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Dear Michael,
Living up to your ideals, making lasting friendships, and
experiencing communities around the world. Those
opportunities await you this summer.
Join Amizade in Bolivia or Brazil, in Australia or at the
OTO
guest ranch.
Tell others: The time is now. Cooperate in service
around the world.
| Moose, Mountains: Volunteer in Montana! |
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Volunteers who help restore a US Forest Service
outpost
cabin this June will meet pure
wilderness, good people, and great conversation. By
adhering to its service-focused mission, Amizade is able
to offer this wilderness service experience for less than
half of the cost of most wilderness tour programs.
Days spent restoring the outpost cabin will be capped
with evenings of provocative discussion and
opportunities for hikes and personal time. The program
takes place between June 1 and 7 and volunteers are
responsible for getting to Gardiner, MT.
Spaces are limited. Reserve your spot now!
More Information on the Beartooth Volunteer Opportunity »
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| Service Opportunities Abound! |
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Scores of Amizade volunteers and students are packing
their bags and preparing for amazing experiences
abroad. Fortunately, opportunities still exist for
individuals who would like to commit to service this
summer.
Volunteer opportunities still exist in Bolivia, Brazil,
Montana, and Australia. Students can still enroll in
service-learning courses that will take place in Ghana,
Northern Ireland, and Tibet. The time is now!
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| Reflecting on Northern Ireland |
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BY KATIE KURTZMAN -
The city of Belfast opened up to us like a
solemn yet comforting invitation. Its grand lapping bay
is a reminder that the world does exist beyond the grey
green hills that surround the city like a fortress. With
anticipation, our class peered out of the blue and
yellow Corrymeela bus windows at the city and country
that would be our home for nine days. This was
nothing new for me. I fell in love with the city two
years before when I stayed for a month with family. I
felt like I was home. I couldn't wait to walk the familiar
streets of the city that had embraced me for life and
see my extended family that I am very close with.
Our Literature and the Contemporary class studied both
non-fiction and fiction about Northern Ireland's history
and the people who experienced the Troubles. We had
discussed, analyzed, researched, and developed our
own ideas about the situation. But nothing could
possibly have prepared us for actually living and
breathing the air of Northern Ireland and the
experiences that came from our Spring Break trip. I
saw it in the eyes of my classmates as we toured the
city and listened to friendly and informative speakers.
They stared at the visual signs of divide amongst the
people of Northern Ireland. There was graffiti on walls
stating "Fenians Out" and street sides were painted
red, white, and blue. Colorful murals with Gaelic written
on them adorned sides of buildings. The blatant
massive concrete peace wall that divided the Catholic
and Protestant neighborhoods stood in the middle of it
all. We were observing a culture that was split both
religiously and politically. The sights were familiar to
me yet it felt somewhat different to be with a large
group who had never seen or experienced it before.
Billy Kane, Amizade's community coordinator, spent the
entire week with our class and
made it possible for us to meet many people who
shared their experiences. We met a
Member of Parliament, a member of the Women's
Coalition, an Apprentice Boy from the city of Derry, and
many more who made an impact on our thoughts and
feelings. I remember hearing Billy say, "There are a lot
of things that you know that you don't know." This is
how I felt when I realized that even though I grew up
with an understanding of Irish politics and history, I still
learn more and more with each new experience.
Our week was complete with a trip to Derry where
Bloody Sunday occurred, a windy rain-lashing four mile
hike along the Northern coast to Giant's Causeway,
shopping in downtown Belfast, a trip to Stormont, and
a relaxing and peaceful stay at Corrymeela in
Ballycastle. Corrymeela is a community of people
committed to the healing of social, religious, and
political divisions in Northern Ireland. It was a beautiful
area with breathtaking lush green scenery. Our group
became extremely close and many new friendships were
formed. But what truly united us was working with
Habitat for Humanity. We served together on a housing
site in a Loyalist neighborhood in North Belfast. We
found great accomplishment in helping others in the
country we were visiting.
My trip to Northern Ireland with this class allowed me
to open my eyes and be exposed to so much that I
hadn't seen before. I gained more knowledge and
ideas. I will never forget my last night in Belfast as I
danced around a club with my cousin, Claire. It was
dark and smoky and the occasional bright colorful lights
flickered. Music pounded the walls as all the young
people stomped their feet and raised their drinks. I
looked around and realized it didn't matter if you were
from the Falls or the Shankill Road. Both Catholic and
Protestant kids jumped around and sang the songs
together. In those moments of pure happiness as I
linked arms with Claire, I saw a hope in the eyes of the
youth around me. We were one in the night of the
Troubled Land. Belfast was alive with the future.
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| A Letter from the Director |
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Dear Friends: As we all contemplate the reality of these
uncertain
times, we at Amizade are actively addressing concerns
of international travel.
Please know we are monitoring the situation closely,
and health, safety and security continue to be our top
priorities. Our staff is constantly monitoring information
from U.S. government departments and agencies, as
well as from official international sources. We are
conferring with our on-site staff, who receive current
information from their local and national official
sources. We continue to review our programming
planning documents and emergency management plans,
and we have contingency plans developed in
consultation with our on-site staff and collaborating
organizations in the international volunteer and
education fields. We will continue this effort for as long
as necessary, addressing changing circumstances as
they arise.
With the state of affairs unknown and likely to change
in the coming months, we are not canceling Amizade
programs at this time. We share in everyone's desire to
see a quick conclusion to military action with minimum
negative impact on the communities and people around
the world. However, if circumstances arise that limit or
prohibit our ability to send people abroad, we will work
in cooperation with our participants to reschedule
participation accordingly.
The search for a more understanding, humane world
strengthens our resolve to promote people and
communities through our work with Amizade. It is more
apparent than ever that the future of all people
depends on compassion and the inter-connection of
communities the world over. We continue to be a
resource for you, and highly value your feedback. If
you have questions, concerns or comments, we would
be
pleased to hear from you.
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