A New President: A Familiar Face
Francisco “Tachi” Cazal is appointed as President of AFS International:
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ost of the readers of this publication will be familiar with Tachi Cazal; after all, he has been with AFS International since 1985. In May of this year, Tachi was unanimously appointed as President of AFS International by the Board of Trustees. Francisco Cazal was born in Asuncion, Paraguay. He was an AFS international exchange program participant from Paraguay to the United States in 1974, where he was hosted by the Siebert family in Luverne, a small town in Minnesota where he attended the local high school for a year. Upon his return to Asuncion, Tachi completed his secondary school education, earning a Masters degree in Engineering from the National University in Asuncion. Prior to joining the staff of AFS International in 1985, he served as a Managing Director at Fanego and Asociados, a large engineering firm in Asuncion. While there, he began volunteering at the national level with AFS Paraguay. His work as a volunteer led to his appointment as the Chairperson of AFS Paraguay in 1980. From that term forward, and for the next 25 years, he assumed increasingly more responsible duties around the world on behalf of the organization. Most recently (2003), Tachi was appointed Interim President of the organization and was at the helm during a period in which AFS International earned the highest marks ever from its worldwide Partners with respect to service delivery and mobilization of the network to achieve financially viable growth with quality. At the time of his appointment, Tachi stated that: “AFS remains a powerful agent for peaceful global change that has touched many lives throughout its nearly six decades of existence. I was myself an AFS student in the midseventies and, as the son of a factory worker who strongly believed in the THE JANUS/SEPTEMBER 2005
transformative power of education, I experienced firsthand the life changing benefits of intercultural education. As I assume this responsibility, I feel honored, overwhelmed, and challenged. I am keenly aware of the legacy of previous AFS presidents and of the benefits that each of their individual approaches brought to the organization. When I think of the legacy that I would like to leave to AFS, I recognize the immense potential that AFS has when we unite behind common goals. I strongly believe in people working together and I hope my legacy will be to build an AFS organization in which our Board of Trustees, our Partners all around the world, our volunteers and our staff continue the important work of AFS in a spirit of collaboration and a renewed sense of purpose.” We are all looking forward to Tachi’s leadership and wish him the best of luck as he takes on this new responsibility.
Mr. and Mrs. Siebert (left) Tachi’s AFS host parents from Luverne, MN, Tachi Cazal and AFS participants on Departure Day in Long Island this summer.
Tachi Cazal on a visit to an AFS Community Service program in Ghana.
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From Ends to Beginnings The 2004 World Congress, October 3-9, Fujiyoshida Japan AFS Japan volunteer demonstrates how to wear a kimono with AFS Switzerland Director, Sandra BauerKeller
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he breaking of the sake barrel on the evening of the opening dinner symbolized more than just a significant event in the history of AFS. The tradition - jointly carried out by the host country’s representatives, Bin Sato and Kimimasa Tarumizu, Life Trustee Edwin Masback, and Leslie Bains - marked a celebrated beginning of an exceptional event where for the first time since the partnership transition, a country in Asia hosted the World Congress. Keynote speaker, Professor Kuniko Inoguchi of Sophia University – an AFS returnee and a former Ambassador to the Conference on Disarmament, spoke passionately on how her experience as an AFS exchange student changed her outlook on life and fueled her determination to realize a path to global peace and understanding. Leslie Bains inspired a fresh awareness in the direction and confidence of the entire network and organization and addressed the need to position AFS as the leader in intercultural education as well as the need to promote the benefits of exchange. Tachi Cazal, Chief Operating Officer, updated the Congress on the State of the Network with the promising news that program numbers were the highest ever this year. Betsy Hansel, presented the preliminary findings of our three-year research project, the Educational Impact Study. “While there is still more to do, we already know from our research that the AFS
participants gain: an advanced level of fluency in the host language, much greater knowledge about the host culture, greater ease around people from other cultures, far more intercultural friendships, and a greater level of intercultural competence.” Our Asian AFS partners (AFS Asia Initiative: Thailand, Philipines, Malaysia, Hong Kong, China, and Indonesia) put the spotlight on developments in Asia and spoke about their programs to enlighten the network on the many possibilities for growth in Asia. Ebbe Skovdal, Director of Development, gave a snapshot of fundraising and a panel of AFS Partners focused on best practices for fundraising. Among the presentations from partners, Mick Petersmann from Germany and Eduardo Assed from Brazil gave a presentation on their cooperation to tap into German company support. The closing dinner concluded with an auction initiated by Trustee Fatimah Mohammed that raised a total of $6,500 for a scholarship for a student to be hosted in Japan. All in all, it was a very productive World Congress where AFS staff, volunteers and leadership were able to connect in person and reinforce the bonds that unite the AFS network. The end of the congress marked a new beginning of making AFS much more visible as a leader in intercultural learning and taking AFS to a new and higher level.
AFS Partner Directors and Chairs convene to share ideas and best practices at the World Congress.
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AFS Japan Celebrates 50 Years Each of us learned in our own way the value of trying to understand people of different cultures, languages and the like. We learned the value of trying to understand ourselves and our own countries and communities from a broader perspective. I dare say that we are living testimonials to the ideals of AFS, which still live in each of us. Raisaburo Watanabe (Japan to USA 1954-55) Chair, AFS Japan 50th Anniversary Committee On October 10, 2004 AFS Japan held the anniversary events celebrating 50 years of intercultural exchange in Osanbashi Hall in Yokohama. The memorable events --Grand Ceremony, AFS Fair and anniversary dinner were attended by one thousand AFS Japan family members including over 75 AFS overseas returnees, friends, and guests who were hosted by local families. Among attendees were Hiroshi Nakata, the Mayor of the City of Yokohama, Edwin Masback, an AFS International Life Trustee and WWII Ambulance Driver, and Sadako Ogata, the President of Japan International Cooperation Agency. The joyous celebration raised $80,000 for a new 50th anniversary scholarship fund aiding students with financial difficulties so that they can have the AFS experience in Japan. The fund will also be used to strengthen the program and to help sponsor and host students from emerging nations.
Yoshiharu Fujisawa and Makiko Goshima with Stephen Galatti, Washington, July 1957.
The first group of Japanese AFS students in 1954
The AFS program in Japan began when the first group of 8 Japanese high school students sailed off from Yokohama on August 21, 1954 on the s/s “HikawaMaru” to spend their AFS year in the United States. The group came back on the “Hikawa-Maru” in August 1955 and soon after Raisaburo Watanabe, Kenichiro Fujii and other six returnees 1954-55 started working on raising funds and finding host families. Together with the second group of Japanese returnees from 1955-56, they established the AFS Japan (“AFSJ”) Branch. In 1957, only two years after the return of the first group, AFS Japan hosted the first nine U.S. students on the summer program. A year later, in 1958 the number of American students on the summer program increased to twenty four. In 1963 AFS Japan accepted U.S. students for its first one-year program. In 2004 the Japanese Ministry of Education awarded AFS Japan with “Minister’s Commendation for Meritorious Service in the Field of International Exchange.” After half a century, AFS Japan now sends more than 400 year-program students to 33 different countries every year, and hosts more than 200 year-program students from almost 40 countries, as well as exchanging 200 to 400 short program students. Today AFS Japan has 13,000 returnees and has hosted 7,000 students.
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2004 Galatti Award Winners
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FS announced the 2004 Galatti Award winners who have a combined 82 years of dedicated volunteer service to AFS: Jerene Thomas from USA, Di Yan from China, and Traudl Stürmer from Germany. Established in 1983, the Galatti Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service is the most prestigious commendation granted by AFS and honors community volunteers whose commitment and exceptional dedication have advanced the mission and goals of AFS. The award not only serves to recognize outstanding volunteers, but also seeks to galvanize the spirit of grassroots community action.
Di Yan - China
cultural festivals and language immersion activities with Elementary schools, she arranged holiday teas at her house to discuss holiday traditions. Countless program participants and volunteers have been recruited through her efforts. Di Yan’s 12 years of volunteer service began after she returned from the Teacher Program in Indiana in 1993. Since then, she has arranged orientations and support for the Teachers Program. In 1997, AFS International and CEAIE started the student program in China. Di was the only teacher who was invited to help select the students and took part in the orientation for the first group of 29 students. Since then, she has become an active volunteer not only in her community and Beijing, but also in other cities in China, contributing to an essential reinforcement to local awareness of AFS programs and goals.
Jerene Thomas - Northern Virginia, United States
Jerene has dedicated the last 45 years to AFS. From 1960-1990, she served as Northern Virginia area volunteer, Liaison and Chapter President and found time to host ten AFS students and countless other students on a temporary basis from all over the world. She now has “grandmothered” over 1000 AFS students over the years. Starting in 1990, she became the AFS Northern Virginia Area Lead Coordinator where she honed her expertise at coordinating bus trips and orientation sessions, family finding, and student and family interviews. In addition to
From 1999-2000, Di volunteered as Sending Coordinator upon the founding of the National Office. In 2001, AFS China started the student year hosting program. Di became the first Hosting Coordinator, again as a volunteer. She visited all the host schools and most of the host families and made sure the students were safe and happy. After this challenge, Di became Hosting Coordinator as well as the contact person for the first group to China from the USA and Germany until 2002 when she became Chair of the National Volunteer Council.
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Traudl has been a volunteer for AFS Germany for the past 25 years. She sent two children abroad on AFS to the U.S. and the Dominican Republic,and hosted a Venezuelan student.
Traudl became a volunteer in the Munich Chapter, Germany’s largest chapter, and soon became Chapter President along with Sandra Roster in 2002 where she grew hosting numbers from 5 to 20 per year. She is currently engaged in several conceptual task forces producing hosting handbooks to share knowledge with the younger volunteers.
She has managed to provide excellent language tutoring for all students and has established monthly In 1983, she hosted the meetings. She runs these mainly with the help of National Volunteer Conference. Her experience some former host parents, sending parents, or continued as she volunteered in Frankonia where she former participants that she was able to inspire with soon founded the Coburg chapter. Starting in 2001, her own spirit of volunteerism. Traudl Stürmer - Munich, Germany
We All Lived Together in a Little, Crooked House By Bill Cantrall (CM 92)
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arch 1945, M o n t e G r a n d e salient just short of Bologna, Tenth Indian Division, British Eighth Army. The wounded Sikhs and Pathans I was evacuating, two of the traditional warrior tribes Bill Cantrall with his ambu- of the Punjab, actively lance, Italy, 1944 vied with one another for dangerous patrols – and for my unqualified support of the denunciations they directed against each other. I first found the Sikhs taking the morning sun on the back stoop, combing out their hair. Doesn’t call for privacy, I guess, though it is officially a ritual. In search of information, I immediately offended them by profanely offering them cigarettes. But they had encountered AFS drivers before and learned tolerance. So as they painstakingly did up their hair and beards, they explained the importance to my soul of refraining from smoking and of letting my
hair and beard grow. That seemed to be the essence of Sikh-hood (ultimately, I have done all three, so maybe I’m in). Except for the doctor and a rare orderly, this and all other conversations with Indians took place in pidgin Italian, Urdu, and pantomime. This morning, however, my attention was transfixed by the two Sherman tanks, right over there, with U. S. stars on their sides. I had never been inside one. I asked the Sikhs if they had looked at the tanks. Nods. “Did they look okay? Buono?” Nods. “No mines?” They shook their heads, and I was off to check them out myself. I should definitely report on these tanks just sitting in our side yard here. Making a new tank and getting it this far into Italy was not easy whereas these were right at hand. I walked 150 yards (short block) to the first one, opened the hatch to peer inside, and was heading for the second when the first shells landed. Back uphill where the Sikhs were now all on their feet was suddenly a world away. But in two leaps I was down that open hatch. And that’s where I spent my first day with the Nabha Akal. “Jerry” was understandably testy about four
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perfectly good Shermans (two more at the next work? I was shown that I had to blow all the air out farm) parked in their driveway, marking the high- of my lungs, then suck on the jug as fast as I could. water thrust of the fall campaign. And what a sucker I was. One All these babies needed was gas drag, a long inhalation like and jumper cables to drive them theirs, let me know that these away. It hadn’t occurred to me warriors, too, must be getting “When I first came that the Germans had the exact care packages from home. upon the mountain coordinates of each at their And this wasn’t innocent little men’s conclave in the finger tips. Once I was pinned “Mary Jane,” which I could front room, everybody down, the Germans stopped recognize a block away and was grinning in wasting shells. From time to had always avoided. At any time I heard voices and laughter. rate, I was a social success. I welcome like the cat Everybody smiled at me when made them ineffably happy just that ate the canary. “ I returned looking for supper, by staggering woozily away, Sikhs, Pathans, a Parsee doctor, coughing up the strange, bitter and Hindu wallahs of various smoke. They loved me after sorts, surely from joy at seeing me safe. that, and my dramatic reactions to their continued offers to share their daily delights were greatly When I first came upon the mountain men’s cherished. conclave in the front room, everybody was grinning in welcome like the cat that ate the canary. I don’t know what they might have believed in besides the wonderful benefits of smoking their homemade jugand-corncob “hubbly-bubbly,” which they clustered around daily. I was regularly touted on its great superiority over a hand-held pipe such as mine, but I remained wary. Yet I did not want to seem to play favorites, and finally succumbed to their keen interest in my welfare, combined with my desire to make it in whatever milieu I found myself. What they had was simply a two or three-gallon jug with a corn-cob stopper, but no tubes. How could it
Tenth Indian Division Sikh troops with the Italian children, spring 1945
Editor’s Note: “We All Lived Together in a Little Crooked House” has been excerpted from Looking for Trouble: An AFS Volunteer in Italy 1944-45 (2004), written by Bill Cantrall (CM 92). This forthcoming memoir draws on Cantrall’s experiences in the Italian campaign with “D” Platoon 485 Coy and his intercultural encounters with the British, New Zealand, Polish, Indian, Gurkha, Italian, South African, and American soldiers. Cantrall served as Associate Editor of AFS Veterans Application (1988) to secure U.S. army discharges for AFS drivers. He was a guest speaker at AFS Colombia and Belgium Flanders volunteer events in 2002 and 2005. THE JANUS/SEPTEMBER 2005
Drivers’ News 2004 - 05 Fred Balderston Honored at AFS-USA 2004 Gala
Ed Masback visits AFS in Paraguay, Japan and China
Fred Balderston, AFS Life Trustee and Driver (ME 37, IB 59-T) was honored in May at the Ezio Vergani, Fred Balderston and Bill AFS-USA Meserve at AFS USA Gala 2004 2004 Third Annual Gala, Celebrating the Journey, at the United Nations for tremendous support and leadership he has provided to AFS over the years. Since volunteering with the American Field Service as an ambulance driver, Fred has continued to play an influential role in AFS throughout the years. Fred is an AFS founder who had a distinguished career in business management and education.
AFS Paraguay celebrated the significant achievements of the organization during the 40th anniversary event held at the Asuncion Yacht and Golf Club in Asuncion in July 2004. To help the AFS program in Paraguay mark its 40th anniversary, Ed Masback, AFS Life Trustee and Driver (ME 37) journeyed last July to Asuncion. Ed was a guest speaker at the celebration and also spoke at the opening of the photo gallery celebrating important volunteers of Paraguay.
AFS Japan Association 50th Anniversary Celebration in New York in June 2004
The commemorative event to celebrate AFS Japan Association’s 50th anniversary was held on June 30 in New York at AFS International office. Ward Chamberlin, AFS Life Trustee and Driver (ME 37, IB 59-T), Ed Masback, AFS Life Trustee and Driver (ME 37) and Blaikie Worth (former AFS staff) joined Hideo Uenishi and a group of twenty Japanese returnees living in the U.S. for the event. The guests were welcomed by Leslie Bains, AFS President and Ebbe Skovdal, Director Development Marketing and Communications and AFS staff.
Ed was also a guest speaker at the 2004 World Congress in Japan and joined AFS high level delegation to China following the World Congress. Ed and Betsy Hansel, Head of Research and Evaluation participated in the Federation of French Veterans commemorative event in New York on May 2, 2004.
One-Man Show In Hollywood Shirl Hendryx (IB 5) wrote and stars in one-man show “4F — A Short History Of A Not-QuiteAdequate Warrior” in Studio City’s Laurel Grove Theater in Los Angeles. The show runs through April 24, 2005 and is based on Hendryx’s experiences as an AFS driver in India Burma in 1943-44. Hendryx is a noted Hollywood playwright and screenwriter.
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AFS Driver Receives Delaware Governor’s Heritage Award Lewis M. “Skipper” Purnell (ME 39) was honored in January 2005 by the Governor of Delaware for his work to preserve the State’s heritage.
Mini-Reunion in North Carolina for AFS Drivers On November 20, 2004 North Carolina Drivers Chuck Cole, Chick Squire, Charley Johnson and Bernie Raphael gathered for a Mini Reunion at the Weaverville home of Chick Squire. The drivers enjoyed Charley Johnson’s music and songs - he sang (a capella) “Lily Marlene” in four languages. Alan Albright and Ron Poteat, a WWI collector joined the group. Plans are in the works for an AFS drivers’ reunion for the Carolinas.
Lewis Purnell in Italy 1944
Purnell joined AFS in 1942 and served with 485 Ambulance Company in the Middle East and Italy. Purnell was one of the founders of Friends of the Delaware Public Archives and he has been a principal member of the Delaware Heritage Commission. Governor Ruth Ann Minner presented Purnell with the second annual Governor’s Heritage Award.
Chuck Cole, Chick Squire, Charley Johnson and Bernie Raphael.
Many Voices, One Story - A New History DVD Many Voices, One Story includes excerpts of the interviews with the AFS founders–the World War II drivers and early staff of the AFS Scholarship program–collected by the AFS Archives. The DVD is the first rendering of the AFS Legacy Project, which aims to preserve the history of the AFS founders. The personal memories and accounts of the AFS WWII volunteers who served in the Middle East, North Africa, Italy, France, Germany, and India Burma are illustrated with archival footage and photos. The DVD highlights the role and vision of Stephen Galatti – founder of the AFS Intercultural Programs – and helps us understand the evolution of AFS from a corps of ambulance drivers carrying wounded soldiers in two World Wars to a global intercultural learning network. Many Voices, One Story was made possible through the generous contributions of Eduardo Enmanuel and Carson Gleberman. There are two versions of this inspirational and educational DVD, the original 48 minute feature and an abbreviated 8 minute version. To receive either version for $25.00 plus $8.00 shipping fee (regular air mail), please e-mail: Eleanora.Golobic@afs.org or fax (212) 807-1001. THE JANUS/SEPTEMBER 2005
Honoring Life Trustee Sachiye Kuwamoto
Sachiye Kuwamoto with Stephen Galatti in 1953.
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n May 2004, Arthur Howe Jr., AFS President 1965-1971, and Francisco “Tachi” Cazal, AFS International Chief Operating Officer, acknowledged Sachi’s lifelong commitment and valued contributions to AFS at a luncheon on May 14, 2004. Tachi presented Sachi with a certificate of service honoring her lifetime dedication to AFS. Sachi began as Stephen Galatti’s temporary secretary in July of 1948 and became permanent soon afterwards. Sachi chaperoned her first bus trip in 1951 and the following year accompanied a group of Summer Program students to Germany. She traveled extensively with Stephen Galatti in the U.S. and abroad since 1952. Sachi became AFS Associate Director of Programs in charge of School Program placement and the Americans Abroad summer program and later Assistant Treasurer. She was elected to AFS Board of Directors in 1963. In January 1969 Arthur Howe nominated her to serve as a Life Trustee. In 1969 Sachi left AFS and came back to Fresno, California, where she served as Regional Director for the Japanese-American Citizens League, Central California District Council. Sachi has since retired from the Japanese-American 10
Citizens League, but continues to support AFS as a Life Trustee. Sachi visited AFS International to be interviewed for the AFS Legacy Project. AFS Archives has been working for some time on capturing the AFS Founders’ legacy through taping the AFS WWII ambulance drivers and a few of the first AFS staff members. Present at the luncheon were AFS Drivers and Pioneers – Chick Squire, Bayard Clarkson (with his wife), Kirk Browning and Karin Eisele, Board Member of AFS-USA. The luncheon also brought together other Life Trustees -- Arthur Howe, Jr. (former AFS President) and Ed Masback (with their wives), and Norman Eddy. Former AFS Trustees Ezio Vergani and Marianne Meyer, Jackie Brown and Liz Bauer (former AFS–USA Trustees) were also in attendance. AFS International staff also attended. Ebbe Skovdal, AFS International Director of Development, Marketing and Communications, presented AFS International Trustee, Eduardo Enmanuel and former Trustee Carson Gleberman with a certificate of thanks for their support of the AFS Legacy Project.
Tachi Cazal presents Sachiye Kuwamoto with an award for her years of service to AFS.
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1953/54 Reunion in Hamburg
Bärbel Helmers (fifth from left) with an AFS bus #8 group in Carson City, NV, July 19, 1954
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hirty-two German and one Finnish returnees, and a 1953 US summer program student to Germany, who was a classmate of one of the group fifty years ago, gathered at the AFS Germany office in Hamburg on September 17th. The participants were welcomed by AFS Germany Director Annette Domhan and Vice Chair Jörn Lehmann. Hamburg’s US General Consul Duane C. Butcher held a short speech afterwards and was presented with a photo which showed the 1953/54participants at a reception with US President Eisenhower.
of enthusiastic applause – but then – this group had been part of the active German volunteers who found host-families for large numbers of American summer-program students: 335 in 1955, 310 in 1956, for example. Considering housing conditions and communication in those days, an impressive achievement. A member of the 1955 summer program group to Germany and long-time volunteer for AFS USA, Katherine Wilson, attended the meeting en route to the celebration of the 70th birthday of her German host sister. Current volunteers and staff reacted with amusement, as these elderly ladies and gentlemen became eagerly chattering teenagers again. “Do you remember” was the most frequently asked question. The newly appointed US Consul General who addressed the group (in fluent German) on his very first Hamburg appointment received a most lively, informal – and not quite typical – introduction to the duties of his office. “We should meet again soon” – was the almost unanimous opinion.
Bärbel Helmers (USA 1953/54 and former National Director of AFS Germany), who initiated the reunion wrote the following about the reunion: Many had not seen each other for most of those fifty years since the AFS-experience. The group had experienced some important “first” events in 1954. For the first time, US President Dwight D. Eisenhower received a group of AFS students at the White House in Washington – when the famous photograph was passed around, there were shrieks of delight as participants recognized themselves or their friends. Current numbers of countries and participants and the variety of programs were met with a round
1953-54 Returnees Michael Müller and Traute Müller (Koriath) hold the the AFS Hamburg Committee Eagle sign, Hamburg, September 2004. Photo by Sebastian Engel.
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AFS Leaders of Today
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s a young student in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Dr. Surin Pitsuwan was taught English as a second language by two Peace Corps volunteers working in southern Thailand. In high school, he traveled to the US with AFS for a year where he eventually graduated cum laude from Dr. Surin Pitsuwan Claremont Men’s College speaks at the 2004 in Claremont, California, Peace Corps Convention and received a master’s degree and a doctorate in political science from Harvard.
“I, for one, without AFS and without the Peace Corps would not have made it onto the world stage.” Islam that peacefully coexist with democracy. Dr. Pitsuwan has become a spokesperson for moderate Islamic communities in Asia as a champion for sustainable economic development and educational opportunities for Muslims. At a Farewell Dinner hosted by AFS Thailand on November 22 for H. E. Mr. Darryl Norman Johnson Ambassador to Thailand. Dr. Pitsuwan toasted the Ambassador saying “We all have benefited from our AFS experience and the fond generosity and compassion of the American people. AFS is certainly a collection of stories of achievement. I for one without AFS and without the Peace Corps would not have made it onto the world stage.”
Since then, Dr. Pitsuwan has led a distinguished career as the first Muslim to achieve high diplomatic office in his native Thailand. A member of parliament in Thailand and former foreign minister, he has “AFS Thailand today does not select just the served as speaker of the House of Representatives, students from Bangkok but opens the opportunity assistant secretary to the minister of Interior and as to many boys and girls from the small communities deputy minister of foreign affairs. throughout the country if they can qualify, to benefit from going abroad live within the American In April 2004, over 50 Embassy diplomats, civilization and have an opportunity to live with corporate leaders and officials from Ministries of American families and bring back and share the Education, Foreign Affairs and Culture, attended an good will and fond memories with their families AFS Thailand Board sponsored Walk Together Talk and friends in Thailand.” Together Thank You Dinner to show appreciation for the cooperation and assistance given AFS programs and students. Keynote speaker Dr. Surin Pitsuwan, focused on how important the AFS slogan initiated by the AFS ambulance drivers fits today’s world situation. In August 2004, Dr. Pitsuwan was the featured panelist at the 25th Anniversary of the National Peace Corps Association Conference in Chicago for a session entitled “Understanding Islam.” He discussed the prospects of Middle Eastern Muslims looking to Southeast Asian Muslims for models of 12
AFS Thai students enjoy a bus trip in 1966
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Future AFS Leaders
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i v a k a r a n Vasudevan, is an AFS student from Malaysia, hosted by the Lopatka family in Oregon, USA. He spoke at his Post Return Orientation to an audience that included representatives from the US Embassy in Malaysia, Divakaran Vasudevan Ministry of Education, the speaks at the YES student return orientation Prime Minister’s Office, in Malaysia AFS Malaysia board members, staff, and volunteers: “Being an exchange student is not all fun and games. It takes a lot of effort, patience and most important of all, flexibility to make the experience a memorable one. But what I gained from this entire experience is more valuable than anything that I could have learned from a class at school. What better way to learn about a foreign country and its culture than by living there? Before leaving to the United States, my perception of the US was pretty much molded by what I saw on TV. There was so much more to the US than just big cities, tall skyscrapers, and meat and potatoes. I was really surprised to see how diverse the US actually was. There were so many different people from varying ethnicities and backgrounds, all coming together to form this melting pot of cultures.
was another new experience for me because I had never had a brother before. I didn’t realize it at the time, but by accepting this scholarship, I was in fact agreeing to act as an ambassador for my country. It gave me great sense of pride and honor to tell people all about Malaysia. Perhaps the most important impact that came out of this fantastic experience was the relationships that were made. I had a great relationship with my host family. I made lots of great friendships. With all the turmoil in the world today, relationships like these are probably one of the most effective ways of combating feelings of ill will and animosity. I felt that by merely talking to people and explaining what we believe in and stand for was a great way to show them that on the inside, we really are all the same. We would like to express our profound thanks to the AFS for selecting us as well as providing us with the support and guidance that we needed throughout this program. This program was indeed a great chance for us to not only interact with Americans, but also with students from other predominantly Muslim countries. Most of us left with heavy hearts, after creating strong, loving relationships with those who were around us. It is not our differences that divide us; it is our inability to recognize and celebrate those differences that do. “
Being an exchange student not only teaches you about the country and culture that you are living in, but you also get the chance to find out, who you really are and what you are made of. You find yourself doing things that you would never have thought of doing before. As an exchange student, you start developing characteristics that you previously might not have had. I for one, started to develop a lot more tolerance and patience, because I had a host brother who was younger than I was, and this THE JANUS/SEPTEMBER 2005
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Galatti’s Piggy Bank “I remember that Mr. Galatti had a huge piggy bank in his office. Whenever he had a visitor, he would ask them to contribute to AFS by “feeding the piggy”. And if he considered that the contribution wasn’t quite enough, he thought nothing of asking for just a little more – and no one ever refused!” -Wynona Ellis AFS staff, 2000
“On Stephen Galatti’s desk is an oversized, enticing piggy bank which urges all to please feed it; it is somewhat akin to the operation of the American Field Service, drawing and growing on outside funds”.
Francisco “Tachi” Cazal carries on the tradition with the new Galatti Piggy Bank
-Article on Stephen Galatti (“In View: Stephen Galatti”, Overseas, November 1963)
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ur mission of building a more just and peaceful world through intercultural exchange has never been more relevant and important. Finding substantially more funds to continue building on this mission is, today, more critically urgent than ever before in our history. We continue to build on our past success, but we must combine this work with the creation of new fundraising strategies to sustain financially viable growth with quality. Fundraising has always been important to AFS and its work. Nobody knew this better than Stephen Galatti. So to underscore the constant need to raise more funds for AFS, we have decided to restore the Galatti Piggy Bank. Your contributions to AFS are deeply appreciated. 14
AFS President Arthur Howe and Ward Chamberlin sign the piggy bank in 1970
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WWII Last Post 2004-2005
Clifford J. Bissler, IB 31 Charles de Limur (1923-2004) AFS is sad to report the death of Charles de Limur (ME 32, FFC), who passed away at 81 on March 12, 2004 in San Francisco. Charles de Limur was a banker, winemaker and a member of one of the oldest California families. Alexander Charles de Limur was born on February 23, 1923, in Paris, France. He was a son of the French diplomat Count Andre Marie de Limur and great grandson of Charles Crocker, one of the founders of modern California. He was educated in England, France and Switzerland. In 1938-40 de Limur attended Phillips Andover Academy, graduating in 1940. De Limur was nineteen and a student at Amherst College (Class of 1944) when he joined the American Field Service in September of 1942. De Limur was sent overseas with the Unit ME 32 on November 23, 1942 and served as an ambulance driver in the Middle East and North Africa. He served with the AFS Free French Section attached to the British Eighth Army in the Western Desert. He was released from AFS in October of 1943 and returned to the United States via Algiers. After his return, he worked as a pipe fitter in a shipyard in the San Francisco Bay Area building Liberty Ships. When the war was over, he joined Chase Bank in New York and then returned to San Francisco in 1949 to take an executive position with Crocker National Bank. He served as a Senior Vice President and Director. De Limur also was the Paris representative for Bankers Trust in 1960 - 1968 and the President of Provident Securities, the Crocker family’s holding company from 1979-86.
Howard A. Brooke, ME 26, CM 55 William H. Browning II, ME 37, FR 8 John Clement, FR 40 Robert W. Creeley, IB 48 Charles de Limur, ME 32, FFC Herbert S. Duncombe III, IB 36 William K. Du Val, IB1, IB 39 Arthur G. Ecclestone, ME 26, CM 76 Scott Gilmore, ME 1 Frank P. Lichtensteiger, CM 52 Stephen I. Munger IV, CM 61 Julian P. O’Leary, ME 4, FFC George H. Railsback, ME 26 John F. Reynolds III, ME 37 Thomas M. Sawyer, Jr., IB 11, CM 95-T Konrad F. Schreier, IB 54 George A. Sears, CM 87, CM 100 William L. Sheafer, IB 47 Tom Stix, ME 1 Alexander T. Stumpf, CM 74 H. Stephen Tilton, ME 32, FFC, CM 94, IB 60-T James A. Worden, FR 40
In 1986, de Limur established the Limur Winery in St. Helena, California. De Limur supported the AFS student exchange program. He was president of the board of St. Francis Hospital, treasurer of the San Francisco Chapter of the American Red Cross and chairman of the board of Lighthouse for the Blind.
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n archives photographic exhibit of 43 photos of AFS’ past and present recently traveled to several Partners’ anniversary events. The exhibit features historical photographs of the AFS volunteer ambulance drivers service in WWI and WWII and the student program photographs from the first bus trip in 1948 until present. The exhibit has been exhibited at the 50th Anniversary of AFS programs in 1997, the AFS reception at the United Nations, the celebration of the 50th anniversary of AFS/VSF in France. More recently it was featured at the AFS Norway, Switzerland, Spain and Paraguay anniversary celebrations. The exhibit was displayed at the AFS Japan 50th anniversary celebration in October 2004. AFS Costa Rica displayed the exhibit at the 50th anniversary celebration in April 2005.
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If you are interested in borrowing the exhibit, please e-mail your request to Eleanora Golobic, Archivist (eleanora.golobic@afs.org).
Incontri Che Cambiano Il Mondo (Meetings That Changed The World) ”Incontri Che Cambiano Il Mondo” by Roberto Ruffino, Marta Bellini and Paolo Mazzanti was published in November 2004 by Sperling & Kupfer in Milan on the 50th anniversary of Intercultura. This book on international exchange programs features interviews with an AFS WWII Driver -- William Weaver (ME 37), former AFSers -- Claudio Allais, Luca Barilla, Piero Bassetti, Gabriella Beccari, Franco Bernabé, Emanuele Comi, Enrico Cucchiani, Mario Frazzica, Teresa Gennari Santoro, Giovanni Giudici, Jacopo La Sala, Carlo Marcelletti, Maria Concetta Mat16
tei, Mietta Rodeschini, Carlo Secchi, Roberto Toscano and Marianella Sclavi and the ministers of foreign affairs and of education -- Giuliano Amato, Domenico De Masi, Giuseppe De Rita, Cardinal Martini of Milan, Vittorio Merloni, and representatives from the Muslim and Jewish communities. The book begins with an introduction by Carlo Fusaro, Chairman of Intercultura, and it concludes with an interview with Roberto Ruffino, Secretary General. It also includes a few chapters about the history of AFS and numerous photographs. The book is available at book stores at the price of 15 euros and it was introduced in Italy during the last months of 2004. For more information please e-mail segreteria@intercultura.it or call +39 0577 900001.001.
THE JANUS/SEPTEMBER 2005