Our Adventure up North

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FFNI Exchange to Winnipeg and Ottawa, Canada Our Canada exchange was full of diverse scenery, fascinating history, lots of information, and of course, many new friends. Our group consisted of ten members of FFNI, two from FF Greater Orlando, and two from FF Cedar Rapids/Iowa City. We began in Winnipeg, the capital of the province of Manitoba. After being welcomed at the airport and settling in to our hosts’ homes, we had a wonderful welcome banquet, complete with a very challenging trivia game. The next day included a walking tour of the old business district of Winnipeg, including
many interesting buildings and tales of the old days. We had lunch at a restaurant which featured Native Canadian foods, and then visited the wonderful Manitoba Museum.

Our next day included a guided tour of the Manitoba provincial Legislature building, followed by a walk along the river. We were able to see the building of the new Canadian Human Rights Museum. The museum is not yet open, but we were able to have an outdoor tour to see the architecture and hear about the plans for this unique institution, dedicated to the struggle for human rights in all nations throughout history. Our weekend was free of scheduled activities. Many of the hosts took our ambassadors on excursions outside of the city, while others participated in the hosts’ family events. It was very nice to have the time to get to know each other better. We also enjoyed small
dinner parties at the homes of other FF Winnipeg members.

On Monday we began with a sumptuous breakfast at a French Canadian restaurant, followed by a walk to Winnipeg’s French area, called St. Boniface. There was a docent-led tour of the St. Boniface Museum, and a stop at the original St. Boniface Cathedral alongside its very modern replacement. Our final activity in Winnipeg was a visit to the Fort Whyte Nature Centre, a wonderful area of woods, grasslands, and other habitats, with many native animals to see.

The Farewell banquet was our last chance to meet the Winnipeg group – a great potluck dinner. The guest of honor was a veteran Mountie, who told great stories of his career in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Our 30th Anniversary

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Friendship Force of Northern Illinois celebrated our 30th anniversary in 2014.  We met on May 1 at the Magnolia Room at Lambs’ Farm in Libertyville for a delicious luncheon.  Charter member Jean Wilson presided at the program, which featured a video showing highlights of the events, exchanges, and friendships that have transpired since 1984.  Friendship Force International was represented by Pallie Savoie, who gave a brief talk about the accomplishments of Friendship Force around the world.  All of the past presidents who were present spoke and told annecdotes about their tenure as president and their feelings about our club.  Current president Marlene DiBrito also presented her thoughts about our past and future.

One Day in New Zealand

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By Brian Harrington
Departing Queenstown for Christchurch, our bus stopped first at Kawarau Bridge, site of the world’s first bungee jump in 1988. Jumping had not yet commenced due to our early arrival time. The bridge (over the Kawarau River) was built in 1889 and closed to traffic in 1969. A portion of the jump fees were set aside to save the bridge from a state of disrepair. Situated 140 feet above the river, Kawarau Bridge remains the most popular bungee jump location in New Zealand.

At 10:40 am we stopped for coffee in the tiny community of Omarama (Maori for “place of light”). Due to its Southern Alps location and the presence of mountain air thermals, Omarama is known as a world-class gliding location. It gained fame among sailplane pilots after hosting the 1995 World Gliding Championships. Excellent gliding conditions in the area have attracted record seekers such as Steve Fossett and several world gliding records have been achieved there.

At 11:30 am we passed through Twizel, the closest town to Mt. Cook, tallest peak on the South Island. Twizel is also the home of the Central Hydroelectric Dam Control Center for both the North and South Islands of New Zealand. A few minutes later we stopped at the Lake Pukaki Visitor Centre to view the mountain and to celebrate Judith Nahill’s birthday with song and a fabulous chocolate “mud” cake.

At 12:45 pm we stopped at Tekapo Lake Village for lunch. Afterward we visited the nearby Church of the Good Shepherd, used for Sunday services by several Christian denominations. A spectacular view of Lake Tekapo and Mt. John is visible from the inside of the church through large windows. Due to its clear atmosphere and absence of light pollution, Mount John University Observatory is located nearby. This area is also home to a military camp that trains New Zealand soldiers in Antarctic survival skills and pre-deployment training of forces being sent to Afghanistan.

At 3:15 pm we stopped in South Canterbury for coffee and shopping at the Tin Shed. It was here that Brian and Joan discovered that they had left their Passports locked in their Queenstown hotel room safe. Southern World Tour Company somehow worked a miracle and the passports were retrieved and returned to the Christchurch Airport in time for our departure to Rotorua the following morning.

New Zealand & Australia

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A CUPPA FRIENDSHIP

Reflections on the 2010 New Zealand/Australian Exchange

Pat Meyer, Exchange Director

“Time for a cuppa!” “I’ve got the kettle on; let’s have a cuppa.” “A cuppa will revive us.” And so, invitations from our hosts to share a cup of tea, a flat white, or a long black (coffee with or without milk) were daily occurrences for each of us during the exchange. During these breaks, with the requisite “slices” of lemon or berry cake, stories began to unravel. Patricia and Andrew told how they met as young teachers in London, but returned to Rotorua to establish a home. Elizabeth enchanted us with her twenty years in India where she and her husband educated and provided health care to the poor. John shared his excitement and frustrations in rebuilding his 50-year-old Willys Jeep while Connie spoke of the years she and their son managed a successful café in Wentworth Falls. We all shared many stories, stories that made us laugh or perhaps cry, stories we carried home and will repeat as we tell our friends and family about our Kiwi and Aussie friends.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stories were also an integral part of each club’s program. In Rotorua, Aunty Bea, a Maori educator, activist, and entertainer, captivated us as she told or sang the history and accomplishments of her people. With her we not only visited a predominantly Maori school, but also a Marae (tribal community) with a Wharenui (meeting house), an Anglican Church and a cemetery with many burials of veterans from Maori regiments in World Wars I and II.

 

 

 

 

Our “Tribal Leaders” Pat & George

A light-hearted story emerged as we celebrated the Melbourne Cup at a local civic center in Rotorua. Friendship Force of Northern Illinois was the center of attention as many locals wanted to shake hands with “those folks from the Windy City.” We were required to wear flamboyant hats (provided by Patricia Buffery, Rotorua Exchange Director) to the party. Our own Tom Coyle won a prize for his stylish hat full of American currency! To top off the afternoon, Americain, a US bred horse, finished first in the race.

 

 

 

A highlight of our week with the Thames-Coromandel Club was an afternoon spent with local historian and raconteur, Russell Skeets, who wove together the history of the Maori, the gold miners, the early settlers, and the current residents. To illustrate his story, we literally moved from a Maori pa (hill fort), now a cemetery, to the Thames Museum of Technology, the Bowen Hotel, now a private home, ending at the Thames Treasury. Russell had an uncanny ability to show us that the past is alive in the present. His stories were enhanced by a group of local actors and singers who dramatized or sang of Thames and the Coromandel Peninsula.

Melbourne Cup Revelers

While in New Zealand, our exchange directors arranged for us to visit two predominately Maori schools so that we could present the children gifts of books we brought from the US. At both Glenholme and Kerepehi Schools we were welcomed (in Maori) by the students in formal ceremonies that included the haka, a Maori war dance still used to open matches by the All Blacks, the Kiwi Rugby team. George Nahill acted as our head chief and spoke on our behalf. After the formalities, the students either asked (in English) questions or showed us around the school. All expressed thanks for the books and assured us they love to read. Without a doubt, the youth won our hearts with their warm smiles, thoughtful questions, and eagerness to embrace Americans. However, one six year old stumped all the ambassadors when he asked, “What does salmon taste like?” None of us had a suitable answer, but we think he forgave our ineptness!

Our week opened in the Blue Mountains with a visit to the Bathurst Correctional Centre. At the center we heard the story of the prison’s unique program that teaches Aboriginal inmates traditional painting techniques so they can carry on their ancient art. The intent, of course, is to return prisoners to their communities with skills that will support them in positive ways. The work we saw was outstanding, and many of us purchased items that were for sale. By the way, the prisoners receive 84% of their sales.
We were treated to a tour of the Jenolan Caves, designed especially for us by Allan Cupitt, Blue Mountains co-exchange director and tour guide at the caves. Allan’s love of and knowledge about the caves made our time there especially memorable. He showed us spectacular stalagmites and stalactites in these impressive limestone caves. Mother Nature truly instills us with a sense of wonder and awe far beyond what we humans invent or build.

A special occasion during our week in Australia was a traditional Aussie barbie to celebrate John Exner’s 70th birthday. (Many of you remember John who exquisitely played the role of a sheep in a skit the Blue Mountains’ ambassadors performed for us at the farewell party in 2008.) Seeing John surrounded by his family and FF friends from the Blue Mountains and America, as well as hearing stories about John’s adventures and misadventures, cheered all of us. We especially loved the moment when John had to muster enough wind to blow out the candles on his cake.
Words are inadequate to capture the entirety of an exchange. However, when friends ask me to tell them about our trip, it is the stories that I share. Travel with Friendship Force is different from traditional tours, and it is the personal stories revealing our strengths and frailties that make this difference. An exchange reminds us not only how connected to one another we are but how often we forget this. It’s time for another cuppa!

An Aussie farewell serenade

I would be remiss if I didn’t add a post script to this reflection. Dave and I stayed an additional two weeks in Australia after most of the ambassadors returned to the states. Frank and Irene Bowen, our Mt. Barker hosts during the 2004 FFNI Exchange, hosted us during this time. The Bowens attended the farewell party in the Blue Mountains, and then drove us from Wentworth Falls to their home via a scenic route of over 1,500 miles! We were stunned by the beauty we saw along the Great Ocean Road and the Alpine Highway through the Snowy Mountains. On our way to Mt. Barker, several friends of Frank and Irene’s hosted us, including Bernie and Ken McEachern from the Casterton FF club. Once in Mt. Barker, we renewed friendships with members from their FF club. Their president, David Adams, invited us for a “pit picnic” and the chance to see koalas in the wild on his acreage near Mt. Barker. We were thrilled to see five of the cuddly creatures and to hear their unusual communication. Beware! Koalas are fiercely territorial, and they do growl at one another when their space is invaded. Frank and Irene were extraordinary hosts, showing us the Australia that doesn’t appear in guidebooks. The force of friendship continues.

FFNI Ambassadors in the Hand of Friendship

 

Matsuyama, Japan

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It’s All About Friendships!
FFNI Welcomed Friendship Force Ehime, Japan
Friday, June 14 – Monday, June 17, 2013

Ten years ago Northern Illinois had a wonderful exchange with Matsuyama/Ehime, Japan. Our hosts dressed us, even the men, in kimonos, taught us the fine points of their traditional Japanese tea ceremony, took us to the Dogo Hot Spring Bath, and we slept on tatami mats. At the 2012 Friendship Force International Conference, many of us reconnected. In addition, Tom and Sally Coyle stayed with their 2003 Matsuyama hosts for several additional days. To our delight, the Matsuyama club decided to visit Northern Illinois after their Connecticut exchange.

Word spread and soon Sharon Spear who lives in Spokane joined the exchange. Why? Mitsuko Kawabata, the Ehime exchange director, and Sharon had each home hosted the other plus Sharon joined FFNI on our exchange to Turkey in 2009. Sharon was standing in line to pay for her hot air balloon ride and what an unbelievable surprise—Mitsuko was in line behind her!
Carolyn Olson enjoyed her home hosts, Akiko and Isao Murakami, in Ehime so much that she invited them to visit her in Arizona after the Northern Illinois exchange. When that was not possible, Carolyn asked to join our exchange so she could spend time with her friends. Dear friends reunited that is the force of Friendship Force.

The Matsuyama ambassadors arrived a day late due to a cancelled flight. The welcome party was postponed to Saturday lunch and highlighted by a Japanese fan dance and delicious German food. Four of the Matsuyama ambassadors shared their local prefecture dance traditions with us. A few hours later a picnic under the stars was moved indoors. The weather held and the group enjoyed the beautiful music of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir at Ravinia, outdoor summer home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

Our Japanese fathers celebrated Father’s Day for the first time. The Sunday morning two-hour private trolley car tour included the Art Institute of Chicago, museum campus with its glorious view of the Chicago skyline, Navy Pier, Magnificent Mile, Water Tower, River North, Sears/Willis Tower, and more. After lunch, hosts gave a personal tour of Chicago’s Millennium Park to their ambassadors. It included the Pritzker Pavillion, Lurie Gardens, Crown Fountain and the Cloud Gate better known as “the bean.” Ambassadors loved window shopping as they walked along Michigan Avenue. A ninety minute boat cruise on the Chicago River and Lake Michigan gave everyone a chance to relax, soak up the perfect weather and learn about Chicago’s architecture and history. New friendships were formed. It seemed like no one ever stopped talking and laughing and snapping photos.

Small club dinner parties highlighted Sunday evening. Monday morning our Japanese friends departed for Tokyo after a four hour weather delay. We hope they will come again and stay longer.

Most important of course was sharing our lives and culture and also learning more about Japan. There is talk of hosts and ambassadors meeting in Las Vegas and Alaska next year. As home host Dean DiBrito said, “ We loved our ambassadors.” Dean, I’m sure, speaks for all home and dinner hosts for the Matsuyama/Northern Illinois exchange.

A world of friends is a world of peace.

Sally Coyle, Exchange Director

      

     

    

Flathead Valley Exchange

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Kalispell, Montana

What’s a better way to learn about an exchange than from some of the participants?

Before me were children in cowboy hats waving flags and catching candy in the air, veterans hearing deserved applause and smiling, fire engines blinking, a bi-plane dipping to say hello and cowboys and cowgirls carrying our flag proudly on their mounts. Such a sense of patriotism swept through me that I fought tears while grinning like a kid. I felt so proud to be an American. The time and place was magical.

DEAN AND MARLENE DI BRITO

What a wonderful time – hooking 5 big trout on Flathead Lake, the family-focused 4th of July parade, an alpine experience in Whitefish, the spectacular symphony performance in Bigfoot and lunch at Norm’s News.

ED AND NANCY EKIS

Our exchange to the Flathead Valley FF club scored 2 firsts for me: my first exchange and my first time in Montana! By far my favorite memory will be the experience of Glacier National Park. Those mountains are massive! I thought about the power that formed them, and it filled me with awe.

LORRIE GASEWIND

One morning looking out the window into the Jenne’s backyard we saw a doe and on closer inspection we saw she was nursing her fawn! Friends of JoLynn and Jerry invited us to their home on Flathead Lake for desert and a terrific fireworks display.

BOB AND ANDREA KAROWSKI

I visited my hosts’ animal reserve which contained bear, lion, elk and a myriad of other wild animals through an immense wilderness, approximately 1,000 acres, which is legally guaranteed never to be used for housing. My host subsidized water and food throughout the bush as one would see in a world-class setting.

BERNICE KRIPPNER

The Flathead exchange shown me the great beauty of America; it is not a high building or busy street. It shows the traditional value of people, how they live as a real hard working American who farm our land, protect our resources and the depth of natural beauty

SHEILA LAIO

Carol Beaudion humored me in our two hikes in Glacier National Park. I knew I was in trouble the first time we went out as she strapped on her gear and grabbed her hiking boots and poles. She was the seasoned Girl Scout leader and I was a mere Brownie scout. I learned a lot about life during those hikes-the importance of being in good physical shape, focusing on the path ahead, getting good footing, being prepared for anything, responding courteously to fellow hikers and having the right equipment.

JEANNE MINORINI

Montana is an amazingly beautiful part of the country. The marvel of Glacier National Park is breathtaking. One couldn’t ask for more warm and welcoming hosts.

BEVERLY NELSON

Three years ago I had the good fortune to host Patty Sevier from Flathead Valley for an enjoyable week here in the “burbs”. Three years later and guess who is hosting me? Patty Sevier. 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 what we did in spades! I returned with hundreds of photos of gorgeous mountain scenery and the most endearing people ever.

JEAN WILSON

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Incoming Exchanges – 2017

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We are looking forward to two exciting incoming exchanges in 2017!  Check here for more information as plans progress.


Tokyo, Japan
June 8-14
Diana Sanders, ED
We will be very happy to welcome visitors from Tokyo.  We hope to be able to show them our city and region, and discuss how our customs and institutions are similar and different from those in another major world-class city.

Global Exchange: Film Festival
October 15-21, 2017
Dean DiBrito and Scott Oliver, ED’s

Chicago has a rich history in film, beginning with the early studios and silent films, as a setting for films and television shows, and in its celebration of contemporary film with its film festivals. Friendship Force of Northern Illinois and the Friendship Force of Chicago will offer a themed exchange in October 2017. For four days we will explore the history of film and film production, followed by three days of afternoon attendance at the 2017 Chicago International Film Festival with possible dinner discussions.
The pre-festival activities may include the following:
a bus tour of Chicago sites used in film
a visit to a Chicago movie studio
a visit to the Chicago Film Office with a multi-media presentation on the                     history  of film-making in America
a visit to the Museum of Broadcasting with possible speaker
a visit to Chicago History Museum
a visit to a surviving early movie house
a film viewing which showcases the Chicago area
If participants wish to stay longer to continue attendance at International Film Festival, local hotel info will be provided.
This exchange will be hosted by FFNI in conjunction with FF Chicago.

Fun Adventures with Food

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A food-themed Friendship Force Tri-Club 14 night global exchange
Report of Brian Harrington
Northern Illinois Exchange Director

On July 31, 2012 Friendship Force of Northern Illinois welcomed 21 Ambassadors from Japan, Canada, Australia and the USA for the first 5-nights of a 14-night food-themed exchange.  FF clubs in Milwaukee and Madison, Wisconsin joined with Northern Illinois to offer home hosting for this event.

FFNI hosts and their guests enjoyed a number of unique and exciting exchange activities beginning with a delicious welcome dinner at the home of Bob and Marcia Weissman.  At the dinner, aprons for use during the exchange and sewn by FFNI volunteers were presented to each ambassador on behalf of the three host clubs.  Booklets containing photos of ambassadors and hosts and the complete schedule of tri-club activities were prepared and distributed by Milwaukee E.D., Dave Kalan.

   

August 1, was spent in Chicago and began with a tour of the Chicago Board of Trade trading floor to introduce ambassadors to worldwide trading of food commodities futures contracts.  This was followed by a Loop walking tour past architectural landmarks with food sampling of Chicago treats such as deep dish pizza, Chicago style hot dogs, bratwurst at the Berghoff and brownies at The Palmer House.

The following day began with a vegetable and flower garden horticultural tour at the Chicago Botanic Garden.  Ambassadors were then transported to “inovasi” restaurant for a cooking demonstration by chef-owner John Des Rosiers and a gourmet lunch.  The day was concluded with a Chicago Symphony Orchestra concert and picnic supper on the lawn at Ravinia Park.

Perhaps our most unique activity was the visit to a Community Supported Agriculture Farm in Caledonia, Illinois.  Hands-on activities, enjoyed by Ambassadors and Hosts alike, included soil testing, harvesting and preparing fresh salad ingredients, goat milking and ice cream making.

A farewell dinner at OPA Greek restaurant in Vernon Hills concluded the Northern Illinois portion of the exchange.  The following morning Ambassadors boarded an AMTRAK train to Milwaukee to begin the second phase of their tri-club exchange.

FFNI President, Joan Harrington and I accepted an invitation to join the August 13, final farewell dinner in Madison, Wisconsin.  Here we were reunited with the Ambassadors we had welcomed almost 2 weeks before.  Ambassadors approached the microphone to comment on the most memorable events they had experienced during the exchange.  Commonly mentioned as particular exchange highlights were the Chicago Board of Trade tour and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra concert and picnic at Ravinia.

Host Annecdotes

From Sheila Liao:

Sue and Phil came from Australia who heard much about crime story of Chicago. They came with curiously and cautiously.

On the free day, I took them to Chinatown having lunch, University of Chicago’s atomic research memorial site, Green Mill jazz house and the city background photo spot from Planetarium location.  Chicago has a lot to offer them

The beauty of Lake Michigan stole their heart; they love what they had seen and experienced. It was a great surprise for them to get much more than what they were expected.

Our wonderful program, our friendly warm hearts and the Chicago’s multiple cultures/foods enriched their experiences.  They are very impressed and love to visit us again.

From Pat and Dave Meyer:

Those of us in Friendship Force live and breathe “faces not places.”  The program for this exchange was splendid, but the time sitting at our table with Seiichi and Mitsuyo will linger in our memories.  Their joy at tasting Western food and asking, “What’s this?”  Trying to explain fennel to someone who’d never seen it made us laugh.  Pictures on Google saved the day!  Mitsuyo’s Udon Soup with red peppers and peaches had us smiling and slurping.  The culture of food, American and Japanese eating habits, ingredient choices, and food preparation are the memories we will cherish from this fantastic Food Exchange.

From Mary Lou Balazs:

Tom and Yuki were delightful Ambassadors.  We fondly remember how they insisted on shopping for ingredients and cooked a delicious meal of shrimp, broccoli & mushroom omelets, chopped vegetable salad, chicken & vegetables with curry sauce, rice and cabbage.  My children and grandchildren were invited and every morsel was happily consumed.  After dinner, they played games with the children and friendships bonded together.

From Sally Coyle:

We had a very full house with three ambassadors (two Japanese, one American), our daughter and family living with us because of construction on their house addition and my husband and myself.  Masako and Wakako taught the grandkids (ages 7 and 5) how to make origami and eat with chop sticks.  Matthew and Lucy had baked cookies to share in anticipation of their visit.  Lucy would sit on a bed and smile and chat with Sara or Wakako or Masako.  Hanging out was wonderful for all and all ages.

From Bob Weissman:

Although Marcia and I have done a Welcoming dinner and other smaller parties for Exchanges of Friendship Force of Northern Illinois, “Fun Adventures with Food” was our first experience hosting and providing the Welcoming Dinner for 21 Ambassadors from Canada, Australia, Japan and the US. Gary and Irene Millington, two of the Canadians, made hosting so enjoyable.

I want to thank Dave Kalan, the ED for “Fun Adventures with Food” and Brian Harrington, the ED for the Friendship Force of Northern Illinois for planning and seeing to the success of this Exchange. Thanks also go to all of the Ambassadors, hosts and those who participated in any way!

From Joan Harrington:

Our guests Yukie and Nori really wanted to visit the Art Institute and take the Architectural boat tour but the only day we could do this was Saturday, the first day of the very popular Lollapalooza Music Festival.  The city of Chicago was expecting a crowd of several hundred thousand people that day.  We were worried about traffic, parking, crowds and the weather which was predicted to be 95 degrees.  It must have been the luck of the Japanese because we sailed into the city, toured the Art Institute just before the crowds gathered.  Our membership pass whisked us past the line which was down Michigan Avenue and around the corner at Monroe Street.  We met our son for a lovely lunch at the Garden Cafe just before it got busy and then hurried to the boat at Michigan and Wabash.  I was very worried that we would be late because the thick crowds were 5 abreast on both sides of the street.  I needn’t have been concerned.  Our very resourceful guest simply put up her parasol, put down her head and scurried down the avenue (on the left side a la Tokyo) parting the oncoming walkers like a pro.  We arrived at the boat with 10 minutes to spare.  When we looked back we could see the Chicago natives admiring her remarkable pedestrian techniques.  Thanks Yukie.  I will remember that trick for the future.  Just after we left the city we heard an announcement that Lollapalooza was cancelled because of a severe thunderstorm.  By that time we were safely in our home away from the thundering crowds.  Who knew that the Japanese were as lucky as the Irish?  I will put that in my book of things I learned about Japanese culture.

From Jean Minorini:

What happens when a couple of very creative, right-brained ambassadors from Canada…

Paul and Shoshanna Tyson of Canada.  He is a retired psychology professor; she is a retired art history teacher.

…spend a week in Chicago with a strongly left-brained, analytical host?

Can there be a meeting of the minds????

Well, of course!  What a wonderful day we three spent at the Art Institute of Chicago discussing the collection of Impressionists’ paintings.  Shoshanna and Paul happened to be serious students of art history.  I have a history undergraduate degree (precursor to a CPA certificate).  Together, we discussed how art reflected history and history influenced art.  What a satisfying conversation!

That was the day the left hemisphere of my brain finally reached across the aisle into my right hemisphere!

I know I will never enter another art museum without fond recollections of that day with my new friends, Paul and Shoshanna.

 

 

Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Mystery Exchange

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Our “Mystery Exchange” was a great trip to Iowa, where we were guests of Friendship Force of Cedar Rapids/Iowa City. None of the travelers knew where they were going until shortly before the trip, so there was great suspense and excitement. Sharing rides, the Northern Illinois ambassadors drove to central Iowa in two cars.

This was a Domestic exchange – within the United States. But for Taiwan-born Sheila Liao, it proved to be an encounter with a different aspect of American life. Read her blog, describing her impressions of her first exchange.
Exchange Director Bob Weissman provided this report and photos:

Seven members of the Northern Illinois Friendship Force traveled in two cars about 250 miles to visit the members of the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Friendship Force Club. We left our area at about 9:30 am and arrived at about 3:00 pm at Coe College in Cedar Rapids where we met our hosts and other members of the hosting club.
After becoming acquainted with our “mystery” hosts, we proceeded to the Coe College Library where we were given a tour of the art collection housed in that building. We saw many photos by George T. Henry and the art of Marvin Cone along with some paintings by the famous Grant Wood.
Having had our introductions to our hosts’ homes, we were taken to the Ellis Park Overlook Pavillion on the Cedar River where many members of our host club treated us to a sumptuous pot luck dinner. Our club president, Joan Harrington, introduced herself and thanked the hosting members for having us. Yours truly, Bob Weissman, the ED for this exchange, was asked to say a few words, which I did.

Saturday was a very interesting and busy day! We traveled to a nearby town called Anamosa where we visited the Anamosa Penitentiary. In the penitentiary museum, we were given to “low down” on the history of the prison and its workings. We also got to try on prison garb and get an idea of what a cell felt like.

We made a brief photo stop at a very old restaurant called The General Store in Stone City before going into downtown Anamosa to see the Grant Wood Museum where we were given a very informative talk about the artist and his art. Grant Wood is best known for his painting called, American Gothic. The woman was his sister and the man was a town dentist. We went past the Stone City quarry, but did not stop there.

From there, we traveled the back roads to West Branch, the birthplace of Herbert Hoover. Before viewing the grounds, buildings, museum and cemetery of this area, we stopped in West Branch for lunch at a small restaurant called Reid’s Beans.
The Herbert Hoover Museum is a great place to find out about all of the good and useful things which Herbert Hoover accomplished. We should not blame him for the Depression, although he didn’t do much to alleviate the suffering of American citizens during his presidency.

Having left West Branch, our hosts had complete control of where we went. My hosts took me to Stringtown Grocery, a busy but small supermarket run by the Amish of the town of Kalona. There were all kinds of fruits, vegetables and handmade and hand packaged items. I got a photo of a fellow in his buggy!
After Kalona, we went back to Cedar Rapids where we were due to go on a trolley tour of that city. Being somewhat early, we went to a pub in Czechtown called “The Red Frog” where we had a drink and hung out until it was time to find the trolley.

Our trolley tour of Cedar Rapids lasted two hours. Mostly we were told about various buildings in the area which had been saved, raised, or rebuilt due to the flood of the Cedar River in 2008. That was some flood!!
With the trolley ride behind us, we went with our hosts for dinner. I had chosen to go to a restaurant called, “The Longbranch” since I was hungry for a steak. Dinner was very good as was the company of Jerry and Phillis Seidl. Phillis was the incoming ED.
When the Seidls and I first met, I was told that there was a fellow club member who had been disappointed that he didn’t have an ambassador to host. I was asked if I would mind spending Sunday and Sunday night with John Geigerich. I agreed to do that. As it turned out, I was hosted by both John and his friend Trish who is also a member of the club.
On Sunday morning, the Seidls took me to their son and daughter-in law’s house for breakfast. The bagels and omelets were delicious!! After breakfast, Phil, the Seidl’s son, took me to see a Frank Lloyd Wright house called the Douglas-Grant House. It was secluded in the woods, so we didn’t get to see much of it. However, it was very nice of Phil to show it to us.
John and Trish had planned a busy day for me! They wanted me to see Dubuque!! We went to an area called, “Mines of Spain” which is a large park with a few educational stations. We then went to Eagle Point where we had a great view of the Mississippi River, a dam and lock. Also, Julien Dubuque, the first European trader to visit the area is buried there.

Having spent some time at Eagle Point, we went back into downtown Dubuque where I became acquainted with various sights, buildings and the walk along the Mississippi. We took a ride on the Fendon Trolley which traverses a fairly tall hill and goes down to the riverfront.
For dinner, we went to an Italian restaurant called Vinny Vanucci’s. Dinner was great! Following dinner, we took in the Dubuque Arboretum with its beautiful gardens and the band which played oldies for several hours.
The last thing we tried to do was to see the site of the movie, “Field of Dreams.” We finally found it when it was almost dark. It had been closed since six! Oh well.
In the morning, Monday, Trish took me for a walk around the track. It was difficult to keep up with her although she was only going one third her normal speed! At 9:30, the Ambassadors and their hosts met at Huntington’s Restaurant for our Farewell Breakfast. So much food!! One could not finish all the food!! Just before having our pictures taken, I presented a check made out to the FFI Legacy Fund to Phillis Seidl on behalf of our FFNI. She in turn gave me a check made out for the same purpose.

We arrived home in the late afternoon. It was a wonderful experience all around!

 

Brasov, Romania

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What a welcome!  After two days’ travel from the States and meeting up with another of our group from Britain in Istanbul, this was our intro to Brasov, Romania:

And the well-fed “happy campers” after our ample lunch, as we began our week together with Friendship force of Brasov:

We, Friendship force Northern Illinois, had hosted the Romanian club in 2009. We liked them and apparently they liked us because they invited us to visit them in their homes in May, 2011.
And what a beautiful country they have! they had so much to show us…

Romania has a very rich historical heritage. They showed us one of Count Vlad the Impaler’s castles (above). Of course he is better known as Dracula.
And we visited the magnificent Peles Castle of the Romanian kings, most recently occupied by King Michael of the House of Hohenzollern until his abdication in 1947. Breathtaking!

And there were the museums: the outdoor bicycle museum on the Brasov city walls, and the Peasants’ Museum in Bucharest.

And fortresses:

We also visited our host Azota Popescu’s School for the Visually Deficient. We so admired their wonderful work to benefit the visually handicapped that we made a donation to that organization.

Our Joyce Schmitz of Friendship force Northern Illinois had hosted Azota Popescu when the Romanians came to visit us in 2009. they became fast friends. So when the exchange traveled to Romania, Joyce (pictured below on the left) brought 350 pairs of glasses that she had personally solicited from american Lions’ Clubs to present to Azota (right). That duffle bag full of glasses was awfully heavy to schlep from america to Brasov, but you should have seen the look on Azota’s face! That’s what good friends do…

We were awestruck by the beautiful churches and their histories:

And how well we ate! the Romanians know how to cook… MMMMmmmmmmmm (We really fought the Battle of the Bulge – and probably lost…)