Updates of OurFriends Around the World |
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Updates of OurFriends Around the World |
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Letters To Friends - April 1999 Hi All!! This
is the series of quotes that I have taken from your emails I have received.
I hope that you don't mind that I share a little of your life with the
others. Some are recent quotes, some from way back. I will mail this out
to those of our group that do not have email.......... so if there are
any more of you out there who wish to add to this, please send your items
along to me! Yes, I have added comments in a few places..... It was
good to hear from so many of you!!!
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Laurette Bessy - France
"It is soooooooo nice to
hear from you ! I think about my AFS experience all the time and of course
of you and everyone else who was there last year. It is now such an important
part of my life ! That's why I'm coming back this summer for three
weeks to see my host family and friends in Vermont. As for next year, I'm
totally into applications right now. I'm not sure what I'm interrested
about, so I try out many different things. I might go to the university
to study languages (english, spanish and german...the country, politics,
economy, society...) or to study economy. I might go to economy school
(it's hard to explain cause it's really different from the american system)
or I might go to a school to learn how to direct a hotel. This is what
interrests me most right now. I would have a european degree, then a Master
and then I could have an MBA in the US. ......
.Lilia Pelayo does not have
an e-mail adress. We tried to keep in touch, ... I know she's a student
in Puebla, not far from Mexico City and she loves it."
You can also find Laurette and I "chatting" on the AOL instant messenger (anyone can download). I have only found her once so far, but it was fun!
Email me if you want some
screen names!
Torben was on at school
once too
Miguel Macias - Ecuador
Miguel will be returning
to the US this summer for college search and college. The situation
in Ecuador is not good and his parents are sending him back here - for
his safety and his future. I will be happy to have him back! He is attending
college now in Quito and after his summer session is finished, he will
return to the states. "Hi Janet: How are you? here everything
is crazy the economy of Ecuador is bad- one dollar is now 20 000 sucres……..
but for the poor people it is a problem. Well lets forget that, I
am doing fine in college, partying a lot and of course ????????."
Silje Birknes - Norway
"First I want to say thanks
for keeping in touch with us all - it's great! I've just finished
my college applications for this fall, planning to start studying graphic
design or art history. This summer I will go on inter rail with a friend
of mine, to ten Eurpean countries. I'm really looking forward to that!
Maybe I can meet Michela, Gabi, Jonas or some of the others. It seems like
most of us have moved on with our lives at home - that is natural, of course,
but it would be so nice if we could meet again, have a reunion type thing
in a few years. I think that would be a great idea."
Luca Benigni - Italy
Finally Luca has email!!!!
His host sister visited him in Italy and they had a wonderful time..
He is working hard to finish up high school by the end of July and says,
"by the beginning of September, I'll have to be here for college tests.....But
I'm almost sure that next summer I'll be going coast to coast with my sister.
About my plans to come back to the US soon, I don't have any, 'cause this
summer I'll be going on vacation w/ my parents and w/ my friends... maybe
next year!!! But in January my American mum will be probably coming to
Italy with my two little brothers. I haven't heard from anyone lately,
how are the other kids doing? Let me know!!! I've had a hard time writing
to people for two reasons: time and I realize I refuse to think back, because
it's so hard. I think I'm getting over it just now.. “
Luca, it is hard for all
of us!! :-)
Torben Jensen - Denmark
Torben is finishing up the
school year and looking forward to vacations where he will work and make
money for traveling. He is hoping to get back to the US next year for a
visit. Very exciting that he is an active AFS volunteer! he says:
"This month I was elected in to the board of our local AFS chapter, we
cover 4 cities, like 70.000 people, so it is local ! Being in the board
just kind of means you're active in the organisation. So that is gonna
be fun to go in and do some work for being and future exchangstud's. As
a matter of fact in 2 weeks I'm also going on another AFS-weekend. This
one is for educating people to be leaders at languageschools (the arrivalcamps
wich is 10-14 days) and for before and after orientation for danish exchangstud's.
You need to have that training to be leader in those camps, so now I too
know what some of my summer is gonna be used on."
Frederique Fity - France
"Right now I'm on vacation.
My parents went in the Alps and I'm staying home to study for my exams...
but with my experience of AFS parties, I'm not sure I'll be able
to stay home every night.... Fredi seems to be doing well; she used
to email me all the time! But life takes over and we all get involved with
what we have to do....." From earlier in the year:
"After a year of vacations
in High School, feels funny... At least I still have a friend of mine who
has to do her senior year over because she screwed up on the exams, so
I won't be all alone with those young immature people from the year after
me..."
Gabriela Cortez - Spain
"i have been really busy.
Between Volleyball and School i don't have time to do anything else. I
wanna help with AFS in madrid but i can't write now, i hope i can't do
it next year. Well, Are good the new AFS`ers?, maybe but no one like us,
eh!"
You are right Gabi!! No
one like you guys!!! :-)
Marleen ter Weele - Holland
"I have 2 'new' jobs (one
at a computercompany, called 'Chipmunk' where I have to order paperwork,
and one at a disco), I passed my second trimester of school (Finally; I
dragged myself through it and I made it!!!!!), no boyfriend (good case....),
not in love (even better, especially with this nice weather outside!),
still partying (never too much), etc. .... I love the weather here!!!!!!
It;s so nice and sunny! I'm coming around the 28th of July to America,
but you will see me there some time, if you want or not!!!!!!! For 4 weeks!!!"
Marleen, I can't wait!!!
Lena Traub - Germany
“School is keeping me busy
as always. Well, I still do a lot of stuff with AFS. That has become
very important in my life 'cause I like being together with another group
of people and working for AFS. That's just great!" Dear Janet!
I loved to hear from you a while ago! I'm just sending a quick mail, at
least for now. Woh, I'm realizing that I'm loosing some of my english!!
There are no real news I could think of. I started to take lessons to get
my drivers licence (finally) and that is exciting. Otherwise I'm
thinking about my summer vacations this year (I will probably visit
the U.S. next summer). And I'm thinking about N E X T year, 'cause
I'll be finished with school and I'm thinking of going abroad for
another year...But right now I haven't decided on anything.... “
Philipp Eisenbarth - Germany
In July, when I asked Philipp
about his hair color and his parents' reaction, he wrote: "You wanted
to know what my parents reaction to my hair was! Here is the
answer!!! They really liked it, at least they did not say anything
bad about it like:"You are not allowed to go back to Vermont!" or "You
may not have anymore conntact to that AFS woman Janet, baecause of your
beard!"
And.... this response last
week about what he could tell everyone about what he is up to: "my
has been hair normal for quite a while now; still have to go to school;
would like to see everybody again"
Philipp, you are funny!
Burak Oner - Turkey
"In the beginning of the
school year, I was elected as the vice-president of the Student Council
in my high school and that took a lot of time from my social life.
Then comes being an active AFS volunteer. I have to attend
meetings every Friday, and have to spend time on extra work if there is
any. In addition to this, (YES!!!) my school work. School comes third
on my importance list as you see. I took an easy curriculum to have
time on other activities. Thank GOD that I am not studying for the
University exam in Turkey. (I can explain how a normal junior-senior
student lives in Turkey, if people get interested) However, I had to deal
with university applications for the US.
I had gained 8 kg in the
US just because of Pringles and Lays, and guess what had followed me from
US. On the second week that I returned, the advertisements of both
were everywhere in Turkey."
Well, Burak, you don't HAVE
to eat them!!!!
Vanessa Romero - Honduras
I haven't heard anything
from Vanessa since the hurricane - I hope all is well with her......this
was from September. Has anyone heard since???? "You know what??...I
miss everyone soooooo muuuch!!!...i just wish we could get back together
again....wouldn't be so nice????Tell me, whom have you heard from so far??
I've been so busy with my college, I'm majoring in Industrial and Commercial
Engineering and the classes I'm taking right now are soooo damn hard....i
just hope i can do well in my classes.....you know...it's so hard to get
used to everything again!!!!....classes, friends, culture,family rules....EVERYTHING!!....even
you own family!!!....but i don't regret of all of sadness i went through
when i left, cuase it really was a heck of experience i had there.....i
wanna do it again so bad!!...with with the same people, all my exchange
friends...."
Andre de Abreu - Brazil
(From August)
"Ten minutes ago I just
finished watching that tape that you gave us, with the talent show and
the camp and stuff. It's great that I can have all my friends from AFS
in tape, but it was also pretty sad when I finished watching the tape.
I started remembering everybody and it's hard to believe that my exchange
year is already over. Sometimes I think that I really would like to go
back in time and be there again, with all of my friends from all over the
world, and be able to talk to them again, teach them some juggling, play
soccer (Latin America against the rest of the world)... I hope someday
I'll be able to meet them all again, it would be one of the happiest days
of my life." Andre's sister will be coming this year, and she will
be one of my new kids in Friends!
Jade Hamilton - Australia
(August)
Watch out Australia, Jade
has her driver's license!! "School is slowly getting better, it's
taking time but I'm getting used to it. A girl from my school just
left on an exchange with AFS on Wednesday and I went and saw her
off at the airport with some of her other friends. I wanted to go
away again so bad! Everyone was crying so much but I wasn't because
I knew exactly what she was going into and I was so happy for her.
It reminded me of when I went away and it feels like it never actually
happened - it seems like I just have all these memories but I never
left Australia. I'm so glad that I went though but now I have the
travel bug and want to go everywhere!! "
Diana Stchastlivseva - Russia
"That what's going on
in my life now: I was in Moscow part of all that
time since my arrival, so I even didnt have time to contact with somebody
from US and to leave some kind of information about myself. I’ve
entered the University preparation courses, I decided move
to Moscow to find a job there and to start studing in Univ.
But it’s a long story nothing started yet. I have been
asked to be an AFS volonteer in Moscow , I’m
thinking about it."
Juan Alsina - Argentina
"HERE IN ARGENTINA I´M
WORKING , I GOT MY LICENSE AND I´M MISSING A LOT ALL MY FRIENDS FROM
ALL OVER THE WORLD, I´M MISSING MY FAMILY AND I´M MISSING JANET
AND HER FAMILY TOO. I LIKE BEING HERE BUT SOMETIMES I WISH I COULD
BE AT THEORIENTATIONS AGAIN. THEY WERE SO FUN."I´VE BEEN REALLY
BUSY LATELY. I´VE STARTED COLLEGE LIKE A MONTH AND A HALF AGO,
AND I ALREADY HAD MID TERMS. TODAY I´M GETTING ANOTHER
GRADE AND TOMOROOW ANOTHER EXAM. I HAVE TO STUDY SO MUCH. PLUS, I´M
STILL WORKING. I STARTED AGAIN TO PLAY RUGBY. THE TEAM IS NOT
A GOOD ONE BUT THE PLAYERS ARE REALLY NICE. I LIKE IT.
Thomas Berjoan - France
A 'rare' message came through!!!
Just kidding Tom! We know you don't have much time to write! "I have
to work like I would have never imagine , but that's the price to pay for
wanting to be the next french president !!" I'm amost done with classes
, I only have exams left but that's the toughest part , right ? Other than
that , everything's cool : my host parents came two weeks ago and they
stayed with us for 10 days and that was so good to see them again !I think
they enjoyed it a lot , specially the Alpes ! For a few days , I
had two mothers that can be tough for only one young man , but i think
I handled it OK !
Michela Mariani - Italy
"here everything is pretty
good but i wish i could be with all of you one more time.... happy thanksgiving
to you!!! sorry if i am a little late, but late is better than never!!
school is doing fine, i don't really feel like studying really hard but
i have to so i can only complain but i cannot do anything about it!!! i
am having lots of fun with my friends here...they have been all really
nice with me and they helped me fit in again!!"
Juan Vergara - Chile
I'm still waiting for that
long message!!!!
"No! It isn´t the
Argentinian Juanito. This is the Chilean Juanito, the skinny violinist.
I apologize to be that breif, but I SWEAR I wrote you a nice-long message,
but I quited the program without saving the changes. It´s too late
now, so Í´ll write it again other day."
Jenny Holmborg - Finland
"Things are going well here.
I have been busy with school and stuff, we also performed a play together
with my class. It was a musical and it kept me busy for weeks. I am working
3 times a week (after school) in a grocerystore as a cashier. It's fun,
although it can be stressful sometimes. I find it being a nice work, where
i get to see new people all day long!!! =) I am trying to save money so
I could go and visit Irene and Javier next summer!!"
Anita Vega - Colombia
(From January)
"school is keeping me busy
most of the time, and I have lots of work all the time. About the
earthquake... well... I am really sad about it, but fortunately it was
away from my city, and nothing happened here, even when we felt the movement.
But there are lots of people who are now suffering without anything to
eat, and trying to get away from there while the government tries to reconstruct
again the afected cities. At College we were doing activities to collect
stuff to help all those people... You know... many people died, and there
have been many other movements in the area.... I guess I just have to be
glad to think I am ok, and my family too... I hope the situation will get
better pretty soon."
Wendy Gonzales - Bolivia
"But i have so many things
going on here. I pass my first semester, I´m very happy about that.
Come back to my house was really hard, but know everything is working well."
Joy Chumkate - Thailand
"I'm doing very good. I
have graduated (in March) and now I am on vacation!! I've just come back
from visiting my grandmother in the south. She was really interested in
my life in the US. last year, and she kept asking me about it for hours.
I told her about those wonderful AFS camps, the talent show and I showed
her pictures and that video. She just loved it!! It makes me think about
the camp and you all a lot. The university I'm going to is called
Silpakorn. It is the second best university in the field that I'm studying
in my country. The school will start in this late May. I'm really excited
about my new college life, but I will miss my friends in high school a
great deal too.
Fluke and Raffin don't have
e-mail addresses. I wrote Fluke a letter last week but don't get one from
her yet. I'll let you know how she is doing as soon as I get her letter."
Pablo Cardoza - Costa Rica
"Well, college is
going fine, I'm in my second year of pharmacy, and it gets harder every
semester, but I feel better every semester as well. I have a lot
of new friends already and I am more used to study really hard. Some
times I don't get any sleep whatsoever, and the library seems to be my
second home, but as I said... I feel (better) each day. I spent 90% of
my summer vacations on the beach, so I had an incredible summer!!!
I did not work at all during my vacations, but I got a job a month ag.
Somebody told me that I would be go doing TV comercials, so I did a casting,
and they hired me for a comercial recently. It was for a Costa Rican
bank. It was extremely fun, I met a lot of people and pretty girls
(that was the best part of it) and the paid me really good.
I appear just a fraccion of a second in the comercial and I was wearing
a hat so it's hard to recognize me but it was a good start in the business!!!
Also I was preselected for a TV show so I did a couple of auditions, but
we will see if I get selected or not. Any way, it the audition was
fun too. "
Irene Jarchum - Argentina
"I´ve been studying
for a Math exam I had today. Now I have a couple of days off from such
hard study time, and then I have to start again for another class. University
is pretty tough, and I´m still trying to get used to it. Here in
Argentina we have to declare our major even before school starts. I´m
a Biology major. So, things are good over here, and I have some great
news. Jennie is coming to visit me this June!!! Yes!! She already
bought the ticket!!! I am so excited, I can´t even start to tell
you. I am really happy about this.These months since I left the US have
been pretty tough on me, and this is something great to look forward to,
you know? Janet, thank you for bringing all those great memories back to
us. The AFS orientations were just great, and we will be with us always.
But sometimes we get caught on the moment, and forget to remember. Thank
you for being there."
You are all welcome!!!
Ana Munoz - Costa Rica
Ana called me last weekend
(Apr. 24th) and what a great surprise! She can call from work - lucky!
She is working and studying journalism at college. She is doing well, sounds
great. She hasn't seen Erick or Pablo and didn't have the list of email
addresses. She does now! You will find her new email address in the list.
Others I have not heard from
and still others I don't have email for......... send along addresses if
you have them!
It is so hard to believe
that you all left the US almost a year ago, or more.......
:-) I hope you all enjoyed
this as much as I enjoyed hearing from each and every one of you!
I miss you!
Love,
Janet
