afs62philippines

In the summer of 1962 thirty-one American teenagers from diverse locales and backgrounds met in Vancouver and traveled half way around the world.

We were united by a common goal: to experience life in a country different from our own and to be good will ambassadors.

Our plane stopped in Cold Bay, Alaska, for re-fueling and then carried us to Tokyo.

After a short but interesting visit in Tokyo, we traveled on to Manila.

Our three-day orientation in Manila included lectures, sight-seeing and social events where the bond that still exists today began to form.

During a 3 day orientation in Manila, we learned where we would be living for the next three months and about AFS expectations for us.

At the end of orientation, prepared as best we could be, we traveled by train, boat or air to our host cities. Even though we were excited to begin our lives as exchange students, it was hard to say goodbye to each other. Although we had been together for a relatively short time, our bonds were strong.

Much to our delight, our group met again twice. We enjoyed a trip to Legaspi City and another stop in Japan before returning to the States.

Now, 52 (GASP!!) years later, we have another opportunity to hear about each other's experiences. Jack Hailey, Barbara Winograd Ross, and Brad Jessup stayed in touch over the years and they decided it would be interesting to find out what we all were doing now. So Jack surfed the web, Goggled, wandered through Classmates.com and at times played detective.

What a delightful result. There is a joy in reconnecting with friends from the past that adds a richness to the present.

Where are we now ... and ... What are we up to?

Click anywhere on the fellow with the coffee cup to find out .

A decade has flown by since this site was completed,

and while none of us have changed in the past ten years,

if you want to update (or if you never added a current photo)

please send .jpeg photo(s) for your personal page

to Jan via the email button below!

I had intended to create a new guest book, but I so enjoyed re-reading the older posts that I decided to leave the original entries and encourage everyone to simply post again as Mary Lynn Buss just did. New posts show first.

Feel free to write about your current life or about your memories from '62.

If you think of something else to write later, sign in again!

Don't forget to include your current email address as many have changed. And please let me know if I need to change an incorrect email on your personal page link. (The page where you will arrive if you click on the little guy holding the coffee cup.) I cannot edit guest book posts but all other pages may be edited.

Jack Hailey worked so hard to find all of us. I know I am not the only one thankful that he did. I find great pleasure reading the what, when, and where of your lives post-summer of '62 and I've found a life-long friend in Jack.

If any of you tried to email him from the site button before, the email address was old, so try again with this new corrected button.