FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT JOURNEYS:

 

What is a ‘host’?

  • welcomes members into their homes for one week

  • provides accommodation and activities that reflect their community life and culture

  • participates in sightseeing, shopping, visiting local attractions and other group social activities are included

 

What is an ‘ambassador’?

  • a guest in the home of a host sharing everyday life experiences and activities

 

What is an ‘inbound’ and ‘outbound’ journey?

  •  ‘inbound’ journey is when we welcome other Friendship Force members from around the world into our homes and community as our guests

  • outbound’ journey is when we travel outside our city or country and are hosted by Friendship Force members in other areas of the world

 

What is a ‘homestay’?

  • you are hosted free as a guest in the home of another Friendship Force member

  • share their life for a week and most likely their friendship for a lifetime

  • as ‘ambassador’ the only expectation of you is that you offer to treat your hosts to a restaurant dinner and present them with a small gift, usually something that reflects your city/country

 

What are the travel costs?

  • on an outbound journey we pay our own transportation costs plus a nominal fee to Friendship Force International

  • FFI in turn  passes on some of this money to the host club which enables them to provide us with a program that  usually includes sightseeing, dinners, etc.

 

Not a traveller?

  • don’t ever have to travel if you don’t want 

  • can still participate by hosting guests in your home, day hosting or joining in the planned activities during an Incoming journey  

  • meeting other Friendship Force members is a great experience

 

I work all day, how can I participate?

There are many ways you could participate in a journey.  

  • you could provide accommodation on a ‘bed and breakfast’ basis and let another club member assist you by looking after your guest during the day (‘day hosting’)

  • you could contribute by inviting a couple of guests to join you for a meal one evening, or provide some food or assistance for the welcome or farewell party

 

How are journeys organized?

  • individual clubs decide where in the world they would like to travel and from what cities or countries they would welcome guests

  • information is forwarded to Friendship Force International in Atlanta and there the staff organizes club match-ups

  • FFI then informs the clubs of their matches and each club can either agree or disagree with the match

  • if both clubs are agreeable, the journey is confirmed

  • member from each club acts as ‘Journey Director’ and they work together to find suitable dates and facilitate the pairing of ‘Hosts’ and ‘Ambassadors’  

  • pairing involves trying to match people of similar ages and interests if possible

  • host club forms a committee that plans the sightseeing, outings and entertainment for the week. Journeys are most enjoyable and successful when both clubs work effectively together

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