Final Report - Friendship Force of Big Canoe/North Georgia

Table of Contents Orientation •
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Member Orientation Ambassadors & Hosts Mentoring History •
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History of Friendship Force International History of Big Canoe/ North Georgia Friendship Force Exchanges •
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Incoming Exchanges/Outgoing Exchanges Instructions Ambassador Application and Agreement Forms Medical Forms Emergency Form for Outgoing Exchanges Ambassadors Matching Form Member
Orientation
Who are we?
Friendship Force is an international cultural exchange and home hospitality
program to promote international understanding, friendship, and world peace. The
Friendship Force of Big Canoe/North Georgia is one of many Friendship Force clubs in
the world.
We hope this booklet gives you helpful information about Friendship Force, how our
club operates, and the many membership benefits available to you.
As a member, you obviously share our interest in exploring cultures, countries, and
regions. Friendship Force provides us the opportunity to meet new friends through
travel and home hospitality. Those experiences lead to understanding and a greater desire to
serve our global village. Whenever we host visitors from another club, all our members are
encouraged to participate, so we have included information about traveling with Friendship
Force and how you can be involved when we host an exchange.
As two well-traveled members said after their first Friendship Force exchange,
“This experience made all our other trips seem no more than a ride to the airport by
comparison.” They also learned that when you travel or host with the Friendship Force, you get
to know real people by sharing their real life.
Another thing we all learn through this remarkable organization is that people all over
the world are more alike than different in basic needs and desires for ourselves and our children.
The power of friendship not only changes lives but it sweeps away many false stereotypes. As
one small child exclaimed upon seeing people from the former USSR for the first time: Why
they’re just like us!
More about FFI
Friendship Force International (FFI) is a worldwide network of clubs (local chapters) and
individuals that advance our mission of promoting global understanding across the barriers that
separate people. We do this by connecting people from different countries at the personal level.
FFI is a nonprofit organization with headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. The governing body
is a 14-member Board of Directors, representing clubs across the world. In addition to the FFI
staff working at the Atlanta office, there are volunteer Regional or Field Representatives who
serve as a resource to our club by coordinating between the clubs and FFI.
Mission
To promote global understanding across the barriers that separate people.
Values
Mutual respect; cultural diversity; cultural exploration; service.
Vision
Each individual will make a contribution to global good will. The Friendship Force
worldwide network of clubs and individuals will overcome differences among people and
nations. By connecting the world, one friend at a time, we will create a world of friends that
becomes a world of peace.
Slogan
Changing the way you see the world.
Tagline
Explore. Understand. Serve.
About our club--FF of Big Canoe/N. Ga.
Membership and Dues
Membership is open to anyone who accepts Friendship Force principles and pays
membership dues. Annual dues are $20 for a single membership or $40 for a family membership
(for two or more in the same household). Using a FF name badge is encouraged (see below).
The membership year is January 1 - December 31, with the treasurer collecting dues by the
end of December for the following year.
As a member of our club you are eligible to apply for all the travel exchanges organized by our club and the FFI office in Atlanta. In addition, other clubs may advertise for
applications to join their exchanges, using the FFI website and/or e-mail communications from
FFI.
Meetings and Events
Typically, we meet every month on the third Sunday at 4:30 p.m. with our meeting place
varying to make travel to meetings more convenient for those living in different areas. Often
there is an optional restaurant meal after the meeting, and occasionally we have a covered dish
meal.
Newsletter
A club newsletter is published a few weeks before the monthly meeting. It is sent by email to members and, along with past issues, is posted on our club website. Upon request, a
printed copy will be mailed to members who do not access e-mail. The newsletter lists meeting
information, upcoming events, information about exchanges, committee reports, and news
from the FFI office.
Name Badges
We want to get to know you! Members are asked to obtain and wear a name badge to club
meetings and events. The badges are $10 each and last for years. Please ask the treasurer about
ordering one. During both incoming and outgoing exchanges, they are very important as we
mingle with other clubs.
Officers
Club officers serve one-year terms from January through December. We elect our club
officers at the November meeting. The elected positions are President, 1st Vice- president,
2nd Vice-president, Secretary, and Treasurer.
Committees and Appointed Positions
We are always looking for new members for our committees or to work on a special
project. You don’t have to commit a lot of time or assume a lot of responsibility. It’s a great
way to get to know other club members better and make your membership more interesting
and enriching. Opportunities include:
Communication: help with newsletter, website, publicity, phone tree, o r photography
Social: club parties, dinners, and interest groups
Membership: help with new member orientations, mentorship, and greeting
Activities: plan programs for monthly meetings, help with meeting logistics
Exchanges: help exchange director with a specific exchange
Board of Directors
Much of the club business is conducted by the Board of Directors, which meets at
Board members’ homes on a rotating basis. All members are invited to attend the Board
meetings. Voting members of our club’s Board include all elected officers, chairpersons of
standing committees, the current exchange directors, the newsletter editor, and the immediate
past president.
Important Websites:
International: www.thefriendshipforce.org
Our club: www.ffbcng.org
We encourage you to visit our club website often. It features past issues of our
newsletter, information about upcoming exchanges, a calendar of events, photos, and it links
directly to the FFI website.
The FFI website is a “must”--especially if you are interested in participating in an
exchange or in learning more about Friendship Force. The home page features World of
Friends Catalog, which lists exchange opportunities planned by other clubs and FFI, and
which you might wish to apply to join.
Many exchanges are designed with a special focus--humanitarian, environmental, or an
activity such as hiking, as examples. Most involve a home stay with members of a Friendship
Force club. The FFI site also has an online shop where you can purchase merchandise and
gift items with the FFI brand.
Hosting and traveling: how it works
Traveling with Friendship Force
As a FF member, you have a number of options: you can apply for travel on international or domestic exchanges arranged by our club, by other clubs, or by Friendship Force
International.
Planning for an outgoing exchange
Each fall, every FF club submits destinations/cultures their members would like to get to
know via an exchange. The matching and planning by FFI and the local clubs must be done well
ahead.
The club that is traveling (Ambassadors) and the club that is receiving (Hosts) assign
Exchange Directors (E.D.s). The E.D.s communicate closely about home accommodations,
sightseeing opportunities, and cultural activities--all coordinated by their committees. The two
E.D.s customize the trip, coordinate details and cost, and prepare their members for either hosting
or traveling.
Whenever our club travels as a group, we have an Exchange Committee to support our
E.D. and help as needed. Because Friendship Force stresses “faces, not places,” our club provides
orientation about the customs, history, and world-view of the countries our Ambassadors will
visit.
Traveling as an Ambassador
Every member who wants to travel on a club exchange will complete an application to
become an Ambassador. Typically there are 15 to 25 Ambassadors in a group. The E.D. will
then select the Ambassadors to go on the trip, based on the type of trip and the demands placed on
the Ambassadors and their ability to meet those demands. (For example, an exchange with lots of
hiking and climbing would not be suitable for someone with walking issues.)
When you travel as an Ambassador, you are immersed in the new culture. You stay in
the homes of other FF members and spend your days with those hosts or day hosts. These
hosts are proud to introduce you to their family, friends, traditions, life-style, and, of course,
important sites in their region. Don’t worry about language problems! There is always someone
who can help translate, and you will be amazed how smiles, nods, and assorted hand language
are universally understood. Small dictionaries help, too.
It all makes for new friends and great stories. Of course, you’ll be spending most of your
days with your fellow travelers, and you will know what to expect because your trip’s itinerary
has been planned, usually a copy given to you when you arrive, to give you a rich and personal
experience. Bottom line--relax and have a great time! Friendship is a golden thread which ties
hearts together.
Planned time and free time
Most exchanges involve a one-week stay in the home of a Friendship Force member at
the chosen destination. Often the trip may last two weeks, splitting the time between two
destinations and two different host families. There is usually one free, un- planned day you will
spend with your host. Most hosts will inquire about your interests to plan something for that
free day. Sometimes there is an optional extended trip in the same country. Members may plan
to travel independently to another destination before returning home. All of this gets discussed
with the E.D. ahead of time in order to plan transportation.
Cost of travel
The typical cost for a five to seven day outgoing exchange is$165. to FFI and $25. to your
local club
$100. to the host club (pays for admission to museums, etc.)
Transportation cost to the hosting club (may include local air or ground transport)
Some meals
Possibly some extra costs because of requested activities
Small gifts to your host and others (dinner hosts, day hosts, children, etc.) Taking your hosts
out to one dinner.
Some programs have extra costs due to the specific activities or local costs. The budget
is predicted in detail before your commitment is made for the exchange.
Travel Guard Insurance
When you purchase travel insurance, consider the Travel Guard policies that are offered
at a significant discount if purchased on the FFI website. This is available to members even
for non-FF travel.
Hosting Ambassadors from another club
When our club receives Ambassadors from another club, our E.D. and the Exchange
Committee plan the itinerary, assign the home hosts, coordinate the visit, and identify
opportunities for each of our members to participate. They also prepare us for understanding
the culture, history, and worldview of the visiting Ambassadors who will become our new
friends.
Generally our club members will be asked to participate in one or more of these ways:
Hosting Ambassadors in your home
Serving as a day host
Providing transportation to the scheduled activities
Hosting a small group for dinner in your home
Attending the welcome and/or farewell reception
Helping plan entertainment for our visitors at the above receptions
Welcoming--making signs, finding items for goody bags.
Our club usually has a week of activities planned for our visitors--all designed to
acquaint them with our culture, geography, history, etc. There are usually one or more free
days when the home host or day host can plan an experience suited to their Ambassadors.
Ambassadors may go out on their own if they wish. We always have a welcome and farewell
reception and group activities during the week that may interest you whether you are home
hosting or not.
Hosting Ambassadors in your home
When you host an incoming Ambassador in your home for their visit, you will find it a
wonderful experience. Your Ambassador’s departure may be the beginning of an enduring
friendship that will grow with correspondence and even visits.
Our E.D. is armed with information about the age, gender, and interests of the
Ambassadors and the housing coordinator on the committee will pair you up accordingly.
Group activities covering most of the time are planned in advance, and the cost of the
Ambassador’s portion will have been paid for by part of their program fee.
Hosts are responsible for providing suitable accommodations and any meals that
are not part of the group activities. Hosts get their guests to the group activities (or car- pool),
and hosts pay their own way for entrance fees and meals. Other members serve as day hosts,
so you do not have to go to all activities. Plus, other members who don’t have extra bedrooms
assist by hosting dinners, offering transportation, etc.
The most important thing to remember is that you are hosting FF members who
share the same interest you do in learning about different cultures. They will surely enjoy their
trips to museums and nearby attractions, but meeting your friends and family and
understanding your lifestyle will enrich their travel experience. Hosts might consider taking
them to their place of worship, the grocery store, the library, or even the post office. Walks
through your neighborhood, bike rides, or a backyard barbecue with neighbors--these everyday
experiences might be among the best memories of their visit to North Georgia.
Cost of hosting
Hosting Ambassadors in your home is somewhat like inviting any guest. You will
generally provide breakfast, sometimes a few packed lunches or snacks, or bottled water;
transportation on the days not covered by a day host; your own meals; entrance and activity fees
for yourself on days you accompany your Ambassadors; and possibly some potluck items for
the welcome and farewell gatherings.
Exchange Director and Committee
Very simply, we cannot receive Ambassadors or travel as Ambassadors if we don’t have
an Exchange Director and a committee. Our club has many members who have served as
exchange directors, both for outgoing and incoming exchanges, and who will help with
training. FFI has extensive material online to help with training, and regional meetings can
offer training to become an E.D. Being an E.D. can be great fun, and our club and FFI
provide all the support you need.
If the E.D. role is of interest to you after you have participated in one or more exchanges, we hope you will consider attending a training session or participate on an exchange
committee to assist with an exchange. It’s a great way to make friends and learn more about the
exchange operation. Just let us know that you are interested.
From Dr. Smith and Our Experiences
As Dr. Smith said, those of us who have already reached out to those in other lands have
found our lives forever enriched and can attest to the truth of bridging barriers with
friendship. It’s exciting to know that extending the hand of friendship across the nations is
building a better world one person at a time!
For further information
Contact information on all officers is at the front of this web site, and feel free to contact
any of them. Contact Friendship Force International via their website or individual contact
information on their website.
Friendship Force Ambassadors and Hosts The goal for a Friendship Force exchange is to promote global understanding across the
barriers that separate people. This is achieved by bringing together two groups of people:
the ambassadors who travel to distant lands, and the hosts who open their homes. The
hospitality provided by the host provides a unique setting for the exchange of ideas and
culture at a very personal level. In a few days time, ambassadors and hosts become
friends, despite their differences, and begin crossing the barriers that normally separate
them.
THE AMBASSADOR A Friendship Force ambassador, traveling to another country, takes on three distinct roles:
guest, ambassador, and traveler.
1. Guest: What makes travel with the Friendship Force unique is the opportunity to live for
five to seven days with a local host family. The ambassador becomes part of the host family,
sharing everyday responsibilities around the home while learning firsthand about the host
culture. Living conditions vary around the world, and the ambassador should be physically
able to meet the requirements of the host community. This may include walking to the
market, traveling on public transportation and climbing stairs in the home. Lodging and
meals in the home are provided by the host, and group activities, such as welcome parties
and local sightseeing, are included in the basic Friendship Force fee. Other expenses outside
the home are the responsibility of the ambassador: local transportation (or a tank of gas),
admission costs to local attractions, and meals outside the home. Sometimes ambassadors
like to share their culture by preparing a meal in the home—purchasing the items required at
the local market. Being a good guest also means expressing gratitude in appropriate ways.
Taking the host out to dinner and sending a thank you note (not just a quick email) after the
exchange.
2. Ambassador: Those who travel as Friendship Force ambassadors go not just for their own
personal goals but also to represent their home community and their country. This means that
in addition to learning about the host culture, they can share about their own. As they make
friends in the host community, ambassadors provide a very personal and unique connection
on behalf of their country. They should go prepared to be a true ambassador, reflecting the
best of their country.
3. Traveler: A Friendship Force experience is a great way to experience the world from a
new and unique perspective. With local citizens as guides, the ambassador is introduced to
the best attractions of the region. Interested in particular opportunities? Just ask!
Ambassadors who enjoy exploring on their own will find ample time for it. Traveling as a FF
ambassador is enjoyable and enriching, but it also requires special dedication and
preparation. A spirit of adventure, flexibility, and being open to new experiences are all
essentials for a successful Ambassador experience.
THE HOST The Friendship Force host also takes on three roles: host, cultural ambassador, and guide.
1. Host: The host provides home hospitality to the visiting ambassador(s) for 5-7 days,
offering what is natural for them and their culture in the way of food and activities in the
home and community. Each guest should be provided private sleeping quarters, but it is
fine for guests to share bath and toilet facilities with members of the host family. The time
spent in the home is used to establish a close personal friendship between the host and
guests. This can be done without host and guest sharing the same language—but it helps to
have someone available who does speak the ambassador’s language. At all times the host
should be respectful of the culture of the ambassador. While the host may choose to invite
the guest to participate in religious observances, these should always be optional. Meals in
the home are the responsibility of the host, but the ambassador should be expected to pay
for meals and activities outside the home. It is also customary for the ambassador to invite
the host to dinner one night or to offer to prepare a meal in the home. The host should
accept these offers as they help ensure the establishment of a mutual and balanced
relationship. A good host also recognizes the visitors’ need for rest! After a long
international trip or a busy day sightseeing, the visitor may need some time to rest and
catch their breath, before another busy day.
2. Ambassador: Although the Friendship Force assigns the title “ambassador” to the visitor,
in many respects the hosts are also ambassadors, representing their communities and
cultures. The host should see this as an important and enjoyable aspect of serving as a
Friendship Force host. As hosts get to know the visitors, they should look for ways to share
their culture—through ordinary experiences in the home and through activities in the
community that can help the visiting ambassador better understand the host culture. Hosts
should also introduce their visitors to others in the community, finding opportunities for
family and friends outside the home to meet the visiting ambassadors.
3. Guide: The visiting ambassadors are provided some formal cultural tours as part of
the overall exchange program. They also may be traveling in the region separate from
their Friendship Force experience. Even so, the host has a great opportunity to serve as
a local guide, providing the visitor with insights into the local community and culture
that normal tourists never see. To see a new community through the eyes of the local
host rather than from the window of a tour bus is part of what attracts people to a
Friendship Force exchange. On days when no formal activities are planned, the host can
take the visitors into the community, sharing places of mutual interest. In some cases
ambassadors may want to explore the community on their own. Hosts should recognize
that this is part of the thrill of experiencing a new community. If ambassadors want to
have time on their own, the hosts can arrange the best way for carrying out this goal. A Brief History of the Friendship Force By: Charlene Terrell The Friendship Force was the creation of the late Dr. Wayne Smith, a
Presbyterian minister and former missionary to Brazil. Smith befriended Jimmy and
Rosalynn Carter when Carter was the governor of Georgia. When he told them of his
idea of this new organization, Carter was just elected President and he and his wife
offered their support. Mrs. Carter was the Honorary Chairperson of Friendship Force for
many years. The Friendship Force was chartered on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, 1977.
The idea is simple and it works as proven by hundreds of thousands of ordinary
citizens who have traveled to other countries on goodwill missions as citizen
ambassadors. In the country of destination these ambassadors of goodwill are hosted in
private homes and are treated like family. The travels are called exchanges and they have
proven over and over again that there is no other way to truly understand another country
or another point of view without knowing the people. Many have expressed their firm
belief that this people-to-people diplomacy was one force contributing to the fall of the
Berlin Wall and the rise of the Iron Curtain.
Dr. Smith said The Friendship Force was to be the vehicle for bridging the
barriers that separate people – barriers like language, religion, race, politics, culture, fear
and ignorance. Those of us who have already reached out to those in other lands have
found our lives forever enriched and can attest to the truth of bridging barriers with
friendship. It’s exciting to know that extending the hand of friendship across the nations
is building a better world one person at a time.
Currently there are 377 Friendship Force clubs and programs in 56 countries
around the world. Friendship Force International has announced expansion plans to add
new countries and clubs in 2013-2014. Since the organization began in 1977, over a
million people have participated in exchanges as ambassadors and hosts.
As one well-traveled couple said after their first Friendship Force exchange, “This
experience made all our other trips seem no more than a ride to the airport by
comparison.” They also learned that when you travel or host with the Friendship Force,
you get to know real people by sharing their real life. These friendships often last a
lifetime.
Another thing we all learn through this remarkable organization is that people all
over the world are more alike than different in basic needs and desires for ourselves and
our children. The power of friendship not only changes lives but it sweeps away many
false stereotypes. As one small child exclaimed upon seeing people from the former
USSR for the first time: Why they’re just like us!
Brief History The Friendship Force of Big Canoe/North Georgia was chartered in. The club was organized
by Dr. Wayne Smith, as communicated by Charlene Terrell, a charter member, who said "Big Canoe
residents became excited about The Friendship Force in May of 1985 when 30 citizens from Georgia,
then part of the USSR, arrived in Atlanta. Dr. Wayne Smith, President and founder of The Friendship
Force International, had been talking about the Soviets coming from the pulpit of Big Canoe Chapel.
He was a very compelling speaker. When the Soviets actually came, 10 of the 30 came to Big Canoe
after being in Atlanta first. They were hosted in private homes in Big Canoe. It was a wildly exciting
time. Remember, the Cold War was still on, and the Iron Curtain and the Berlin Wall were firmly in
place. The Soviets attended Chapel services and the place was crowded with Chapel members,
dignitaries and national media. It was truly thrilling. One cameraman rested his heavy camera on my
shoulder for what seemed like an eternity! A Supreme Court Justice was present along with President
and Mrs. Carter and many other well-known people.” The account of the visit is in The Other Side of
the Mountain, written by Charlene Terrell.
Charlene goes on to say: "After this experience, Wayne Smith thought we might be ready to
establish a club here. But not just a Big Canoe Club - it would need to encompass this part of North
Georgia. I remember the first organizational meeting to establish our club. Only a handful of people
attended and we met with a representative of Friendship Force International. The people I remember
who were at this first meeting were: Howard (Mac) and Rebecca McDaniel, Dave and Charlene
Terrell, Betty and Heath Laughlin and Eleanor Baker. In the beginning we had a lot of members who
lived here. Big Canoe was small and word traveled fast. Most were members of Big Canoe Chapel.
Wayne Smith, who was also the unpaid Assistant Chaplain, often gave interesting and inspiring
bulletins from the pulpit. Dr. Vernon Broyles, our first Chaplain, was also very enthusiastic about the
organization and when Wayne was away, Dr. Broyles often relayed brief reports on what was
happening around the world. Also the first Soviets to visit got so much press coverage that the
excitement lasted a while. When we later had another group from Soviet Georgia, they were hosted
in Big Canoe and Jasper and much coverage in local and state media helped spread the word. At one
time, our Club had approximately 140 members."
Most of our members live in Big Canoe, Bent Tree, Canton and Cumming, communities all
located in North Georgia 50 to 60 miles North of Atlanta. The members have a wide range of
interests and occupations.
The club generally meets on the 3rd Sunday of each month at 4:30 PM in the Big Canoe area.
Big Canoe lies on the Pickens County-Dawson County line, and we try to have our meetings in an
area extending about 30 miles around Big Canoe and at least twice a year in Cumming. We prefer our
meetings to be held in a local restaurant. The format is a short business meeting followed by a
speaker and a question and answer period. Generally the topic relates to countries we will be traveling
to or places we have visited on a recent exchange. Following the speaker most of the members stay
for a social gathering by having a meal together.
Through Friendship Force International we normally participate in one international
incoming exchange and one international outgoing exchange each year. During a year we
also have an incoming domestic and one outgoing domestic exchange. At most exchanges
we have approximately 20 members participating.
The club has had outgoing international exchanges to Australia, Brazil, Canada,
England, Japan, Germany, Holland, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Russia, South Africa,
Soviet Georgia, Turkey, and Wales. Incoming international Exchanges from Australia,
Brazil, Canada, China, Costa Rica, Egypt, England, Germany, Holland, Japan, Hawaii, New
Zealand , North Vietnam and Soviet Georgia. We have also participated in many domestic
incoming and outgoing exchanges.
Officers of the club, who serve one year terms are President , 1st and 2nd Vice
Presidents, Secretary and Treasurer. There are chairpersons for many committees. We have
Exchange Directors for all exchanges, a webmaster and an editor of the monthly newsletter.
A board ensures that the By-Laws are followed and gives information to the members. All
of the above positions give opportunities for our members to serve and be an active member
of the club.
Incoming Exchange Director
Being an incoming exchange director is one of the most important roles in Friendship
Force. This document provides guidance and recommendations for an Incoming
Exchange Director in carrying out his or her responsibilities:
● Fill out the “Exchange Leadership Information Form”, and provide it to the club
president to sign and submit to Friendship Force International. This provides
your address and other information Friendship Force International needs for their
records.
● Report on plans and try to build up enthusiasm at every meeting between when you are
appointed and the date of the exchange. If you have to miss a meeting, recruit a
substitute to report for you, and be sure the substitute has full information. Make
sure information is in the club newsletter and the club web site.
● Form a committee. Don’t try to do everything yourself. Each of the items below
could be handled by one member of the committee:
● Plan activities for the ambassadors while they are with us. We don’t
need activities every minute—some free time is fine. The
activities should include a welcome event and a farewell event—
maybe a meal or maybe punch and cookies. The attachment lists
some activities in the area that have found favor in the past.
● Plan transportation. Using the personal vehicles of club members is
fine, or finding a bus for some or all the transportation is fine.
● Recruit hosts. Match the hosts with the ambassadors the best you can.
● Recruit day-hosts, who would take the ambassadors to activities,
relieving the hosts of the responsibility to be with their
ambassadors 24 hours a day. Be sure they know the details of their
assignment—meeting place at beginning and end, activities, meals,
which ambassadors each day-host will have.
● Establish a budget. The ambassadors will be paying a fee for the
exchange, which should cover most or all the expenses. If it
doesn’t, develop a plan for obtaining the rest of the needed funds.
Our current practice is to ask the club treasurer, Robert Logan, to
hold funds and write checks for expenses.
● Create an exchange booklet. Ideally, it would include the following:
- Schedule of events, with driving directions where appropriate.
- Names, addresses, telephone numbers, e-mail addresses, and pictures of
all hosts and day hosts.
- Names, addresses, telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses of all
ambassadors.
● Consider having someone take pictures of all ambassadors with their
hosts, and give everyone a print of the picture as a memento of the
visit.
● At least six months before the scheduled arrival, meet with your committee. Review
everyone’s roles and responsibilities. Encourage everyone else to share their
thoughts and suggestions on how to make the exchange the best possible. Hold
additional meetings as required to be sure everyone is coordinated.
● About two months before the scheduled arrival, hold a workshop for all hosts. Have a
written agenda. Share with the hosts something of the language and culture of the
ambassadors. Ask each committee member to report on his or her
responsibility—especially be sure transportation and activities are clear. Hand
out the schedule for the exchange. Make clear the hosts need to arrange for all
meals not otherwise provided. Suggest a small welcome gift. Review any day
hosts that have been recruited, and go over what they will do.
● Three days before the exchange, double check all arrangements, including any caterers
who have been engaged.
● Make sure there are copies of the booklet for all ambassadors and for all hosts.
● During the exchange, lead activities and resolve any issues that occur. Work closely
with the outgoing exchange director.
● Show patience. Sometimes problems can be difficult, but keep a positive outlook.
● At the end of the exchange, ask all ambassadors and hosts to fill out evaluation forms.
Summarize the forms for the club president, first vice president, and Friendship
Force International contact.
Outgoing Exchange Director
Being an outgoing exchange director is one of the most important roles in Friendship
Force. This document provides guidance and recommendations for an Outgoing
Exchange Director in carrying out his or her responsibilities. There is an Outbound
Exchange Director Manual published by FFI, which you should obtain and follow. It
is available on the Friendship Force International web site, or the second vice
president can get you a copy. This document summarizes some of the important steps.
Obtain, fill out, and return to the club president the Exchange Leadership Information
Form. This will be sent on to Friendship Force International, so their records will reflect
your acceptance of this responsibility.
The most important part of the responsibility is recruiting ambassadors. You should
report at every meeting from the time you accept the position until the exchange leaves
for the airport, stressing how wonderful the exchange is and why every member of the
club should go. If you see early that you will have trouble filling the exchange from our
club, start spreading your wings by looking for ambassadors from other clubs, first from
the southeast region and then nationally (and even internationally). Friendship Force
International has several tools for doing this, including the E-Flyer and the Communiqué.
If you need help in doing that, talk to the second vice president.
At the time you accept the position, there should be an “It’s a Match” form available,
identifying the name of the club and the president you are going to visit. Make contact
with the president as soon as you can, to let him or her know you are the outgoing
director and how to reach you, and to find out who the incoming exchange director is
with whom you will be working, and how to reach him or her. E-mail is by far the best
means of communicating, if both exchange directors have access to it. Failing that, use
paper mail, fax, and/or telephone to keep in touch.
Set the dates for the exchange early in the process. The “It’s a Match” form establishes a
preferred month, and you and the incoming exchange director should set a specific date
within the month, or if necessary a different, mutually agreeable date.
Establish an itinerary and estimated fees early in the process, so prospective ambassadors
know what is coming. Here are the fees you need to list:
● A fee for our club of $25.00
● The Friendship Force International fee is $165.00 per week.
● The standard host club fee is $100.00 per week, but the host club may find it
necessary to increase this. Be sure you have an understanding with the
incoming exchange director early in the process.
● Insurance. All ambassadors need to have travel insurance. Contact Travel
Guard early in the process to get an estimate of the cost.
Of course, there is also travel cost, which you should find some way to estimate.
Establish a policy on making travel arrangements. It’s usually best to have a travel agent
make arrangements for everyone, but some people like to fly with a particular airline or
use frequent flyer points for their travel. If you aren’t making the arrangements for
everyone, make sure everyone knows a meeting time and place in the destination country.
Determine whether visas are needed and, if they are, the process for obtaining them.
Make sure visas are applied for early in the process.
Decide who will function as treasurer for the exchange. In our club, traditionally the club
treasurer has been willing to do this. If not, get one of the ambassadors to accept that
responsibility. Don’t try to do it yourself—you’ll be spreading yourself too thin.
Set a deadline of approximately four months before departure to have the Ambassador
Application and Agreement (available through the forms page on this web site) filled out
and an initial deposit paid. Communicate this to all potential ambassadors about five
months before departure.
Set a deadline of approximately three months before departure to have all fees paid and
travel insurance paid. Have all ambassadors fill out the health information form (below)
and return it to you. Get a copy of the “face page” of everyone’s passport, and of their
health insurance cards. Communicate the need for this to all potential ambassadors
about three weeks ahead.
Sixty days before departure, make copies of all Ambassador Application and Agreement
forms, and send them to the incoming exchange director and to Friendship Force
International. This will allow the incoming exchange director to make hosting
assignments, and provide time for communication between hosts and guests. Ask the
treasurer to transfer fees to Friendship Force International and to the host club.
About thirty days before departure, hold a meeting of all ambassadors. Go over plans for
the trip, answer any questions, and share with the ambassadors information about
customs in the country being visited. It would be good to have translation of simple
phrases into the host country’s language. Double check that you have all necessary
forms and copies of documents.
On the exchange, remember that you are the focal point for all ambassadors and for
everyone in the host country. Be prepared to solve problems in a calm, professional
manner.
Consider holding a post-exchange party, for people to share pictures and experiences.
Enjoy the experience!
MEDICAL FORM
There is a good chance this form will not be used, but we think we should have this
information available in case it is needed.
We will seal the information in an envelope, to be opened only in case of necessity.
Please complete A SEPARATE FORM FOR EACH PERSON IN YOUR GROUP.
Full name
Address
Birth date
Social Security Number
Emergency contact
Contact telephone: home
work
cell
Primary health insurance: company
number
Secondary health insurance: company
number
PLEASE INCLUDE A PHOTOCOPY OF INSURANCE CARDS.
Known medical conditions
Medications currently being taken
Drugs to which you have an adverse reaction:
I hereby certify that the above information is correct:
Signature:
Date
Death Instructions TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: In the Event of my death outside of the United States the following actions should be taken: 1. Give instructions as to what you wish to be done with respect to organs. For example: In a timely manner, make available my organs and body parts to an appropriate medical institution. 2. Notify: Include two individuals in case one is unavailable. Provide Address and Phone Numbers. 3. Give instructions as to what to do with the body. For example: Have my body cremated. 4. Ship the ashes (or body) to: Signed: Your name date Notarized By: _Date

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