Friends Around The World

Did you know ...............???

 January 2005 Updates

January 2005 - let's start with me! I am loving living on Cape Cod, except for all the snow we have had this year!  My son, Mike, is married; my son Adam is on a ship for 4 months in the Indian Ocean; daughter Liz is in California with my granddaughter, 2 years old in March! and Katie is in college in Florida. Gaston/Argentina 96/97 is still with us, and studying for his Masters degree.

First of all, our friends near the Tsunami disaster: I have been in touch with Joy, Fluke and Raffin (Thailand, 1997/98). All are fine and were not in the path of destruction. It took some time and worrying to find out that they were all ok. Joy, actually is in Paris and has been for about 2 years. She would like to find Frederique and Laurette, Tom too? (France 97/98) since she is so close to them! Nong/Thailand 98/99 - where are you? Without an email address, there was no way to check on you - I am hoping that you are fine also.

From Sigi/Austria 98/99 in October of 2004 -"I have been in Mexico this summer...doing human rights watch for 2 weeks, learning Spanish and travelling around...next semester I`ll go to the Ukraine to study for 6 months....but right now I´m sitting in Austria doing different stuff.....but the easiest way would be to communicate by ICQ ". That's from Sigi, email me if you would like his ICQ number!

From Victoria/Russia 97/98 - I graduated from the University last year and last summer I got married............. I work as a lawyer in Moscow." Victoria emailed me after all these years for the first time

Yoan/France 98/99 - I have a new email address for Yoan. Time to try it out and say hi.

From Pablo/Costa Rica 97/98 sent February 2004 - "I graduated already last August. I´m a doctor in Pharmacy, so you can call me Dr. Cardoza, sounds cool doesn´t it?. It took a lot of effort, but I am very fullfilled with my major now that is over. Now I am working with a Swiss pharmaceutical company named Novartis, wich is one of the biggest companies worldwhile. I´m working as a medical rep, wich is a very fun and job, but we have a little bit of pressure for the sales and all that stuff."  Congratulations Dr. Pablo!!! I'll have to check in with you soon!

Torben/Denmark 97/98 - Is doing incredibly well in school, as usual. He should be finishing up his University studies next summer, and is still with his longtime girlfriend, Signe. Torben, with all you have to do for school, you always find time to email letters to me - you are amazing!

Miguel/Ecuador 97/98 - let's call Miguel the traveler! He seems to be going back and forth from Ecuador to the US all the time! He said in November 2004:   "I am currently working for an architectural company half time, and rest of the time I do my thesis and also take of a company I created with some friends which is called MVproducciones. Its a company dedicated to do any type of events from concerts to parties, weddings, sports championships,...... We are doing fine every day we are better known, and hopefully we will continue growing."

Philip/Germany 97/98 wrote in January 2004: "Since I left New England I spent another year in the States. I might have written that before. I was volunteering in a soup kitchen in Chicago. I did that volunteer year instead of the military service in Germany every male German has to do. Now, I am doing a cooperative programm. I am studying business administration at the Univerity in Mannheim and working for Fraport, the owner and operator of the Frankfurt Aiport. Last year, when I was heading home from after work, I met a large group of AFS-students signed with AFS t-shirts arriving in Germany for their exchange year." I hope our fire eater is doing well in 2005!

Jade/Australia 97/98 - wrote also a year ago: "I flew to Ireland and lived and worked there for 7 months! It was a fantastic experience, one that I'll never forget. I met so many people and had such a good time. It was a whole new beginning for me. Anyway, I went to the UK for a couple of weeks, then travelled through Europe, where I met up with Bettina for a week in Switzerland!! It was so much fun, like we had never been apart. I tried to catch up with Denise in Germany, but her email address has been down for ages and the address I had for her was wrong so I couldn't find her."

**** This shows you all that you should keep in touch or keep me updated so that our website will allow you to have recent email addresses! You never know when someone will try to visit you in your home country!!!

January 2004 - from Anita/Colombia 97/98 -  "After I graduate from the University in Colombia, I am planning on studing in Calgary (Canada), while my family starts all the process for my parents and I to get our Permanent Immigration Visa......... Besides that, I've been doing pretty good at the University. I am one of the best students of my career, and because of that, the University has given me many scholarships and awards. My next step is to come to Calgary to live and study."

Rita/Ecuador 97/98 - has been in Florence, Italy for quite some time now and studying art restoration. I have found her on the MSN messenger at times (usually when I am at work, so I can't chat long). She is doing quite well. Proud of all your languages, Rita!

Juliana/Brazil 98/99 and Marie/Belgium 98/99 said a quick hello last year when I wrote my "letter to all". Hey ladies, what are you up to now?

Ruth/Switzerland 98/99 sent me the most wonderful photos of a hiking trip that she took last year. I have an incredible photo of her that I hope to put up here soon!

Lili/Colombia 98/99 is often on the MSN messenger as is Anna Maria/Ecuador 98/99. I promise to come chat soon ladies!

This is not all, but it is all I have time for today! I have spent this snowy day remembering all of you........ and I do remember ALL of you. So often the emails you send begin with "I hope you remember me......." and let me say that yes, I do remember.