a
diverse group of people, they will truly bloom.For more information on the Boar or the other Signs of the Chinese Zodiac: http://chinese. astrology.com/ http://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/social_custom s/zodiac/index.htm http://www.rainfall.com/horoscop/chinese.htm February 19 (3rd Monday of February) 
The original version of the holiday
was in commemoration of the first president of the
United States, George Washington's. Washington,
according to the calendar that has been used since
at least the mid-18th century, was born on February
22, 1732. By the early 19th century, Washington's Birthday had taken firm root in the American experience as a bona fide national holiday. Its traditions included Birthnight Balls in various regions, speeches and receptions given by prominent public figures. In 1865, however, both houses of Congress gathered for a memorial address to commemorate the birth of Abraham Lincoln, another revered president and fellow February baby (born on the 12th of the month. Lincoln’s birthday did not become a nationally celebrated holiday like George Washington’s, but it did become a legal holiday in several states. In 1971, legislation went into effect that declared the third Monday of each February a day for honoring both Washington and Lincoln (as well as all other past Presidents) and has become popularly known as President’s Day. For more information on President’s Day: htt p://www.patriotism.org/presidents_day/ The United States has a
tradition of celebrating diversity through national
holidays such as Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, World
Religion Day, the Chinese New Year, Latin American
Heritage Month, etc. Whare are some actions you
could take to contribute to these celebrations?
Valeriya Bagrova, FLEX Russia (Northwest Ohio Area Team) I already participated in some of
these holidays. World Religion Day for example. In our
church it was called World Communion day. My
family goes to First Presbyterian church. In church,
almost everyone knows who I am. I try to speak with
different people there and participate in church
activities. On that week, before World Communion
Day, I got a letter from church. They ask if I can
take part in a communion as a representative of
another country. They gave me a piece from the
bible and asked to read it in Russian. Church invited a
lot of other people, representing other religions. I was
so worried and excited about that event! It was
really important for me, because I was just a new
person there. I really liked it! After communion some
people came to me and said thank you, and said that
I did a great job. In our church, a lot of people
belong to different organizations. Several people
asked me and my host-parents if I can give
presentations in their clubs! I already arranged some
of them. Now I am just preparing. But I really like
participating in all activities, that I can take part in. I
wanted to add, that in my school, we have
international club. We have meetings once in two
month and organize some parties related to different
countries. I took part in German party, and on
Thursday I’ll be on Spanish party. Because I live in
eastern Russia, I kind of related to Asia. So I’ll be
taking part in Asian party as a representative of my
country. We prepare traditional food; tell a little bit
about different holidays, way of life. There are more
then hundred people in this club, so I think we make
a great job.
Describe your holiday plans.
Do you plan to take part in a holiday celebration that
is different from your own? Sarah Schoenberger, CB Germany (Michigan Area Team) My family and I are going to my host dad’s parents in Canada for Christmas. We are going to leave here right after school at 12/22 and we will return home at 12/28. While we are in Canada, we will go sledding, cross country skiing, ice skating, hiking and snow mobile riding. I am really excited for it! We also will go out and cut our Christmas tree. Because his parents are originally from Germany, we will celebrate Christmas a little bit German and American, what means, that we'll get some presents at the 24th at the evening and some on the 25the in the morning when Santa came through the fireplace. On New Year we will go to Muskegon to some friends. I don't know exactly what are we doing, but I know that we will have a small firework! (In Germany usually everyone goes at the streets at 12 and to make fireworks) Mazuin Quiachon, YES Philippines (Capitol Area Team) I am planning to take part in a holiday that is different from my own celebrations and holidays. Although I am a Moslem, I do join my mom's family to celebrate Christmas because they are Christian. But then I want to celebrate it differently on here. Actually on Christmas Holidays, I and the other exchange students will be going to NEW YORK but then I will spend Christmas time with my host family and observed the difference within here and on my country as well as to make my host family feel my love and heart full of thanks for having me in their life. Sofia Calmicova, CB Germany (Virginia Area Team) I would like to talk about my holiday celebrations. I am Jewish and so I don't celebrate Christmas, but my host family does. So I am really looking forward to celebrate this very important holiday. My host family and me, we are also going to a family camp to Vermont. we are going to ski and do other activities, so I think is going to be great! I am really excited about it!!! Shreya Parikh, YES India (Michigan Area Team) I have always loved celebrating holidays. I love decorating stuff. So I would be pretty helpful to my family during Christmas. This is going to be the first time in my life when I will celebrate a white Christmas. So maybe I might go skiing. Princess Moratin, YES Philippines (Grand Canyon Area Team) I see these coming holidays as an opportunity to share my culture. We celebrate Christmas differently. I already shared with my friends what I do during Christmas back in my country. They were all interested. My host family will celebrate Hanukkah and I’m so excited about it. I want to learn about the Jewish tradition and my family was also interested about our Filipino Christmas tradition. I am going to cook Filipino foods on Christmas and teach them Filipino Christmas carols. What are some of your
possible New Year's Resolutions? Mazuin Quiachon, YES Philippines (Capitol Area Team) My possible New Year’s resolutions are to have a lot of friends in order to build bridges of understanding and to participate in a lot of activities such as making a presentation about my country in order for me to be understood and in order for other people to know my culture and tradition. Shreya Parikh, YES India (Michigan Area Team) Life has changed so much. And making my way through these changes I have started loving them. So some of my New Year’s resolutions would be expecting change in life because that's what makes life interesting. I will try to socialize with people, the one thing that makes me go nuts. I will try to think of something besides Science and Mathematics, them being the centre of my life. I will try to spend more time with family and people because man is a social animal. I would also love to start living in present rather than crying over the past and being worried about the future. |
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< br> In this YES 2006-2007 season, we are proud to be working with so many dedicated and hard working individuals from over 52 clusters around the country! The impact our Cluster Coordinators are making on our YES students is incredible, and we appreciate all that you are contributing in an effort to make the students respective stays positive and memorable. And to our students, we thoroughly enjoy hearing about the inspiring ways in which you are embracing your new surroundings! To this effect, we’d like to share with everyone a few of the most outstanding Enrichment Activity reports, submitted by various Cluster Coordinators, which demonstrate the types of events our students are being exposed to, events that truly encompass the AFS spirit of cross cultural education. Thank you to all who have a hand in organizing these activities, as well as to those who actively participate in them! *North Wisconsin Central Area Team* Cluster
Coordinator-Kathleen Zamboni / Group Leaders-Jim
and Charlene Sanders & Ed and Karen Boysen
Kathleen, Jim, Charlene, Ed and Karen offered
their students the opportunity to participate
in “Pastels in the Plaza,” an event in which volunteer
artists decorate sections of the sidewalk around the
town square in Arcata, CA. Each artist is given a set
of pastel chalk and asked to design a picture of their
choice; local businesses and individuals purchase
these sections, with all proceeds going to the
Northcoast Children’s Services. The event provides a
chance for the students to learn about community
fundraising while showcasing their artistic talents.
This year’s YES students, working on a section
sponsored by AFS liaison Robert Berg, DDS, arrived
early to assist the organizers before going to work on
their own project. The finished creation illustrated
the AFS logo as well as the national flags from each
of the YES students. We hope to have an image for
all of you in the next newsletter!
*Milwaukee Area Team* Cluster Coordinator- Karen Barnes The students in Karen’s cluster focused on studying the qualities of various leaders within their community, and specifically those of a Wisconsin ecologist, Aldo Leoplod. They began their day with worship at a contemporary service at Crossroads Presbyterian Church after which they discussed the origin of the Presbyterian church, styles of worship in the US and freedom of religion. They then attended a pancake breakfast at a local fire station. The students met Jim Ott, winner of the recent Republican primary for the Wisconsin Assembly. He explained the primary process and invited the students to visit his “future” office in Madison. The next stop for the group was Horicon Marsh where they took a boat tour into the marsh (filled with geese, ducks, white pelicans, gulls, herons, egrets, and cormorants!). After, the group went hiking with a naturalist from the DNR who explained the ecology of the marsh, initial "mistakes" made before the public awareness and what has been done to restore the marsh. He explained how the marsh is partially federally funded, and partially state funded. The group learned the importance of the marsh for migratory birds. Everyone had a great time and learned a great deal about leadership as well as various aspects of our government *Missouri Gateway Area Team* Cluster Coordinator- Denise D Hall / Group leader-Mary Kay Robinson The groups day began at Laclede's Landing on the St. Louis riverfront, one of the oldest areas in St. Louis. Mary Kay explained to the students about individuals such as Pierre Laclede and August Choteau, persons who founded St. Louis. From there, they walked to the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial home to the St. Louis Arch. Students learned how the Arch came to be and the role St. Louis played in westward expansion of the US. Also located on the Arch grounds is the Old Cathedral. The students slipped into the Cathedral for a quick look in between services and Mary Kay explained the Cathedral’s history to the students. The next stop on the walking tour was the Old Courthouse, where the Dred Scott case was heard. The students learned of the historic case, some to the events leading up to the Civil War and how slave auctions were conducted on the very steps on which they were standing. The day ended with a walk to Busch Stadium, home of the St. Louis Cardinals, where the students learned of the importance of baseball and its long tradition in St. Louis. *California Central Coast Area Team* Cluster Coordinator-Kathryn Myers Kathryn sought out the opportunity to introduce the students to the Mayor and City Council in order to accomplish the following: demonstrate how a city government is overseen; learn the titles and roles of city leaders, the setting in which they come together and how general meetings are conducted. The 3 YES/FLEX students were introduced to the Mayor, City Council and other community leaders in the formal setting of the October 17th general meeting. Students were introduced individually and their native countries were each mentioned. Each student's host family was also called forward to receive a beautiful certificate of honor. Each student received a certificate with his/her name and native country, as well as a written acknowledgement of the honor all share in having them here in the community. In addition, Kathy Myers and Gregg Williams, co-cluster coordinators and co- leaders of the high school International Club, were presented with an official "Proclamation" from the city. The resolution is to be framed and hung in the main entryway of their high school. Students were impressed at the formality of this presentation, but also by the warmth and enthusiasm with which they were received. A surprise for many of the students was when a council member led the entire council and audience in a Christian-based prayer at the beginning of the ceremony! This is a highly controversial act that is routinely carried out at the meetings. Upset as the group personally was that the "public" council so directly chose to include religion as part of their meeting, it was interesting to hear the comments of the students. Feelings were mixed, but the incident inspired a great deal of dynamic conversation about the role of religion in public proceedings and in government. *Baltimore Area Team* Cluster Coordinators: Mike & Beth Spenard / Co-organizer- Debra Fieldhouse The entire Baltimore Chapter visited the White House and Washington Monument. Since not all students have been exposed to governments like that of the United States, visiting the White House was a great way to learn that the U.S. government is “by the people and for the people.” Being able to access to the White House, where the country’s top leader resides, helped to enforce the understanding that the U.S. Government system is not secretive but open to all citizens. The group also took a trip to visit the Washington Monument as well. The students had a great day and learned much about the U.S. government. |
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Dear Cluster Coordinators,
We would like to thank you all for encouraging your students to participate in International Education Week 2006! We received a great number of their reports and thoroughly enjoyed reading about their experiences and viewing their candid photos! It is wonderful to see what strong enthusiasm they have shown by sharing their stories and cultures. With regards to our cluster competition, we would like to congratulate the following three clusters who have won the opportunity to attend the Youth Leadership and Interfaith Conference in Orlando, FL. Counting the total number of presentations received by the Nov. 30 deadline, the winning clusters are: Grand Canyon Area Team-Cluster Coordinator Karen Powers. Karen's cluster averaged 8 presentations per student. Dirigo Maine Area Team-Cluster coordinator Edith Vose. Edith's cluster averaged 5 presentations per student. Columbia-Pacific Area Team -Cluster coordinator Rustam Kocher. Rustam's cluster averaged 2.5 presentations per student. We are proud of your clusters' achievements in broadening the impact of the YES, FLEX and CB programs through these IEW presentations. Thank you for your support of the very important goal of mutual understanding that these presentations further. It is also a truly valuable experience for each one of the students on their road to leadership roles back home. Congratulations!!
Dear SP students, Thank you to all those who helped make this years International Education Week a success! You have all done an excellent job helping others learn about a different culture. It seems that although many of you were nervous to present in front of an audience, the encouragement you received helped you to overcome your fears and enabled you to enjoy answering questions regarding your countries. We hope that you continue to share with others and that others continue to share with you! Here are just a few quotes and photos from this fall's IEW!   Helena Beck (CB, Germany, Port Byron NY) I never felt proud of my country but now that I had the opportunity to present it to people of another nationality and witnessed their astonishment and fascination with our culture I realized how great it is to come from Germany!   Valeriya Bagrova (FLEX, Russia, Findlay OH) One guy in the class asked me if I can help him learn some Russian. He had spent some time in Russia, but he didn’t remember anything. Moreover some other people asked if they could join us. So now I have a group of people whom I teach Russian words and phrases during lunch periods or study halls.   Kira Pariath (YES, India, Olympia WA) It was not if I was the only one lecturing. Everyone took part in the presentation, and most importantly my audience and me – we both had fun! I am positive that I contributed towards removing misconceptions they might have had about India. And what made me really proud was when all the students gave me a thunderous applause when I had finished!   Mona Koerber (CB, Germany, Sugar Grove IL) At first I didn’t really feel like giving the presentations, because I feel uncomfortable in front of people and because I was afraid that I would give people a wrong impression about my country. But later, while I have the presentations, I even enjoyed talking in front of the students and answering their questions. I think that giving these presentations improved my self-confidence and my abilities of speaking in front of people.   Princess Moratin (YES, Philippines, Scottsdale AZ) I was asked why I joined this program and decided to study in the US and if I had to repeat my senior year in the Philippines. It was an interesting question for me; I want them to know that being here for a year is not a waste of time. I will be learning a lot of things that can’t be learned from books or in school. I am interacting with different people and each of them gave me an idea of who they are. It is a very unique and special experience, because I have the opportunity to live with a family and learn their culture and lifestyle. |
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Hosting our YES daughter/student,
Dara, has been very rewarding and has broadened my
horizon of life and the world. We are so blessed.
YES means more than the AFS meaning; it means
Young Eager Student - not only to learn of our
culture, our traditions overall, our religions, and
government, but also to learn from family traditions,
experiences and discussions on a broad spectrum of
things. Couple that with us learning more about our
daughter/student’s family heritage, traditions, and
their own culture, beliefs and faith, we have grown
and broadened our appreciation of this big world in
which we live. We are all unique and yet complement
one another in many ways. ~Frank and Norma Schwitz, hosting Dayu Permata from Indonesia As a first time host family we are
delighted with Bard
Mostafa. He is the nicest boy we have ever had the
pleasure to know. He has many friends which has
also increased our own children’s circle of friends.
What a great experience we are
having.
~Dorothy Covell, hosting Bard Mostafa from Egypt |
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Alumni from all sponsored programs are making a
difference and continuing to be cultural ambassadors
upon their return to their home countries. These are
just a few stories from some of our alumni! The Bradley Herald is an alumni publication developed by American Councils for International Education. There are many exciting postings from alumni on in that publication. For the latest edition of the Bradley Herald, go to http://exchanges.state.gov/education/citi zens/students/ Yagub Rahimov, FLEX AFS student (Azerbaijan) hosted in CA in 2005-06: I passed the University test with a high score. I have started a voluntary English course at the very beginning of October. I have been teaching English to some students that are not able to go to language courses. They generally are girls and there are some guy students too. And the main issue of this voluntary course is to help those students on their English speaking skills. And there are around 10 High school and 5 university students studying with me. I am helping them by bringing audio and video materials, some books and etc. We discuss about issues in there and if any of them have problems at school we also deal with it. Ramil Kazimov, FLEX AFS student hosted in VA in 2004-05 When I came back from US to my home town I told a lot about my host family and their warmth to me, the friends I got acquainted with, the places I have been to while I was there, the school I had studied, etc.! When I came back my native country first, frankly, it was very difficult for me to adjust here! While I was there I didn’t have no cultural shock, I’m serious. But I had cultural shock in my native country. I don’t know how this is believable, but that is what I felt. I want thank to FLEX staff and its board Azerbaijan Alumni Association for not letting us miss. They are holding various kind of presentation and I personally participate in that events. Now, I want tell you a bit about my private life. This year I entered Baku Slavyan University faculty of International Relations. I was selected one of the 5 activists in our group and I’m also chairman of student’s council in our class. I participate in the events holds in our Universities life too. One of them was “International Conference of Comparable Literature”. There were guests from various countries. I was selected as an interpreter. I accompanied the guest from named Geri Henderson who is an English Department Chair in Lithuania. Except this, I also engaged charity work in our class. I offered to make a fund for orphanage and disable people. Darya Partas, FLEX AFS student hosted in Rome City, IN in 2002-2003 My year in America gave me a priceless experience in communicating and making new friends. Now I feel myself a cosmopolitan person, I feel comfortable in any country with my language skills and my ability to adjust easily to any environment. It gave me self- confidence and self-independence. Now I know that in any life situation, no matter how difficult it is, I will find a way to get things straight. I can say that such a life experience makes you interesting to people, interesting for employers and puts you much forward comparing to people of your age, it gives a lot of advantages for sure in career as well. I wish everybody to have a nice experience in the US. No matter how far from home you are find strength inside to adjust to and experience a new culture. After all you will be amazed how much you can be proud of yourself! 2006 Fifth Annual U.S. Education Fair: On October 28 an International Education Fair was held in Tbilisi State University. The Educational Fair was organized by the US Embassy, American Councils, IREX and "Kvali" Educational Advising Center. Around 1,000 people attended the event and about 50 FLEX alumni where among them. Opening remarks were made by Rowena Cross-Najafi, Public Affairs Officer of the U.S Embassy, U.S. ambassador to Georgia John Taft, Deputy Minister of Education of Georgia Bela Tsipuria, Gia Khubua, Rector of Tbilisi State University and Nino Chinchaladze, Deputy Director of Open Society Soros Foundation. Dr. Shota Vashakidze, President of "Kvali" Association. The audience had the chance to hear about opportunities to study in the US. All organizations and institutions working in Georgia, both local and international, were present at the event. The educational fair also included a number of interesting seminars about resume writing skills, interview skills, building a career in business and modern technologies in job searching. Halloween Charity Masquerade: On Sunday, October 29 about 220 FLEX, Eurasia Undergraduate Exchange and Muskie Program Alumni gathered in Two Side club, to celebrate the Halloween holiday. Guests from American Councils, the US Embassy and different international organizations participated in the Halloween charity campaign. The funds from the ticket price are to be used to finance a charity activity, which will take place in a local elderly house. On the Halloween Masquerade alumni had the chance to get together and meet with different interesting people, socialize in a wonderful atmosphere and of course to strengthen the alumni network. David Shervashidze ’06 FLEX alumni from Batumi was chosen to have the scariest costume and Jumberi Chavleishvili American Councils staff member was granted a certificate of the Pumpkin Master while first time in American Councils history we had singing Pumpkin with sunglasses. Journalists were invited on the event as well and enjoyed the party in whole. Street Charity Action to Support Elderly People: On Wednesday, November 22nd over 30 alumni gathered on famous Tbilisi Street Rustaveli in front of the “Blue Gallery” and sang some famous American songs to raise money for elderly house. In 3 hours alumni could raise 200 GEL and did a great PR of the FLEX Program while we were wearing FLEX T- shirts and passengers by were asking where we were from, for what we did this fundraising and the best question was about our charity box, one of the foreigner read the letters on the box saying “We Do remember” he stopped by and asked in a very curious manner what do you remember guys? So our answer was we do remember our old generation, he donated money too. Our alumni did a great job. For this fundraising they were preparing for two days Mikheil Benidze ’06, Lasha Ghvaladze ’06, David Shervashidze ’06, Nana Kalandarishvili ’06 Miranda Kemoklidze ’06, Tako Chaladze ’06, Karlo Kavtaradze ’06, Eka Rostomashvili ’06, Sopo Natroshvili ‘06 choose songs and copied them on CD, they printed out text and did all kinds of preoperational work. Optimism and enthusiasm helped our alumni make fundraising successful. Alumni played guitar and danced tango in the street to make activity more interesting and entertaining. Even police who is famous as being very strict donated some money to our box. Street action started at 14:00 and we finished at 17:00PM. “We Do Remember”: On Thursday November 23rd more than 25 alumni gathered in front of elderly house “Satnoeba” and brought lot of surprises for our older generation to celebrate Georgian Giorgoba and American Thanksgiving. Alumni were preparing for this event since October. On Halloween Mascara alumni raised 200 Gel but of course it was not enough so we started to work on other ways how to raise more money. Alumni volunteered to sell candies and sweets at their local Universities, burned a CD with famous American songs took guitar and went out in the street to raise more money. It worked perfectly, in two hours alumni could raise more than 200 Gel and add to our charity budget. In total we raised 456Gel for our action called “We Do Remember”. The main |
