On the Move in Seattle
For the past week and a half, students from various countries in the Caribbean were in Seattle for a program coordinated by FIUTS, in a contract with World Learning, called Youth Ambassador Program. We will be posting the students' reflection and experiences over the next week. Here's a post by Amani, an ambassador from Suriname:
Hi Guys,
My name is Amani Verwey,16 years old and the youngest Caribbean Youth Ambassador from Suriname, Paramaribo this year, which is an honor. Team Seattle is on the move and we are enjoying Seattle very much as we learn about the American culture in our host homes and develop leadership skills. I miss the SIT University campus in Vermont, Brattleboro so much, where we actually spent our first week in the US learning about important aspects of the program such as how to be a great Youth Ambassador and how to encourage others to participate in their community.
We will be visiting a food bank and the most famous Space Needle tomorrow. I am super excited to spin around and not get dizzy, hopefully.Our team also learned a lot from Mr. Larry Gossett who we met yesterday at the King County Council.
I'm looking forward to getting back together with the whole Caribbean next week for our final part of the program in the beautiful Washington DC.
I'd love to tell this story to my peers and all youngsters back at home it will be a big encouragement to most of them!
The Youth Ambassador Program (YAP) Caribbean program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, promote a better understanding of the people, institutions, and culture of the United States among foreign students, teachers, and scholars. YAP is a program run by World Learning, a nonprofit organization empowering people and strengthening institutions through education, sustainable development, and exchange programs in more than 60 countries.
The program in Seattle is coordinated by the Foundation for International Understanding Through Students (FIUTS), a local non-profit organization affiliated with the University of Washington that promotes international friendship and cross-cultural understanding in the region.