The Light - An Alumni Publication Winter 2014/2015 | Page 35

A Letter from the Editor LESSONS THAT LAST A LIFETIME I hope the New Year is treating you well! If the inspiring stories within this edition of The Light weren’t enough, maybe some of the quotes below will do the trick. Below are a small selection of the hundreds of comments we received from our year-end annual fund appeal. If you feel the same way about your experience with YFU and would like to invest in the future of intercultural exchange, you may do so here. “I work for the UN Secretary General on climate change. My first international exposure was due to YFU summer abroad. It changed my life!” — Cynthia Scharf, Switzerland, 1978 “My stay in Finland in 1969 was an important part of my life. I was enlightened reading about Rabia from Pakistan – it blew away any misconceptions I had about young women’s opportunities from there.” — Jerianne Block, Finland, 1969 “My life has been so enriched and changed forever due to my hosting experiences. I don’t have children of my own, but have three wonderful German daughters! YFU is a wonderful program!” — Bonnie Guinn, host mother “My summer exchange program taught me a lot about how much we have in common with each other, no matter what country we’re from or what our political beliefs are.” — Jamie Wilson, Netherlands, 1982 “Living and traveling with YFU and since then has given me a more valuable education than anything else! As Mark Twain wrote ‘travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness…’” — Pam Ogletree Dumonceau, Germany, 1979 These are just a few of many words of inspiration from our alumni. We hope you share your story, too! Finally, recent events remind us of how important it is to learn about other cultures beyond what we see on TV and over the internet. Thank you for helping YFU be a catalyst for change. Sincerely, John Favazzo Director of Alumni Engagement JOIN THE CONVERSATION The Light welcomes your comments and feedback, as well as submissions for future editions. Email [email protected].