Mutual Respect • Cultural Diversity • Cultural Exploration • Service
Under the guidance of Friendship Force International (FFI) in Atlanta, Georgia, we learn about other cultures and experiences the only real way you can and that is by sharing their roof and putting your feet under their table. At first you may be hesitant, especially if you aren’t fluent in another language, but it can be a great and rewarding experience to join in their daily activities and specially planned events. After making these special friendship and exchanging cultures, your hosts will in turn want to visit our club and learn more about us–much more than can be found in a travel guide or on the internet. As other clubs around the world learn more about our beautiful part of the world, they will also want to visit us and we in turn will visit them, exchanging a world of experiences and friends that will last a lifetime. How we do this is by club journeys,’ the heart of the Friendship Force organization.
During a club journey, club members or ‘ambassadors’ visit a club as a group of 15-25, sharing in group travel costs and having the comfort of traveling with friends. One of the club members serves as the ambassador coordinator (AC), to make sure that everyone gets there and back without a hitch. If you belong to an FF club, you can also join another club’s journey if they are going to a place you have always wanted to visit.
Click here for a list of all journeys Learn more here: http://www.thefriendshipforce.org/
Why was travel with the Friendship Force called an Exchange?
The word exchange comes from our organization’s early history when communities would actually exchange large delegations of citizen ambassadors. In some cases there were several hundred people traveling in each direction. We now use the word ‘journey’ to emphasize the cultural journey that takes place when you become a temporary citizen for a few days, through our home hospitality program. We think this gets you straight to the heart of a country and its people.
What is a home stay? Or home hospitality?
Home hospitality is the signature program of Friendship Force. This means that, on most exchanges, you will have the opportunity to be a guest for a few days in someone’s home, where the real power of citizen diplomacy can be experienced. You will learn first-hand the difference between travel as a tourist and the experience of being a temporary citizen.
Who are the host families?
Host families are members or friends of Friendship Force in the host community. They are not paid to provide hosting but do so because of their interest in getting to know “citizen ambassadors” from other countries. Your host and their family become your inside guides to the country and its people. There is no better way to explore the world!
Is there a typical itinerary?
Each journey itinerary is unique, but most will combine a Friendship Force home stay with an active program of taking in the local sites while learning first-hand about the culture by establishing a personal relationship with your hosts.
Must I belong to a Friendship Force club in order to participate in a journey?
In some cases, your journey fee will include a one-year membership in the sponsoring club. If you live in a community where a club exists, you may want to consider joining so you can participate in the ongoing programs that promote global understanding through friendship.
What are Friendship Force clubs?
Friendship Force exchanges are organized through a volunteer network of 350 chapters (clubs) in 58 countries. The clubs are connected globally through Friendship Force International (FFI), a non-profit organization with offices in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. See view all clubs, click here.
What do you mean by “apply” to go on a trip?
Each journey is led by an experienced Friendship Force Journey Coordinator. They will ask you to fill out an application prior to accepting you as a journey participant that also includes references. This application process ensures that travelers are physically healthy enough to make the journey and also that they are committed to the Friendship Force mission.
What does it mean to be committed to the FF mission?
FFI has a forty year history of bringing people together in friendship across the barriers that separate people. We think of ourselves as ‘citizen ambassadors’, each of us having the power to promote good relations at a personal level.