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Global Link - AYA Online Newsletter - February 2005
In this issue:
Host an AYA International Exchange Student!
This year we are expecting almost 1,000 students to arrive in August: a record number! High school students from all over the world will be attending public and private high schools giving them the opportunity to learn about the U.S. Plus, it will allow families to build wonderful, lasting relationships with a student. Applications for the fall 2005 semester are coming in and we are currently looking for families across the United States to host these great kids! Soon we will be posting student profiles on our website for you to learn more about them and select the student that will fit in best with your family. Contact Keli Rising at (800) 322-4678 ext 5164, or e-mail krising@aifs.org to find out how you and your family can join the mission of cross-cultural understanding. The Meaning of Solidarity Discovered by AYA Students This past month, fifteen high school exchange students worked hard to raise funds for the tsunami relief effort in Asia. The students, living with host families in Indiana, banded together and raised $1,500.73 that was donated to the American Red Cross. Fadilla Ilia led the efforts by raising $711. She is here studying through the YES grant program sponsored by the State Department. The YES program is a full scholarship for students and requires that they be involved in philanthropy and cultural enrichment activities. “The YES program seeks to present a positive response to tragic world events by bringing communities together through links of close personalities,” said Joyce Buzzard, the AYA State Director for Indiana and Michigan. Rizky Pratiwi, another YES student, learned that with the $299.71 she raised, the American Red Cross could purchase one ton of rice to help feed the survivors of the tsunami. In addition, students from France, Germany, Thailand, Egypt, Japan, Tukermenistan, and the Philippines were all united in their efforts to help those in need. These students have truly demonstrated their understanding on the importance of cultural understanding and solidarity, which is the heart of exchange study. If you would like to know how you could host an amazing student, or if you would like to learn more about the government sponsored YES grant program, contact Keli Rising at (800) 322-4678 ext 5164 or e-mail krising@aifs.org. Now is the time to join our Local Coordinator Team!
If you would like to work with teenagers from overseas, then perhaps being a LC is right for you! As an LC, you will work closely with the students that are placed in the local area around you. You will supervise the students and meet with them on a regular basis to make sure they are getting the most out of their time in the U.S. AYA rewards Local Coordinators for the number of placements he or she has over the course of a year. As a first year LC, you will to place at least three students to be eligible to attend the national meeting, held each year in an exciting overseas destination. Our group recently returned from Dublin, Ireland, and later this year we will be off to Quito, Ecuador! There is also the chance to earn bonus points with multiple placements that can be accumulated and used for domestic and international airline travel and/or exciting vacations. Recent destinations have included Hong Kong, France, and Spain. Bonus points can also be used toward supplies to enhance your work as a LC: digital camera, computers, office supplies and business cards. The effort you put into the position will dictate the rewards you receive. Find
out how you can change the world with us! Contact Keli at (800)
322-4678 ext. 5164, or e-mail at krising@aifs.org.
To download the LC application, click
here. ACADEMIC YEAR IN AMERICA HELPS TSUNAMI RELIEF EFFORT "Thousands
of lives have been lost in a few moments, but the lingering effects
will be there for years. The damage that was caused, the rebuilding
of schools and other facilities, will take time. So you need a quick
infusion to stabilize the situation, take care of those who have
been injured, get immediate relief supplies in, and then you begin
planning for the longer haul." The South/Southeast Asia earthquake and tsunami disaster has had a sobering effect on us all. Our hearts go out to the victims and their families as we learn more on a daily basis about the unbelievable damage it has caused. Since its beginning in 1981, Academic Year in America has welcomed hundreds of students to the United States from countries in South and Southeast Asia including India and Thailand. As a leader in cultural exchange, AYA understands the importance of lending a hand overseas and helping to make a difference in the ever-changing global village. To
help our friends across the world, Academic Year in America and
its parent company, the American Institute For Foreign Study are
proud to have raised over $10,000 for the South/Southeast Asia tsunami
relief effort. The money was presented to AmeriCares, a Connecticut
based non-profit disaster relief and humanitarian aid organization.
Brazilians celebrate Carnaval in February!
Brazil’s population is the largest in Latin America, and is as ethnically diverse as any in the world. Like the United States and much of Latin America, Brazil was settled in the early sixteenth century by Europeans who violently displaced the indigenous population, and imported African slaves to work the land. Most of today’s 160 million Brazilians are descendants of Indians, Africans, and Portuguese. The Brazilian national identity is strong and inclusive of all ethnic groups. As a result, the Brazilians have earned a reputation of creativity, energy, artistry, and exuberance. The people have sustained themselves for generations with various forms of mutual aid and a strong belief in the power of love and community. CARNAVAL: Every February the Brazilians celebrate Carnaval. It is a re-invention of the pagan and later Christian feasts that enlivened the long European winters. Like Mardi Gras, carnaval is ostensibly the last chance for merrymaking before Lent. In fact, the word “carnaval” is thought to be a derivation of the Italian “carne vale” which means “farewell to meat.” Practically every city in Brazil has their own Carnival celebration, and because Brazilian culture is so diverse, so too is Carnival. The Carnival in Rio de Janiero is the best known and the flashiest; people from all over the world flock to the Rio Carnival for its elaborate costume balls and exotic parades. If you look elsewhere in Brazil, you will find less commercialized Carnival celebrations, such as the one held in Salvador. Salvador’s Carnival is a more natural expression of the masses and is extremely popular with Brazilians from other parts of the country. The best street dancing is in Salvador where the crowds swirl around the trios electricos – musicians performing on top of trucks fully equipped with loudspeakers turned-up full blast. If you would like to learn more about the Brazilian Carnivals, or the Brazilian way of life in general, why not consider hosting a Brazilian exchange student? We have applications flooding in for these enthusiastic students who are eager to share their culture while learning about our own! Contact Keli at 800-322-4678 ext. 5164 or krising@aifs.org for more information. AYA Quick Links
Spread the News! If you are excited about what you have seen in The Global Link, please share it with your friends. Or send us their name and e-mail address, and we’ll put them on our e-mail list. Write to Keli Rising at aya.info@aifs.org with “The Global Link” in the subject line to subscribe. AMERICAN
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Academic
Year in America offers the exciting opportunity for high school
students from around the world to come live with families and attend
the local high school for a semester or a year in the United States.
The students pay all of their own fees to cover flights, insurance
and any tuition costs, and they bring their own spending money.
Host Families provide room and board, and treat the student as a
member of the family. 
Local
Coordinators (LC) are actively involved in making the international
exchange a wonderful experience for the students and families. Since
our founding in 1967 with the assistance of Senator Robert Kennedy,
AYA has grown to over 500 people working to increase cultural understanding
in communities around the country.
COUNTRY
PROFILE: