|
Articles
*************************************************************************************** Local Youth Return From France With Stories of International FriendshipsFriday, August 12 2005 @ 10:20 AM EDTContributed by: Editor Originally posted on GoDeKalb.com http://www.godekalb.com/article.php?story=20050812092055620&query=CISV http://www.godekalb.com/article.php?story=20050812092055620&mode=print
Four local 11-year olds and their adult chaperone traveled to Paris, France this summer for a four-week international camp designed to promote peace and cultural understanding. The Atlanta-area chapter of the Children’s International Summer Village (CISV) sponsored the trip. CISV holds about sixty villages each in various locations both domestically and internationally. Each village host delegations from 12 countries, with each delegation consiting of one adult leader and four 11-year olds. Atlanta Area founder and President Tait Anberg, a Decatur resident, says the local summer program participants want to, “continue CISV’s mission to promote peace through understanding.” Anberg founded the local Atlanta Area chapter on June 6, 2004. “I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of CISV, and in my youth I had many positive, life-changing experiences because of it,” he said. “I’ve lived in the Decatur for 10 years and it became important to me as a father and as an educator to start a chapter here in the Metro area.” The program participants—Emily Clay of Atlanta, Michael Oden of Snellville, Kelcie Sellers of Lilburn, and Nick Watson of Stone Mountain—returned from Paris with stories and experiences; life-enriching cultural education and outreach. “This was an opportunity for some of our youth to share and learn from others from around the world,” said Lakwanza Williams of Atlanta, the adult leader of the Paris delegation. “Young people coming together and finding common ground with differences in cultures, languages, traditions and values we all hold dear.” Why eleven year olds? Williams explains, “These children have the maturity to be away from home and understand the purpose of the village. They represent their culture and are young enough to accept their differences with no or little prejudice. They communicate easily, even without a common language, and are eager to make friends.” Although English is the official language of CISV programs, all international programs and activities incorporate many languages and cultures. Emphasis is on activities which encourage creative expression and close relationships among the children. Day by day, the children come to realize that the differences between them are less important than the similarities that bind them together. In a natural way, they learn the deeper significance of making international friendships. “We can learn so much, at any age, through learning about, respecting and celebrating our differences,”Anberg says. The Atlanta Area Village will host a Welcome Back Party for all summer program participants on Sunday, Aug. 28, 2005, at 4 p.m. If you are interested in attending, email Tait Anberg, President and Founder of CISV Atlanta Area, at atlanta@cisvusa.org. More information about the organization is located online at http://www.atlanta.cisvusa.org. Originally posted on GoDeKalb.com http://www.godekalb.com/article.php?story=20050812092055620&query=CISV http://www.godekalb.com/article.php?story=20050812092055620&mode=print ***************************************************************************************
40 International students arrive in Old TownJune 7, 2005 By Rick Redmond The Leonard Middle School in Old Town is playing host to 40 11-year-old delegates from 10 countries this summer as the Children’s International Summer Village kicks off. This year marks the seventh multi-national village in Maine and the third in Old Town since 1987. Delegates from Brazil, Canada, El Salvador, Finland, France, Germany, Guatemala, Norway, Sweden and the United States are participating this year. The program is designed to encourage cultural exchange and global understanding among youth. Valerie Maurais, the village director, is in her fifth year of participating in the program. She said one of the biggest things youngsters take away from being at the village is an understanding of how each other’s cultures are the same. “They have an opportunity to realize there’s so many different kids from different countries that are so much like them,” she said. “There are more similarities then there are differences.” Junior counselors are also on site from Finland, Israel, Sweden, Mississippi and Ohio. These teenagers help adult leaders plan and facilitate daily activities and games like sports, arts and crafts, drama, music and other peace-oriented activities. Itamar Shafran, 16, a junior counselor from Israel, said he is enjoying his first experience with CISV. Besides learning how to order a large beer in another language, something he said he hopes will come in handy some day, Shafran said he’s learning the importance of peace and a balance between working hard and having fun. Other activities the delegates participate in is a National Night, where delegations take turns performing skits, songs and dances from their native countries and serve snacks of native cuisine. Vera Rodsjo, a 26-year-old leader from Norway, said the best part for the children in her delegation has been a chance to make friends from other countries, despite the language barriers. She also thought that the 11-year-old age of the participants is appropriate because of the youthful naivete that goes along with that age, regarding changes and acceptance. “They’re young, but still old enough to understand peace,” she said. Garry Banning, a village leader from Atlanta, said the villages promote maturity among the youth involved with a better appreciation of what they have. “They’re learning cultural understanding which just naturally translates into a more mature understanding of the world,” he said. He also agreed that 11 was a good age to expose the participants to their international peers because prejudices and biases haven’t developed among the youth. “They’re at an age where they’re just forming those opinions,” Banning said. “[CISV] gives them a chance to find out about people before they make judgements based on hear-say.” *************************************************************************************** The Rewards of CISV by Tait Anberg, Summer 1994
I have had the great privilege of being involved with CISV for about ten years now. It all started in the summer of 1984 when my parents hosted two children from the “Doves For Peace” Village. Since then I have been on an Interchange, a participant in a Seminar Camp, Junior Branch Vice President and President, an Adult Leader for a Village, and National Youth Committee Chair at the NBM. I a m writing this article to share a recent experience that allowed me to reflect on my CISV experience and see first-hand how it has positively affected my life, my work, and the way I interact with others.
The second week of March I found myself in Indianapolis, Indiana for the Association of College Personnel Administrators (ACPA) Conference. I am currently an Assistant Residence Hall Director at the University of San Francisco, and I will be finished with my Master of Arts degree in Education (Post-Secondary Studies) in May. It is precisely this near completion of my degree that prompted me to visit the ACPA Conference in Indianapolis. I was looking (and still am) for my first “professional” (a.k.a. “paid”) Student Affairs position, and this was the place to make primary connections with my institutions of interest.
Through a series of about fifteen to twenty interviews with various institutions, I was able to relate my experiences with CISV as they fit into the context of my philosophy of working with students and Student Affairs professionals in Resident Life. As I talked of my CISV experience, I pictured the children in the Zurbert della Felicita Village and the way they loved life, were in awe of one another constantly, and how they played until it hurt. I pictured Vicky Tejada, Venkat Memula, and various members of our San Francisco Chapter working side by side to make our dream a fact.” I remembered feelings of exhaustion, exhilaration, joy, sadness, and having purpose. I remembered the workshop that we attended as youths at the NBM about how to sell CISV in an “elevator speech.” All of these memories filled me with enthusiasm and confidence in my abilities as a facilitator, supervisor, friend, companion, and human being in our multicultural world.
I want to thank the San Francisco bay Area Chapter for their nurturing faith and their constant provision of opportunity and responsibility. I want to thank the local Junior Branches and the National Youth Committee for keeping our Youth involved and vibrant. I also want to thank our National and International Offices for their hard work and dedication. And last, but certainly not least, I want to thank Doris Allen for her inspiration and her dedication to this dream which you have made a reality for us.
***************************************************************************************
You know you're a CISVer if… by Jonathan Lee
· The airline calls to make sure their computer didn't accidentally add an extra zero to your frequent flyer miles. · You have an unnatural psychological attachment to old pieces of string tied around your wrist. · When you go out of town for a day, weekend, etc. people ask you what country you're going to. · You can swear in at least ten different languages. · Cincinnati is an important city to you (no offense to Cincy, but.... yeah) · You automatically include your country in your address. · You can sing from memory just about every song from the 60's. · Your friends think that CISV is a name brand of clothing because it takes up half of your closet. · You have no problem shouting Scandinavian blessings (or anything else for that matter) in public places.· Turning 21 is significant because it's when you're old enough to be a leader. · You know who Doris Allen is... (big huge duh) · You know where Brandywine Valley is... · You know what IBM, NBM, NC, NYC, NYMC, JB, and IPP stand for · You find galloping in circles, singing about ponies a normal, healthy thing to do. · You've played Peace War Peace more than 3 times · You stop after explaining something, and wait for any translations. · You think that taking 10 or more roles of film in a one month time period isn't extraordinary at all…
|