James Ecklund

It was a dream come true! My first trip with Friendship Force.
Where did I (we) go? Japan, with some beautiful experiences. I was so pleasantly surprised at the welcome we received by our hosts in Tokyo, Matsuyama (near Hiroshima), and Osaka. We were immediately immersed in the families and cultures of the country.

We arrived when the cherry blossoms were in bloom, and it was a floral paradise. Our hosts were anxious to provide us with as many experiences as they could in the short time we were visiting. I believe they accomplished it. The 3 different localities afforded variation significant enough to almost feel like we were in different countries.

The 3 things that remain in my memory were the replica of the Statue of Liberty in the bay in Tokyo, the visit to the city and museum in Hiroshima, and the capital city of Osaka. But beyond the sights, I found that Friendship Force was the way to meet and make friends, not only in the places we travel, but among our fellow travelers. Viva the Friendship Force!!!

Submitted by Claire Orth, Friendship Force Northern Illinois

Over the years the Friendship Force has provided me with a wonderful WINDOW TO THE WORLD…

Sleeping in a tent at a refugee camp, under the brilliant starry Algerian desert sky, sipping tea and having camel for dinner – Where can you get that on a tour?

Wandering around an Iranian Garden, meeting some students and then inviting them for tea. And 7 years later, still in contact with the student and meeting them again in Iran–what an experience!

Going on a MYSTERY TRIP and being greeted at a Japan airport by hosts all masked, because it was a MYSTERY!!!!

Having a conversation with your host about how it was living in Germany after the war, and with former East German hosts telling about life under the Soviets.

Friendship Force has enriched my life. I have met wonderful, marvelous people that I would never have had the chance to meet otherwise. What a great organization.

Submitted by

Caryl Mikrut, Friendship Force Northern Illinois

Our Japanese home-host was a live-wire!  He directed, he commanded, he orchestrated – all with side-splitting humor.

With a quizzical look, he would grab his little pocket dictionary; zip rapidly through it and gleefully shout, A–HA!  when he found the right word.

One day we arrived home from a day-hosted tour—hot, tired and sweaty. He assessed us.  “Tom, Jean,” he commanded, “go shower!”  I glanced at my husband and confided, “Well, I guess we are pretty smelly.”  We dutifully showered and garnered about 15 minutes of rest.  He roused me.  “Come!”  O-o-o-kay, I thought (he was full of surprises.)

He led me to a beauty shop where I was coiffed.  Next, we were taken to a beautiful private home – with nobody visibly there!  We were escorted into separate rooms – and emerged dressed in the most gorgeous kimonos you can possibly imagine.  Slowly the hosts and many guests appeared, beautifully dressed in traditional garb and carrying bowls of savory food.  This lovely kimono party is among my cherished memories.

The next evening, at home, our host showed up with a huge bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken.  He ordered, “Taste!”.  We obeyed; then, “Same?”  We got the point.  He wanted to know if Japan was getting the real KFC or a knock-off.  We assured him that it was authentic.

One of our gifts to the family was Jelly Bellies…and they were delighted.

Participation in discussions around the table after a meal, when there is no rush to go somewhere, is my favorite time in any exchange. Sharing ideas and ideals is the best way to learn about other cultures. It soon makes one realize that all humans have the same problems. However, we have arrived at different solutions which conform to our own culture. This realization makes it easier for hosts and guests to understand each other’s culture and to become friends.

A discussion on a trip to Turkey taught me a valuable lesson about conversations in which one of the parties is using a second language and the other party is using their native language.  Our hostess, who spoke almost perfect English, said: “We change the way you see the world.  I know that this is a Friendship Force slogan, but what does it really mean?”

This made me realize that no matter how well someone spoke a second language, a play on words, an idiom, or a word that has different meanings when used in different situations can be very difficult to understand.  It is important to be sure that both conversationalists interpret a statement in the same way. This, too, leads to a better understanding of the other culture and to closer friendships.

Submitted by Ted Sanders, Friendship Force Northern Illinois

In total agreement after dinner….Imelda Trevino, Friendship Force San Antonio, Texas and her host from Brasov, Romania at a local restaurant.

When we met our host family in Chiang Mai, Thailand, our host told us that many of the Friendship Force of Chiang Mai members were professionals, e.g., doctors, professors.

But he was just a painter. Well, it turned out that he was a famous painter. His current project was a portrait of the king and queen of Thailand.

The painting was about half-life size, and the royal couple were side by side in full ceremonial dress, seated on ornamental thrones.  It was almost complete.  Each day he would spend several hours giving it some final touches.  The painting had been commissioned by the King!

Our next home stay was in a small remote town in the northwest Thailand.  There our host was a high school art teacher.  When he found out who our host had been in Chiang Mai, he called him and talked for some time.

The teacher was elated, and it certainly made his day to have contacted the famous artist through an unsuspecting, but friendly, American couple!

Submitted by Jon R. Anderson, Friendship Force Northern Illinois

Here is a fantastic picture, and story about how two women from different countries became friends and met by chance in a third country. A story of the true meaning of Friendship Force!

May 19, 2009 – Mitsuko Kawabata (FF of Ehime, Japan) and Sharon Spear (FF of Eastern Washington and North Idaho) meet by chance in Cappadocia, Turkey while both were waiting to take a hot air balloon ride.  Sharon had joined with FF of Northern Illinois and was enroute to Izmir, Turkey for an exchange with FF of Karsiyaka Bay. 

Mitsuko was Sharon’s houseguest for 8 days during the Ehime club exchange to Liberty Lake, Washington in 2008.

Sharon’s club is planning a 2011 outbound exchange to Ehime where she will have an opportunity to meet with Mitsuko again!!!

Our exchange to Cedar Rapids/Iowa City was a domestic exchange – within the United States. But for Taiwan-born Sheila Liao, it was a chance to experience a different aspect of America.  Here is her story.

It is my first exchange; I am very excited and looking forward for the experience.

Mr. Bob Weissman is very kind to offer the ride for us to drive to Cedar Rapids.

We left 9:30 in the morning and got there right before 2:30pm. The Cedar Rapids club members were there to welcome us. I felt so honored to be treated as VIP.

Coe College has great assets of many local artists’ art collections. Finally, I am at the home town of Grant Wood.

I was holding my breath when I got into my host family’s house. It is a nice, private, wooded area with many custom built houses. Mr. Michael and Dianne Karal have a beautiful big house which has artistic detailed decoration.  They provided me a room with a 4-pole queen size bed.  I had always wished to sleep on a 4-pole bed.

While staying with the Karal family, Dianne shared her recipes, taught me to play “progression” card game, showed us many of their trips photos and scrap books. They had done all photos, placed with great theme and art design. I encouraged Dianne to publish her travel scrap books to promote the Friendship Force organization.

To visit the local art gallery, Anamosa Penitentiary Museum, President Hoover Library, Amanas German town, and trolley tour of their downtown; this trip taught me their hard work attitude and big warm hearts of Midwestern Americans. It also taught me some of American histories.

The trip set a high standard for my future exchanges and it will be the role model to follow to be a great home host.

Three years ago (May, 2010), our FFNI chapter hosted Friendship Force Ambassadors from Kalispell, Montana. I had the good fortune to host Patty Sevier, a delightful lady who enjoyed a week here in the ‘burbs’. We had a great time, tooling around the area, seeing the Botanic Garden and Chicago sights in Millennium Park such as Cloud Gate (“the Bean”), the unique fountains, the music pavilion, and on and on.  Later in the week my vivacious day host, Kat York, escorted us on a visit to the fabulous Milwaukee Art Museum.  I urge all hosts to include this on their agenda for guests — it’s not to be missed!  To put it in a nutshell this was a fun week.

So now we skip three years ahead to July, 2013 and FFNI is scheduled to go to (ta-da fanfare, please) Kalispell, Montana!  And who is hosting me??  Patty Sevier, of course. What luck!  In spite of the busy schedule, we tucked in time here and there to “just chat” and I’ll leave it up to you readers to guess that we did that in spades!  Pictures! I returned with hundreds of photos of gorgeous mountain scenery and the most endearing people ever.  Another FF member, Tammy, had volunteered to do the driving. We toured Glacier National Park, the National Bison Range, lakes and towns–and relatives, too.

“The Baby Shower” for Patty’s niece was a blast and the little baby-shoe favor is my remembrance. Many thanks to Patty, Tammy, and all the FF members in Kalispell for an unforgettable week.

Jean Wilson