If you aren't yourself a participant or volunteer with AFS, then you
are probably now wondering just what the heck this is all about. Well,
I'd be happy to tell you, since my year with the program was one of the
best of my life, hands down. Every year, hundreds of youths embark on
an intercultural experience with the
American Field Service program. The organization (and its
name) have a rich history, and today volunteers around the world assist
in its activities.
Unfortunately, I've had to discontinue my AFS lists, as I have not had the time to continue updating them, and they have become woefully inadequate compared to the automated databases out there on the rest of the web. Please use the Find A Friend section of the official AFS website at www.afs.org to get returnee and volunteer information.
Another cool place to visit if you're an AFSer is The AFS Chat Page, which was set up by Jan Stromsodd. Thanks Jan!
My latest project for AFS is a more personal one. I'd like to see if we can get a good number of my best friends from the exchange year in Nederland back together. The target for the reunion would be sometime in 2000 (or 2001?), at a place yet to be determined. It's going to take some work, as most of us have lost touch - but I'll keep notes on our progress here. I'll also try my best to embarrass us all with pictures from the year abroad...
October 21, 1999:
Chris has a new job, Joana's married, Adrie will be soon, and Chris and
Paul have new email addresses. OK, so some of this may not be new news,
but it's the first time I've put them up here...
August 9, 1999:
New email addresses for Heather and Joana, and some new interest from
everyone about possibly meeting in Europe next spring. Keep the email
flowing, all!
July 14, 1999:
Well, it may seem like I've disappeared off of the face of the earth,
but I am still here. I've just been busy, and distracted, and everything else. Might have something to do with my girlfriend moving in, but I plead
innocence.
Hope everyone's well.
Feb. 24, 1999:
Another lost soul found! As Paul put it: "Guess what, I have found
Gill! Yeahhhhhh! An acheivement in itself! And
better still, she knows where Georgina is!" Woo hoo! I've added Gill
to the list below.
Jan. 24, 1999:
Sorry, it's been a while again - I had a lazy spell, mixed with some
busy times at work. Anyways, here's a picture that Chris sent me, from
when we met for Paul's
birthday... that reminds me, has anyone heard from Colleen at all?
No-one's really mentioned her so far.
Jan. 16, 1999:
I've moved the previous (and any future) AFS pictures to a different web
server, so now I have LOTS more space to load new ones - stay
tuned!
Jan. 12, 1999:
I have a number of pictures of us at camps demonstrating our various
"talents"... here are some of the AFS
meisjes in face painting and birthday singing...
Jan. 11, 1999:
Time to add another name to our growing list. Chris got ahold of
Margret in Iceland! Great work, Texan. For your reward, how about a picture of you eating stampot? Margret doesn't yet have email,
and I don't want to post her actual address here - if you're part of our
email list you should have it.
Jan. 10, 1999:
Today we have a lovely pose from Georgina and Lara on a stroll in the
H.C. van Hall Institute...
Jan. 9, 1999:
Here we have "the band of the hand", as
Chris called us... this was from February in Groningen. Kennen jullie
nog de Drie Gezusters? Jammer dat ik heb geen foto ervan.
Jan. 8, 1999:
More, more, more! Here's another pic from that first language camp:
does anyone still remember Touch Touch
Kiss? Another pic for another trip, does anyone remember Wadlopen? How could anyone forget, once
they've trudged for 3.5 hours through mud to Ameland? Zeer gek,
hoor!
Jan. 7, 1999:
Well, I've heard from Paul, Chris, and Heather since writing my little
Happy New Year email. Thank you! I seem to be going overboard with the
pictures. Three more here: one of me, Adrie,
Gill, and Gill's host sister (Gill's going to kill me!), one of the 3 Musketeers (Paul, Chris, & me),
and one of Omaya and a one-time
friend.
Jan. 6, 1999:
Now that you're all groaning at your appearances
from 8 years ago, here's a less torturous memory - a pic of our first AFS poster (73KB), care of
our artistes Marc and Willemijn.
Jan. 5, 1999:
Chris and I are wondering where we should try to hold this reunion.
Nederland seems like the obvious choice, but we'd appreciate any input
from the rest of you. In the meantime, I scanned in a picture from the first
language camp (121KB) to give us all some memories (and maybe some
laughter?)...
Dec. 11, 1998:
Lara is here! Chris sent out another
email with news of one more of our Portuguese friends. Woo
hoo!
Nov. 16, 1998:
Here's a note from
Chris. He's got a lead on Marc, so hopefully we'll hear more
soon.
Nov. 14, 1998:
I found Omaya! She wrote me an email back after I sent a letter to the
last home address for her. Thank goodness our parents don't move as
often as we all have in the past 7 years!
Sep. 01, 1998:
Here's my initial reunion email, with a beginning list of AFSers from
our year. Let me know if you notice that I missed someone.
Contacts so far:
Omaya Sosa-Pascual
Carl Avery
Chris Markley
Adriana Oesman
Heather (Wheaton) Thumith
Paul Drakeford
Joana Leitao
Lara Pereira
Margret Vignirsdottir
Gill Lynch
Click to send email to all of us.
