2007 June Newsletter

NEWSLETTER  JUNE 2007         

HOSTING/DEPARTURE NEWS  

“Peacing it Together” ‐‐ During this 60th  Anniversary Year, it is more important  than ever that we pull together to get  these students settled into families and  schools with all their paperwork in and  liaisons assigned before July 1.  We’re  getting there but we still have a ways to  go.  We have 22 of our 43 placed and we  have at least 10 families with paperwork  in process and/or choosing a student.  It’s  a matching game!  We hope to get those 

settled in the next week.  Please see the  profile sheets of students left to place.   Their availability changes daily, so please  don’t promise anyone, unless you double  check.     We have some great new marketing  materials, I encourage you all to use  liberally.  The “many doors” post card and  logo on posters and flyers is beautiful in  color and makes for an eye‐catching 

display.  We encourage you all to post  them in libraries, Laundromats, office  break rooms, church bulletin boards— wherever people gather.  Memorial Day  weekend is a great time to spread the  word even further, at family gatherings  and holiday parties.  Speak AFS and  promote peace person by person.       Sally Ann Wells, Interim Hosting  Coordinator 

 

DEPARTURE NEWS   End of Stay ‐ Sunday, June 24th.  All  families are to bring their student to Lents  Park in S.E. Portland (89th and S.E.  Holgate Blvd) no later than 4:30 PM.  At  this point all luggage will be weighed and  then placed in a rented van. The students  will no longer be able to access their  luggage after this, so it is important that  they place everything they need (bathing  suit, plastic bag for wet clothes, passport  & plane tickets) in their carry‐on.  Remember all items such as scissors,  knives, etc., are not allowed on the plane.  Good‐byes ‐ Students will say their last  good‐byes to their family and be taken to  the site of the Departure Orientation.  Although it is difficult to say good‐bye, it is  VERY important for everyone to let go.  When a helper asks you to load your  luggage into the truck or board the van, 

                             

please comply.  We all realize how difficult  it is to say good‐bye.   Students will NOT  be permitted to make phone calls, and we  ask that friends and family not contact the  students before they leave the country.  Directions to Lents Park: S.E. Portland at  89th and S.E. Holgate Blvd.    From I‐ 205 South take exit 19, Turn left  onto Powell, go to first light turn left onto  92nd,  go to first light, turn right on to  Holgate Park will be on your left about  two blocks.      From I 205 North take exit 19  Division/Powell. Stay in right lane, turn  right onto Division, get into center lane,  go to first light, turn left onto 92nd. Go to  Holgate, turn right.  Entrance to the park  will be on your left about two blocks.   Should you get lost, call Ron Combs on his  cell phone: 503 – 314 – 5243 

AFS END‐OF‐STAY PICNIC ‐ SUNDAY, JUNE 10   WHAT: A Farewell End‐of‐Stay Picnic   WHEN: Sunday, June 10   WHO IS INVITED: AFS Students, American Abroad Students, Host Families, Liaisons,  Aunt/Uncle Families, Volunteers, Returnees   WHERE: Mt. Tabor Park, SE 60th Ave. and Salmon St., Portland   DIRECTIONS: More information to come...  BRING: FOOD...A potluck dish, salad, dessert.  AFS will furnish drinks, paper plates, and  plasticware.  OUTDOOR GAMES...Frisbee, Soccer ball, Blanket, Chairs, badminton  COORDINATOR: Bernice Schuchardt  E‐MAIL: [email protected]  PHONE: 503 775‐4161  

 

SHIPPING NEWS "Slow boat" shipping no longer offered  by USPS  Please be advised that the options for  shipping packages internationally via the  USPS have changed.  To complicate  matters, the available methods of  shipping vary depending on the country  of destination.  Please look into shipping  options well in advance of departure.  It  may also be more expensive to ship items  than in the past depending on the  country of destination.  For more  information please go to the following  website:    http://www.usps.com/international/send packages.html   

  PRE‐DEPARTURE & SENDING  ORIENTATION  HELD SAT. MAY19    On Saturday, May 19, our hosted AFSers  and 23 AA's (Americans Abroad) attended  an orientation at the Presbyterian Church in  Vancouver.  The American students joined  our AFSers for lunch.  This was a great  opportunity for them to learn from our  foreign students about the countries where  they will be going and what it's like being an  exchange student.   

COLUMBIA PACIFIC AREA TEAM NEWS  

THE CHAIR REPORT – Bonnie Richardson‐Kott    AFS Volunteers For Our Team       This is a big year of change for our local AFS volunteer team and we  are excited about it!  We are in the midst of reorganizing our  wonderful team of volunteers and we could use your help.  We are  looking for folks to join our Area Team as we build our structure to  better serve our families and students.  Two of our most important  positions need to be filled:  hosting coordinator and sending  coordinator.  Please let me know if you or someone you know might  be interested in helping out our team as a volunteer.    On that note, I would like to extend a warm welcome to our new  team volunteers.  Not only are Tami and James Spears host parents  to Chloe from France this year but they have also been actively  volunteering for our area team in a big way.  Tami is our new  newsletter editor and publisher and we have her to thank for this  lovely first issue.  Tami is also putting together the AFS Columbia  Pacific directory which will arrive with our new students this  summer.  And she is in charge of all of our rosters for students,  families and volunteers.  James is our new webmaster and has put  together our very own Columbia Pacific website.  Check out the  easy‐to‐navigate website www.afscp.com.  James will also be our  new team treasurer.  If you need reimbursement for AFS activities,  please contact James at [email protected].    Peggy Fulda is joining our team as the Regional Council youth  representative.  Peggy is attending Lewis & Clark College and we are  looking forward to having her enthusiastic energy on our team.          New Host Families Needed       It’s that time of year that we are actively seeking outstanding host  families to place our summer arrival students!  My family was a host  family this year and it was a wonderful and truly rewarding 

                                         

experience.  The hardest part about it will be when we have to say  goodbye to our dear Siyan who will be returning to Malaysia.  Please  help us spread the word about AFS and find good families for our  arriving students.     60 Year Anniversary for AFS is 2007      th This year we are excited to celebrate the 60  anniversary for AFS!   We are planning a reunion and celebration event for Fall 2007 for  our area.  Keep a lookout for more information and opportunities to  participate in the celebration. 

    Bonnie Richardson‐Kott – Columbia Pacific Chair

THE TREASURERS REPORT 

SOUTHEAST CLUSTER NEWS 

A million thanks to Duane Carlson for serving as our Treasurer for  the past several years.  Effective immediately, James Spears will be  taking over as the Columbia Pacific Treasurer.  Please mail requests  for reimbursement and items needing payment to the following  address:    James Spears   36650 Dubarko Road   Sandy, OR  97055     If you have questions for James or would like to email your  expenses to him you can reach him at [email protected].      James Spears Treasurer   

Bernice's SE Cluster welcomes four new host families for 2007‐ 2008.  They are:    The Geary family who will be hosting Mercy from India, a YES  student (Sandy HS); The Gardner family hosting Nicholas  from  Germany (Parkrose HS); The Binkley‐Hoke family hosting Tina from  Thailand (Cleveland HS); The Morrison family hosting Mira from  Finland (Franklin HS).      I want to extend a special thanks to the Haddock, Roddy, and  Kudirka families who hosted SE Cluster Meetings this past year.   Thanks also to the students who spoke about their countries and  the families who attended.    Bernice Schuchardt Cluster Coordinator   

HOSTING/STUDENT NEWS  

RANDA NASR ‐ EGYPT    

Randa Nasr, Egypt ‐ Do you think that you can make a difference in the world?       Do you think that you can make a difference in  the world? Many people don’t think so. But, I  think that if you believe you can do something  to make this world better, you actually can do  it. That is why I joined AFS to be an exchange student. AFS changed  my life, part of my past, my present, and my future.      I came with a lot of people from all over the world to America  because we believed that we can get rid of the stereotypes that  Americans have about us. To come from an Islamic, Arab, Middle  Eastern, African country like Egypt where I came from to America is  th a big step. After what happened in September 11 , we, the youth,  came here to tell Americans that we are not like what you think of  us. We are people looking for better peaceful world. YES, Youth  Exchange and Study Program, was established for exchange students  from those countries to come here to America to build a new  healthy world.  

  In my year here, I celebrated all the American and Christian  occasions with my host family and my host community. I came from  Cairo which is very different, very big more than Wahkiakum County  where I live now. I answered a lot of questions that a lot of people  had about my country. And now, I’ll be able when I go back home,  “no, Americans don’t do that.” Or, “yes, Americans do that.” So, by  us no one will have stereotypes about anyone. We can understand  each other better. And we will be able to help the world and live in  peace.     If each country sends her youth to other countries to tell them  about their own culture and understand their culture, we will live in  different world. If everyone thinks of the world before himself, we  will be better. If you think of what you can do to make a world of  peace, we will all live in peace. It’s all about what you can do for the  world. Help your country, community, and the world as much as you  can.  

     

CZS ‐ THAILAND   Kingdom of Thailand is located in Southeast Asia. To its east, lie  Laos  and Cambodia; to its south, the Gulf of Thailand  and Malaysia; and  to its west, the Andaman Sea and Myanmar. Its capital and largest  city is Bangkok, one of the largest cities in the world. The country's  official name was Siam. The word Thai is from the word Tai which  mean "freedom" The current King is Bhumibol Adulyadej and also  known as Rama IX. His name means "Strength of the Land and  Incomparable Power". His majesty was on throne as a constitutional  monarch since 1946. His majesty is the world's longest‐serving  current head of state and the longest‐serving monarch in Thailand's  history. King Bhumibol uses his power, wealth and respected by  others to create many social and economic development projects.  Most activities are in the development of large scale irrigation to  helps farmers. His majesty plays his role in as the head of state in  Democratic‐Monarchy government by veto laws which were very  uncommon to happen.     Thailand is unique in its food, languages, architecture and custom.    The majority religion is Buddhism but others religions are also well  practices. While Thais custom plays its role in society, it also  presents the Thais characteristic to foreigner; respectful to others,  interest in others and takes care of others. While living in USA, I was  involved in many complicate situations from difference culture,  misunderstood and forgetful but as “To forgive is divine” I was able  to be calm and forgive.     Thailand export large amount of rice every years. Rice (mostly  jasmine rice as know as Hom mali rice) is include in almost every 

   

meal.  Thai cuisine is made of five tastes: sweet, spicy, sour, bitter  and salty. Some common ingredients used in Thai cuisine include  garlic, chillies, lime juice, lemon grass fish sauce not cheese. Seafood  is very popular in my hometown because of its location near the gulf  of Thailand. Muay Thai or Thai boxing is native martail art in the  area. It is a full‐contact sport allowing strikes including elbows,  throws and knees. Others popular sport includes soccer. Which in  my home school, plays almost every day.    Czs, Thailand  

HOSTING/STUDENT NEWS  

SIYAN LOH, MALAYSIA                                                                                                  

NOTES FROM A HOST MOTHER Siyan in her short time here has probably been more  engaged in volunteer life than any other student I  have ever met. Through school she volunteers at a  community garden, teaches a Chinese language  class, and tutors homeless youth. She also just spent  a week at Outdoor School working with 4th graders  learning Oregon Trail lore.      For me she came and volunteered at Leach Botanical  Garden's plant sale. While at the sale she talked with  many different people very comfortably and left  wonderful impressions with them all. Several  commented to me  "where do you get these great  kids?" Of course I gave the AFS talk and bragged  about the FLEX and YES students.      Wherever she goes she has a smile on her face and  good words to speak. She shows a level of maturity  and caring for everyone that is far above her real  age. She observes where is needed by each person  and gives the support needed. If there is an award  for all time great leader she deserves it.    Lana Younglove, Host Mom

Miku from Japan, Siyan from Malaysia and Parvis from Uzbekistan

STUDENT NEWS Chris Sliber, Germany  ‐ is once again on the move. Chris is living in  "remote" Estacada but that hasn't stopped him from getting around.  Since arriving last fall Chris has been on numerous trips not only  around Oregon but around the US and even to Canada and Mexico and  now he's ready to go again. Chris has been to Seattle and Leavenworth  Washington, to Sacramento and San Francisco California and now Chris  is headed to Boston Massachusetts and New York. He is planning to  leave right after graduation to visit a former exchange sister who now  lives in Boston.    Miguel Gabayet , Mexico City ‐ took full advantage of after‐school  activities at West Linn High School.  Although his country’s sport is  soccer, Miguel found his personal best was in Track.  His events were  the 100, 200, 4x100, and 2x400.     Marion Coupier, France ‐ I was a member of the Madison dance team  this year and it was a wonderful experience!!  We were the smallest  team to go to the Portland city competition.  By a big surprise we  finished third!!!  The coach picked me and another girl to have the  privilege to receive the medal of Portland Interscholastic League  honorary dance team member 2007.  There were only 14 girls who  received this medal.  I was so happy, it was a really big day for all of us.  

AMERICAN RED CROSS & AFS 2007 BEAVERS FATHERS DAY  BASEBALL GAME                  WHO: AFS Students and Host Fathers   WHEN: Sunday, June 17th  TIME: Meet at 1:00PM at the Yamhill St. Entrance on 18th St.   (Game time is 2:05PM)  COST: AFS Students and Host Fathers are free.  Anyone else $5.  RSVP: No later than June 13th  Ronald Combs  2134 SE 60th Ave  Portland, Oregon 97215‐4072  503‐777‐8117 H  503‐314‐5243 C  [email protected]    

HOSTING/STUDENT NEWS  

A TRIP TO SEATTLE WASHINGTON   SE Cluster Seattle Trip    On April 14‐15, five AFS girls (Rochelle, Hong Kong; Mari, Brazil;  Siyan, Malaysia; Huan, China; and Elli, Austria) and I spent a  weekend in Seattle.  We took the train early on Saturday morning  and returned Sunday night.  From the top of the Space Needle we  viewed a beautiful rainbow arched over downtown Seattle, enjoyed  the beautiful flowers, produce and huge strawberries at Pike St.  Market, an ice cream/candied apple break, a nice dinner at the  Cheesecake Factory; and on Sunday learned about early Seattle  history at the Underground Tour and even spent a little time in  Chinatown.  I asked the girls for articles for the newsletter, and the  following are their contributions.    Bernice Schuchardt Cluster Coordinator 

        Rochelle, Hong Kong; Mari, Brazil; Siyan, Malaysia; Huan, China; and Elli,  

OUR TRIP TO SEATTLE – ROCHELLE BARGO, CHINA    reasons why I enjoyed the trip. Going to a very sophisticated yet still  historical place was even better with my other fellow exchange  students. All of these would not have been possible without our AFS  volunteer, Bernice, and of course… the rest of the AFS volunteers.   Thanks a lot for the unforgettable trip!     Rochelle Bargo, China  

Our trip to Seattle was certainly a great experience! In the past, I  thought that the only famous tourist spot in Seattle is the Space  Needle. Little did I know that there are so much more places to go  to. Although a couple of exchange students, Bernice, and I only  stayed in Seattle for two days and a night, which seemed like a short  period of time, we still had a chance to participate in the  Underground Tour, go to Chinatown and Pike Street Market, and   most of all... a very filling dinner at the Cheesecake Factory. The  places that we went to and the things that we did are not the only 

   

SEATTLE – MARI AMOS, BRAZIL                                    

Seattle was one of the best trips that I did with AFS, it was really  fun and interesting. As we were in a small group we could make  our schedule according with what Bernice had in mind for us.  Everything worked out, we didn't have any problem, and that  weekend was pretty tight, as Americans would say.    All the places we went to, such as the Space Needle, Market,  Underground tour, Cheesecake factory even the hotel, they were  all really good. My favorite place was the Space Needle and of  course the Cheesecake Factory ( it was one of the funniest  moments in the trip)!    I really appreciate that Bernice took the time and the patience to  take us there.    Mari Amos, Brazil   

 

SEATTLE – SIYAN LOH, MALAYSIA The main highlight of the trip is when we got to witness the  beauty of a rainbow from the top of the space needle. It was just  magnifying!     The most memorable event will be having dinner at the  Cheesecake Factory. We were so overwhelmed by the food. I bet  all of us are so bloated that we hardly can walk back to the inn.  Nevertheless, I still make room for my favorite dessert –  Cheesecake!!     Siyan Loh, Malaysia   

HOSTING/STUDENT NEWS  

A NICE TRIP TO SEATTLE – HUAN YU, CHINA   

  Seattle has always been one of my desired cities to visit in America  when I was in Shanghai. Much has been said about its artistic  modern building structures, the notable commerce such as Boeing  and Microsoft, and the fashionable style of people’s dress...  However, having experienced a chunk of its whole size, downtown  Seattle, my feelings toward this modernized city are no longer  staying on the surface of what is being addressed worldwide.    Our group was a mixture of six people from different countries.  There were five students and one senior leader, Bernice, who was  our chaperone and took good care of us throughout the trip.     The first day when we arrived at Seattle’s downtown train station,  we went to the most outstanding landmark, the Space Needle. It  was raining pretty heavily when we reached the top of the viewing  area where viewed the whole city of Seattle. But all of us vigorously  rushed out of the door to have the closer and clearer view from its  big outside balcony. And later, we were surprised to see a rainbow  cross over the city. Suddenly the whole image of Seattle stood out  right in front of us with all the significant skyscrapers, the beautiful  scenery of the inclusive environment, and the gorgeous Puget  Sound! I was totally enchanted by this wonderful picture and could  not wait to catch this moment by snapshots. I have already got a  first nice sight of the whole city! Then we headed to the famous  Pike’s Market which was crowded with people from all over the  world. It was much like the Saturday Market in Portland, where I am  staying as an exchange student, but did not include the interesting  part of fish throwing; according to Bernice, though we missed it— they only throw the fish when someone buys one. It was a fun  experience to get to see how the busy life is in this market. At the  market, some girls bought neat T‐shirts which well represented  Seattle, and one of the girls wore one with “I Love Seattle” on the  following day.     We had a really lovely late dinner at the Cheesecake Factory which  was relatively close to our hotel. It was such a nice place to enjoy 

           

with the fancy atmosphere, the savory food, and the good service.   Though an unexpected story happened when one girl’s order got  mistaken by the waitress.  But later, she ended up with her dishes  and with a free dessert!  The next day, we got to experience the  history of Seattle which took place in the well‐known Underground  Tour. It was in the Pioneer Square which the early story of this city  was based on. I was so shocked to know that today’s downtown  Seattle, which was once a muddy little town, has been layered much  higher than its original town. The whole journey underneath was  completely a unique experience for me. And in some way it also  reminds me of the Shanghai Tunnel in downtown Portland, which  has a similar idea to reveal the facts of history to its future  generations. I think they did good job in maintaining the harmony  between the historical buildings and modern landmarks. It comes to  me that America is trying hard to preserve their historical remains  even with its relatively young age.     The last thing that I cannot simply miss is the nice people in Seattle,  especially the courteous college student driver associated with the  hotel, who provided several rides for us free.  And, of course, the  nice waiters in the restaurant where we enjoyed the first and last  night.     While exploring in Seattle, I could even find some similar feelings to  Shanghai. Of course, they are both two vibrant international cities in  the world. Shanghai has its own fancy traits. And yet, as far as I have  experienced, Seattle gets its own distinctive characteristic, which in  some ways is a unique and a visitor‐friendly place with the  awareness of its past road.    Huan Yu, China  

SUNDAY AFTERNOON  AT THE  OREGON ZOO!    All local area AFS students and their families are invited to spend  the afternoon of Sunday, June 3rd at the Oregon Zoo.  This is an  officially sponsored AFS event.  AFS students’ entry will be paid by  AFS, family members will get group‐rate discounted tickets ($7.20)  ONLY IF YOU SIGN UP. So let Ron know ASAP.       Who:  AFS Students and Families  What:  Afternoon at the Oregon Zoo  When:  Sunday, June 3, 12:00pm to 4:00pm  Where:  The Oregon Zoo (right off Highway 26)  Why:  For fun! ☺   Bring:  Food (AFS will NOT provide) food or $$ for food, bring  blanket, Frisbee, soccer ball, smile ☺   Coordinator: Ron Combs   503‐777‐8117 H  503‐314‐5243 C  [email protected]     Students can be picked up at the main gate at 4:00pm.  Sally Ann Wells will also have her cell phone there: 503‐703‐8223   

VISITING TEACHERS SHARE THEIR STORIES  

THE ASHLAND SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL – WEI (WENDY) ZHANG, CHINA                                                   On May 5th to 7th , we went to the Ashland Shakespeare Festival. It  was a very fun trip. The drive took about 5 hours from Portland to  Ashland and was very beautiful.  Everything was green and we could  smell and enjoy the spring, which is the special gift of the nature  environment.  We discovered that Ashland is the Home of the  Oregon Shakespeare Festival and  is full of cultural opportunities.  There are various theatre groups, featuring a wide variety of  performances, including musicals, comedy and experimental  theatre. Shakespeare and other plays are presented in the Oregon  Shakespeare Festival's outdoor Elizabethan Theater and the Angus  Bowmer Theatre and also the New Theater. Music is everywhere in  Ashland, with opera, bluegrass, folk singing and chamber music  being only some of the offerings for visitors. For culture, recreation  or beauty, Ashland is a special place, a treasure for all to enjoy.     May 5th: It was about 2:00pm when we got to Ashland and were  able to walk to the downtown area.  Ashland is a very small town,  but it is very beautiful and we had nice weather.   It is peaceful town  allowing people to feel that it is the best place to live. We walked  the whole town five times in two days. You can imagine how small it  is.  We stayed at the Plaza motel. It was a pretty and nice place to  live. There were 6 of us to a room (two beds) and we had to take  turns using the bathroom and taking showers, but it was a different  and special experience.  In the evening, we wanted to go to some  bars here to see if there were differences between Chinese bars and  American bars. We could not go because some  teachers had  forgotten their ID’s to prove they were older than 18. So we had to 

    

walk in the quiet street, because all the shops had closed at 5 pm. It  was quite different from China.  In China at 7:00 or 8:00 pm is a good  time for people to go shopping or walk around in the malls.      th May 6 :  After we had breakfast, we walked around town again.  It  was very quiet since all the shops opened at 11:00 am on Sundays. It  was very different for us. In China, all the shops open at 8:00 am  except Sunday, so that they will have more customers. About 1:00  pm we had a presentation about the play that we would watch, On  The Razzle by Tom Stoppard.  At 2:00 pm we watch the play.  It was  a farce and very funny.  The theater was full of laughter.  I loved this  play.  Then after that we had dinner.  At about 7:00 pm we had a  presentation about the second play we would see. The Cherry  Orchard by Anton Chekhov. It was a very sad story with many  wonderful actors.  I loved it.  It gave us some ideas about Russian  history according to the background of this play. I think it was a very  good play for us to watch.  Both plays were watched in the Angus  Bowmer Theatre.     th:  May 7   We set off back to Portland.  Along the way, Lori told us  the history of the area and names of some of the mountains. It was  a very fun trip. Thanks AFS for giving us this opportunity to know  more about American. And thanks to the people who give money to  support this trip. We really had a good time!    Wei (Wendy) Zhang, China  

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!  

VOLUNTEER EVENTS   End of Stay ‐ Sunday, June 24th Just a few weeks away, our students  will be leaving us to return home. Due to changes within AFS, we  have planned a special, secret end‐of‐stay activity for them. This  requires a lot of volunteers on Sunday, June24th to do the following.  At Lents Park drop‐off site (From 4:30‐5:00 p.m. check in & assign  students to vehicles‐ Weigh luggage‐ Drive students to the Secret  Location‐ Rent a U‐haul to drive from Lents Park to Secret Location‐  Prepare snack bags for students to take on the bus to Seattle.  Cost 

will be covered by area team funds.  This would also involve delivery  of sack lunches to the Secret Location. At “secret” site (6 to 9 p.m. ‐  3 people; 9 p.m. to 12:00 am 3 people 12:00 am to 3:00 am 3  people): ‐ Chaperone and chat with the kids ‐ Clean up and pack up  after the students leave on the bus to Seattle. If you are able to help  in any way, please let Ron Combs know and he will send you all the  information and a sign up sheet. (503) 771‐8117 or via e‐mail at  [email protected] Cell 503‐314‐5243 

    

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR 2007/2008 STUDENTS                                                 

Student/Family Liaison:  This individual works with one student and one host family by  maintaining monthly contact with each party, which also  includes periodically contacting the host school. By facilitating  communication and understanding between host family, student  and sometimes school throughout the year, the relationship and  intercultural learning opportunities are optimized.     

Aunt/Uncle Family:   A family or individual that spends time with the student on a  regular basis in addition to the host family. For instance, an  aunt/uncle family may take student for a weekend trip, hiking, or  out to a movie or ice cream.    

Gateway Family: 2007/2008  A family or individual who will take care of the students for the  first few days in the USA.  This year's students will be arriving from August 8/9/10 ‐ 2007.   On the 11th they will go to meet their host family for the year. If  you, or anyone you know is interested in serving as a Gateway  family for this year's students when they first arrive, please  contact Ron Combs and he will send you a form (503) 771‐8117  (home) or via e‐mail at  [email protected]. Cell 503‐314‐ 5243. 

Make a World of Difference  Volunteer with AFS   

                             

Helping to bring the people of the world together is exciting,  interesting, and rewarding work.  For more than 50 years AFS  Volunteers have been building bridges of intercultural  understanding and changing the way the world works.    AFS, as a truly volunteer‐based organization, has always had a  strong commitment to the approximately 5,000 volunteers in the  U.S. and more than 30,000 volunteers worldwide.    Our global partnership enables more than 11,000 U.S. and  international students to benefit from an AFS international  educational exchange experience every year.     

There are many ways you can help  AFS with your volunteer time!   

2007 Columbia Pacific Community Places Students  This is a sample of available students.  If you are interested in Family placing any of these students, please contact  Sally Ann Wells to determine if they are available.  (503) 452‐1868    Adam from Hungary SLEP = 47 Adam is interested in fencing; has a keen interest in Art and likes music of all kinds. He enjoys time with family and friends, alike. Parents say he has an interest in traditions and history and likes to hear stories of other cultures. He is described as loyal and trustworthy with a balanced approach to life. He can be direct and somewhat critical of behaviors he does not agree with. His parents describe him as calm and flexible and friends consider him open and reliable. He has a close relationship with his older sister, who is on AFS exchange in France this year. He's able to make friends quickly, but treasures the few very close friendships he maintains. Excited to improve his English and learn about a new culture.

Jenny Maria from Sweden ELRF = 3/3/3 SLEP = ? Jenny is an active girl who enjoys tennis, aerobics and dance; she plays golf and sails in summer; and snowboards and skis in winter. She also likes to play softball, soccer and hopes to do cheerleading while in US. Skiing and tennis are favorite activities. Jenny is described as a diligent student by her teachers; and responsible and trustworthy by friends and parents. She considers herself friendly, open and not shy. Making friends is easy and honesty in relationships is very important. Her Y Camp in the US last summer made her very conscious of good health and created a bigger interest to spend more time learning more about the US and it’s people. Jenny loves animals, but unfortunately needs to avoid contact with cats, dogs, rabbits and horses. Instead of being a vet (she had hoped) she has set her sights on medicine. Jennie adapted well when traveling away from home last summer and is eager. Byron Troya from Ecuador ELRF = 2/3/2 SLEP = (Byron is a 12 year grad, so will need access to club sports and community activities.) Byron enjoys sports especially soccer, volleyball & swimming. He is active in school & community and enjoys travel. He loves to spend time with family & friends. Likes fun, healthy activities. Native language Spanish. Has studied English & French. Prefers no cats in house. Excellent friend, honest & trustworthy. Family has total trust in him & says he functions independently. He has a positive attitude & approaches life’s problems with an attitude that he can learn from them. He adapts easily and is described as sociable & talkative. Byron lives with parents & 2 younger brothers. His family is very close & they enjoy time & activities with each other. Byron is interested in a career in economics & anxious to experience another country to gain experiences that can be helpful to his country's development. Carolina from Portugal ELRF = 4/4/4 SLEP = ? Carolina enjoys theater, debate club, and computer/internet, plays flute & listens to music. She is involved in a school group that works with community and environmental issues. She enjoys spending time with friends at beach & cafe. Speaks Portuguese. Studies Spanish & English. Described as outgoing, fun and nice. Has good relationship with family and friends. Mom says she is trustworthy, independent and able to handle challenging situations. Takes school seriously. Lives with mom, a nurse, and step-dad. Close relationship with natural dad. Two brothers. Bother and aunt former AFS students. Helps with household chores. Wants to study criminology. Loves animals, has a dog. Interested in learning about other cultures.

Guilherme MALE from Brazil ELRF = 3/3/2 SLEP = ? Guilherme plays guitar, & does gymnastics. Snowboards and spent a month at a surf camp in Long Beach last summer. Guilherme plays the guitar twice a week, and plays soccer every day. He’s been taking English classes twice a week to prepare for his exchange. Likes to go to parties & go shopping. But he also likes to go to school & gets good grades. Friends & parents describe him as fun & a relaxed person, full of life, extroverted, funny, friendly & good at soccer. He likes to help others and has a good relationship with family. His mom describes him as "A temperamental boy with a big heart." He plays in school competitions & is a good student. He’s not sure about the future, but since he likes to help others may, he may want to pursue a medical career. Guilherme wants to make a difference in the world & be respected by others. Isneen from Thailand) ELRF = 3/4/4 SLEP = ? Isneen spends the majority of her time studying, but she takes some time to participate in school activities, such as cleaning up her campus. She also volunteers to clean the beaches in her community during holidays. She likes to play badminton and swim. Isneen is disciplined, flexible and encouraging. She has a small group of close friends, and she is always eager to help everyone. At school, she is one of the brightest students in her class. Isneen lives with her parents, older sister and younger sister. She has a very strong relationship with her family, and her mother is a great role model for her. She and her family are devout Muslims. Isneen does not eat pork for religious reasons. Benjamin from Austria) ELRF = 3/3/3 Review by Hillsboro Couple Benjamin takes lessons in Jiu-Jitsu and dancing. He also plays the guitar and the recorder, and likes to cook. He works out at the gym two or three times a week, plays tennis in the summer, and occasionally plays soccer, snowboards, and swims. Benjamin is a dreamer. He is even-tempered and often quiet, but he can also be energetic at times, and he has a good sense of humor. He adapts easily and learns quickly. Benjamin lives with his mother and two younger brothers. His parents divorced when he was 8. His father has remarried, giving Benjamin a stepsister and a half-brother. His mother also remarried, giving him three more step-siblings.

2007 Columbia Pacific Community Places Students  This is a sample of available students.  If you are interested in Family placing any of these students, please contact  Sally Ann Wells to determine if they are available.  (503) 452‐1868  Costanza Savarin (FEMALE from Italy) SLEP = 58 Costanza plays volleyball and the piano, and she sings in a choir. She also likes to travel, ski, jog and swim. She works hard in school but is yet unsure about what to do when she graduates. Costanza is sincere, helpful and spontaneous. She takes joy in the simple things of life and tenaciously pursues her goals. She likes to keep a cheerful attitude and an open mind. Costanza is allergic to cats and cannot eat dairy products. Costanza lives with her parents, with whom she is very affectionate. She asks for advice from them frequently and they support her in everything she does. Marcelo from Paraguay ELRF = 2/3/2 Marcelo says he participates in all the sports he can--basketball, swimming, running and soccer; he would like to participate in activities that can benefit the community, social assistance or help homeless people. Marcelo says he's a good person, positive, tolerant & happy, with a good attitude. He enjoys young host sibs in Paraguay & has loving memories of his sister & brother in Japan. Says he's a good student; gets along well with his family & friends. Shellfish allergies. Marcelo's nat. family lives in Japan and he has lived with his aunt, uncle & cousins for last 4 yrs. Came to Paraguay with family and liked it so much he stayed. He wants to "make a perfect role" as he doesn't want to disappoint families & AFS. Joanne from Netherlands ELRF = 4// SLEP = ? Joanne likes musical theatre--dancing, singing and acting. She works as a cashier at a supermarket a few days a week and exercises at the gym a couple days a week. She also likes to go ice skating and shopping, and take care of her guinea pigs. Joanne is open, spontaneous, cheerful and fun-loving. She makes friends easily and the friends she has are extremely important to her. She has a strong intuition and she goes out of her way to create harmony among those around her. Joanne's mothers split up last year, which was naturally hard for her. She has one younger sister, whom she adores, and a large extended family.

Thomas from Denmark ELRF = 3/3/2 Thomas likes football (soccer--is his main interest), but likes all kind of sports. He has traveled to Africa with parents; has a dog named "Victor" and walks him with his best friend; & watches movies on TV & travels with his family. He is very fond of school and has a lot of school friends. He's chairman of the council at school. He's described as good, a "go-getter, and is a fair sportsman. Mom says he's a good brother, & is a cheerful and happy boy with many friends. Thomas would like to live with a family with children in a suburban area. Likes the outdoors and nature. He lives with mom, dad and 2 sisters. He shows great interest in history, geography & social studies. Wants to become a pilot Elisa from Germany has requested placement at Gresham High School ELRF = 4/4/4 Elisa likes to play or go for a walk with a cat/dog or other animals; she plays the piano and enjoys volleyball. She likes to spend time with family & friends. She likes animals & has a dog and cat at her home in Germany. Elisa's mother & father were divorced in 2003. She lives with dad; has 2 sisters & a brother who live with mom & loves to spend time with them. She is good student. Mature, responsible, reliable, independent and popular with classmates. Elisa’s teacher considers her to be hard-working and committed to learning and helping others. She has been elected class leader and represents her classmates at the school parliament. Elisa is Protestant & attends church weekly. She is active in her church and works on community service outreach projects. At home she is responsible for cooking and cleaning. She likes to help others, especially her brother & sisters; Elisa is interested in politics, human rights and tolerance. Guillaume from France SLEP = 47 Guillame enjoys tennis, basketball, video games & internet, student leadership, reading, hiphop and rap music; volunteer work and experiencing other cultures. He is catholic and involved with his church and would like some church connection here. He feels he is fun loving & an extrovert, studious, a leader, good listener and flexible. His parents describe him as optimistic and a good school leader, curious, open minded, trustworthy and respectful and open to challenges. A sister 10 & brother 14. Close to parents. Mom a teacher, dad an IT manager. 3 yrs of English and 5 yrs German. Short exchange in Germany. Would like a family with children that is sports oriented. Lives in urban setting. Luiza from Brazil Carghill Scholar ELRF = 4/4/4 On hold by Oregon City Family Luiza is a daughter, big sister and student, in that order; who loves theater and drama and languages (English & Spanish with Portuguese) but also loves the ocean. She feels she is a person who respects others the way they wish to be respected. Parents consider Luiza very trustworthy and have given her a fair amount of independence--with rules and guides. They travel a lot for work and the children stay close by with Grandma, helping her and taking responsibility for themselves. Luiza has the highest recommendation from her teachers. "...has been outstanding in all subjects; always participates in school activities; is a friendly and dedicated person who is well liked by her friends.” Strong student. Jan Sievers from Germany ELRF = 3/4/3 Jan loves to play soccer; trains in acrobatics; listens to music; and loves Latin. On weekend he meets friends to play games or go to cinema. He also spends time with 14-yr. old brother. They are close. Friends describe him as friendly and funny. He's still thinking about the future, but knows it may be technical. Likes Latin because it helps him learn other languages. Parents are divorced (since 1997) and Ian lives with mom and stepdad. He has good relationship with nat. dad. Can always talk to parents. Relatives and friends have great influence on him. Friends describe him as flexible, thoughtful and considerate.

2007 Columbia Pacific Community Places Students  This is a sample of available students.  If you are interested in Family placing any of these students, please contact  Sally Ann Wells to determine if they are available.  (503) 452‐1868  Alessandro from Italy SLEP = 54 Alessandro loves the ocean--especially surfing, sometimes 3x a week! He enjoys playing guitar and has been taking lessons on a weekly basis. Most interested in History and Art but likes science theory, as well. Not sure of his furture plans. Alessandro describes himself as competitive and determined, but polite, and likes his friends around. He admits to needing some time to himself. He has an older brother and a close relationship with his parents, mother especially. Highly recommended by interviewer-"brilliant & outstanding candidate!" Alessandro is characterized as witty and full of humor; yet somewhat shy. His teacher says he is "well motivated and eager to learn." High marks in English. Rune Hallu from Denmark ELRF = 3/3/3 SLEP = 57 Rune loves water; has swam since he was 11 wks. old. Spends time at his computer, does web pages, but "will not spend his year abroad in front of a computer." Likes sports--swimming, free-diving, cycling, and orienteering. Friends would describe him as quiet, balanced, independent, helpful, sensible, and active; he describes himself as honest & quiet; likes physics/chemistry & math; keeping appointments and being time is important to him. Says, "I don't smoke or drink alcohol" and prefer to live with a non-smoking family; is not religious, but if host family is religious, he is willing to attend church now & then with family. Has good relationship with mom, dad & sister.

                                                                         

 

If you are interested in Family placing  any of these students, please contact  Sally Ann Wells to determine if they are still  available.  503­452­1868 

   

AFS  COLUMBIA  PACIFIC  Tami Spears  36650 Dubarko Rd.  Sandy, OR 97055                                           

    SAVE TREES AND POSTAGE      Want Electronic Newsletters?  E‐Mail: [email protected]    Want souvenir/scrapbook hard copy snail mail?  E‐Mail: Ron Combs @ [email protected]    All others will be able to find the newsletter on the Columbia  Pacific website:  www.afscp.com 

 

 

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  AFTERNOON AT THE OREGON ZOO – RSVP Ron Combs  503‐771‐8177 or  503‐314‐5243  AFS END‐OF‐STAY PICNIC – MT. TABOR PARK – Contact Bernice Schuchardt 503‐775‐4161 or  [email protected]  MORE INFORMATION TO COME  2007 BEAVERS FATHERS DAY BASEBALL GAME – Contact Ron Combs 503‐771‐8177 or 503‐314‐5243  VANCOUVER/BATTLEGROUND CHAPTER END‐OF‐STAY PIZZA PARTY – 6pm at Round Table Pizza, 616  NE 81st, Vancouver WA – Contact Bernie Gerhardt 360‐573‐4681  DEPARTURE 5PM AT LENTS PARK – Contact Ron Combs 503‐771‐8177 or 503‐314‐5243  SOUTHEAST PORTLAND HOST FAMILY ORIENTATION – HOME OF BERNICE SCHUCHARDT – 6pm –  9pm  4806 SE Long, Portland – RSVP Bernice 503‐775‐4161 or [email protected]   AUGUST 26  WELCOME PICNIC – Details will appear in the next newsletter.