(from Tracy Curtin, Director of Communications)
I just returned from the 60th annual NAFSA conference held in Washington, D.C. NAFSA is the national organization which represents, and is comprised of, organizations dedicated to promoting international education. D.C. is the city where I was born and worked for more than 11 years after I graduated from college, so it holds a very special place in my heart. It was great to be back to visit family, friends and some old “haunts” like Clyde’s of Georgetown. My United Planet colleague Theresa and I ate at the Clyde’s located in the heart of D.C.’s Chinatown. When I first stepped off the metro at Gallery Place/Chinatown, I didn’t know where I was. I have always bragged that you could blind-fold me and drop me off in any part of Washington and I could find my way home…well, not this time! Gone were most of the run down buildings, empty storefronts, and littered streets that my friends and I would encounter when we occasionally ventured out to one or two of the city’s best Chinese restaurants. In their place, soaring new residential and commercial buildings, green space and a bevy of today’s most popular restaurants, coffee shops (yes, there is a Starbucks with a marquis that promotes its lattes and chai in Chinese!) and retail stores have blossomed and are bustling. I am thrilled to see that the District’s powers that be didn’t let this part of the city slip into sooted history. And I am happy to report that my two favorite restaurants, along with Chinatown’s beautifully ornate archway, are still there welcoming residents and tourists from all over the world.
Back to the conference! As a NAFSA “first-timer”, I was extremely impressed by the people I met, the workshops I attended and the speeches I heard. Vicente Fox, the former President of Mexico, was this year’s keynote speaker. Fox, a very bright and charming man, talked about the importance of education and its role in bridging differences and uniting the international community. During the Q&A session, one conference attendee asked him if he had any advice for this year’s Presidential nominees. As a savvy politician, he laughed and quickly changed the subject by inviting us all to come to Mexico for some tequila and tapas!
During the four days I spent at the conference, I met some wonderfully dedicated people. Many were international study abroad administrators from universities all over the world including Canada, Germany, China, Ireland, England, Australia, Israel, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and of course the U.S., to name a few. Others were from study and volunteer abroad providers like United Planet. All of us exchanged stories about our life-changing experiences during our time away from home — living with host families, working with orphans, teaching and playing with impoverished children, building roads, and so on. It was great to witness reunions between people who had one time volunteered or studied abroad together. Everyday was filled with lots of hugs, kisses and excited conversation. They were just as happy as I was to be back “home”.
-Tracy Curtin
United Planet is a non-profit organization with a mission to create a global community, one relationship at a time. Established in 2001, United Planet offers volunteer abroad, virtual internships, internships abroad, gap year volunteering, and global virtual exchange in more than 40 countries.
United Planet is an international non-profit organization with a mission to create a global community, one relationship at a time. We connect people who want to make a difference in communities across the world through overseas volunteer travel programs, global virtual internships & volunteering, and project-based virtual exchange programs. With opportunities in more than 40 countries, you will learn, teach, work, engage and immerse yourself in a culture outside your comfort zone. For many, volunteering abroad is the most fulfilling experience of their lives!
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