- By -
- Around Town
Print 
Founded by President Dwight D. Eisenhower fifty years ago, People to People International dedicates itself to promoting world peace through increased understanding among citizens of the world. President Eisenhower believed “that peaceful relations between nations require mutual respect between individuals” and that ordinary citizens, when given firsthand opportunities to develop personal exchanges with other cultures, transcend their individual differences and unite on a human level. Over the past five decades, eight U. S. presidents have served as honorary chairmen of People to People International. Since its inception in 1963, the Student Ambassador Program has taken thousands of young Americans across international borders. Student ambassadors return home with a renewed sense of spirit, a new international group of friends, and a greater sense of what it means to be a global citizen.
Kate first learned about the People to People program two years ago when she was invited to be part of the Sports Ambassadors Program for swimming. She accepted and traveled abroad in the summer of 2004. Kate recalls, “It was the first time I had been to Europe. We visited London, Paris and Amsterdam, where we had our competition. The Sports Ambassadors program was a great experience because young athletes from around the world came together to compete in the World Friendship Games for their country.” Kate saw a lot of European sites, but not as many as she would have liked because swim practice consumed three hours a day. Her nomination this year for the People to People Student Ambassador Program indicates that she has maintained a level of academic and community excellence.
In preparation for her trip, Kate and her parents will attend several orientation meetings this spring which will prepare them for the responsibilities and privileges of traveling abroad. Clearly, the opportunity is both exciting and challenging in many ways.
While in France, Kate will stay with a host family, or at a guest house for a couple of days, and will visit famous historical landmarks including the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Cathedral of Notre Dame and the Palace of Versailles. Kate says she is “very excited about going to France again. It is an extremely beautiful country with a lot of interesting people. I am a little nervous about staying with a host family, but I think that will give me a good idea of what everyday life is like in France.”
In Italy, students will get to explore the city of Venice on a gondola ride, take a walking tour of Florence, see the “David” by Michelangelo, view the famous Sistine Chapel, look to the top of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, visit an ancient Roman Forum, tour the Vatican City, climb Mount Vesuvius, visit the historical Roman Colosseum and explore the historical city of Pompeii. Kate admits, “I have always wanted to go to Italy because it has such great history. I cannot wait to visit all of the sites.”
If Italy promises historical and cultural adventures, Greece is guaranteed to be equally exciting. Kate says, “I am most excited about going to Greece because it seems like a beautiful country with very friendly people.” To get to Greece, students will travel on an overnight ferry. While visiting the country, Kate and her group will “visit the ruins of Olympia to see where the first Olympic games took place, visit the third century Theater in Epidaurus,” explore Athens and the Acropolis and travel to the island of Aegina.
Perhaps the highlight of the trip, for Kate, will be the friendships she forms around the world and the heightened understanding she will gain of other cultures and people. This opportunity will clearly be a life-changing experience. “I am very eager to visit Europe and learn more about their countries and history. I am a little anxious about leaving home for three weeks and being in different countries, but it will be a great experience and I am sure I will learn a lot. It is an honor to have been chosen to represent my country as a student ambassador.”
Kate’s mom, Mary Adie, is very proud of her daughter’s accomplishments and was an active member in the People to People organization while the family lived in Kansas City, headquarters for the program. For much of her career life she has been involved in international relations and “realized early on that I wanted my children to think and act globally.” Believing that exposure to foreign peoples and cultures is an integral part of a child’s education, “involving Kate in the P-T-P Student Ambassador program was very intriguing for us. The program is well-organized, focused on educational benefits, and a safe way to send your child abroad to gain international experience.”
Now a seasoned traveler, Kate is ready to begin this summer’s learning adventure and is already thinking quite a bit about future career opportunities and how the People to People Student Ambassador Program experience will help her. “I would like to go to Cornell and study to be a hotel manager. You have the chance to work anywhere in the world and meet many different people. Going on this trip will help me better understand the diverse cultures of the world.” Another career path Kate is considering is working for the United Nations as an ambassador for our country. “In doing this, I would hope to spread peace through our world and unite different countries.” No matter what future career path Kate takes, we know she will be highly successful and share her experiences with others.
----
v2i5
v2i5