Foster Youth Cultural Exchange

Jamie Lee Evans, Director of Training at the California Youth Connection and founder of the Y.O.U.T.H. (Youth Offering Unique Tangible Help) Training Project of the Foster Youth Cultural Exchange (FYCE) based in California, USA learned about LX on FB. Jamie and her group were set to visit the Philippines, initially only in Manila (meeting with farmer’s resisting corporation land grabs, and feminists doing community work in the Gabriela network) but they decided to do volunteering work in Iloilo.

In Iloilo City, FYCE participated in a community outreach for children at Railway Daycare Center in La Paz. The children were given a chance to immerse with their assigned FYCE counterpart teaching them some Ilonggo words while the FYCE teach them English. There were games prepared by the Daycare Center and some of the children showcased their talents in singing. A gift giving followed after the community outreach. FYCE was also able to experience local food and specialty coffee from La Roasteria’s Arabica coffee (Coffee from Northern and Southern part of the Philippines).

Nueva Valencia National High School (NVHS) hosted FYCE with a touching program that FYCE will surely never forget. The high school students showcased not only their talents in Filipino dance, but the whole demonstrated the Filipino hospitality in hosting guests and visitors. Likewise, the 4th year students also participated in the dialogue focused on career and questions on life and love with their FYCE counterpart.

Quoting Jamie Lee Evans to NVHS: “Our group cannot thank you enough for your compassion, hospitality, kindness, generosity and true exchange. We loved your singing, your dancing, your food and learned so much from your loving and connected way of living. You help us to ask important questions of Americans. How much do we need? Are we giving and sharing every chance we can? Are we building community across the generations that will truly allow for sustainable social change and harmonious living? We were in awe of your programs, your talents, your skills, your abundance of love and community. We will take what you have shared with us and do our part in the US to pass on and pay forward your many gifts. Indeed, it was a fun-filled and meaningful two days of cultural exchange, friendship and camaraderie. This experience has touched me in ways I can’t describe. It was not only an exchange of culture; it was also an exchange and sharing of passion—to help when we can, to whoever we can regardless of race, sex and creed.”