Global Ties Iowa

Happy Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month! AAPI Heritage Month first originated in 1977 to honor the contributions and achievements of Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, and Native Hawaiians to the history, culture, and achievements of the United States. This month is also a time to promote education and awareness about the experiences and challenges faced by Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, including discrimination and social justice.

Join us in extending a warm welcome to Nicole Y. (Singapore) and Thu-Trang Pham (Vietnam), our Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (#YSEALI) Professional Fellows! They will be in eastern Iowa until Memorial Day gaining relevant fellowship experience with local organizations. Nicole is living with Doug and Aimée Williams ☘ and working with Melissa Bates' team at LSF Medical Solutions. Trang is hosted by Leslie and Jake Klipsch and professionally placed with Dr. Kit Evans-Ford at Argrow's House and Autistic & Loved. We are so excited to have them in town! Thanks to their amazing professional and home hosts, we know they come away with enhanced skills and valuable experiences. YSEALI Professional Fellows Program

Whether you are in a single household or have had children in the home, there may be an international exchange student who is just the right fit for you and your home! Our Executive Director, Amy Alice Chastain, is an approved Local Coordinator with American Councils, the placement organization for the FLEX, YES, and UUTI youth exchange programs. In this position, she is responsible for supporting exchange families living within 120 miles of Cedar Rapids. Her years of experience living abroad, working with international exchange, and hosting her own exchange daughter make Amy Alice the perfect partner to assist you and your student every step of the way! We invite you to review the exchange programs (FLEX, YES, and UUTI) on our website and reach out to us via email (connect@globaltiesiowa.org) if you have any questions or concerns. https://lnkd.in/gYeNVBA2 Let us know how we can support you as you embark on your own life-changing journey of hosting a student for exchange in eastern Iowa!

Thank you to everyone who came to our Sip and Socialize event earlier this week! This was a special opportunity for anyone in our community to meet and engage in informal discussion with our visiting groups of international leaders. Our two delegations of leaders represented 22 countries, (Albania, Argentina, the Bahamas, Brunei, Cyprus, Egypt, El Salvador, Fiji, Georgia, India, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Nepal, Norway, Philippines, the Republic of Türkiye, Romania, Serbia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand). Joining them were local volunteers, University of Iowa professors, community members, law enforcement officers, among many others. Thank you so everyone who joined us at this event and made this afternoon special and memorable!

Are you interested in seeing the world through the lens of international exchange? ExchangeAlumni, Global Ties US, and Photoville are bringing Impact of Exchange, a public art exhibit featuring U.S. ExchangeAlumni photos and stories to cities across the U.S., including eastern Iowa this August! More information to come. This photo by Shukrana Shukrullah is just one example of the photos that are featured in the exhibit. Read more about the exhibit here: https://lnkd.in/e7CgyCJN #ImpactOfExchange #ExchangeAlumni

Happy Earth Day from all of us at Global Ties Iowa! Did you know that more than a billion people celebrate Earth Day? Earth Day was established in 1970 to increase public awareness of the world's environmental problems like pollution and deforestation. By taking the time to pick up litter and plant trees, we all can work together to make our world a happier, healthier place!

Happy Passover from Global Ties Iowa! In Judaism, Passover commemorates the Hebrews’ liberation from slavery in Egypt. Passover is often celebrated with great splendor, especially on the first night when a special family meal called the seder is held. We hope all who celebrate Passover have a splendid holiday!

Get ready U.S. Exchange Alumni! There will be 3 in-person Career Connections seminars in 2024. Join ExchangeAlumni and Global Ties US on April 25-27 in Miami, FL , June 20-21 in Washington D.C., or September 26-27 in Detroit, MI. Learn more and check out application info at http://gties.us/CC. #ExchangeAlumni #CareerConnections

Happy Volunteer Recognition Day to our Global Ties Iowa community! We are so grateful to all of our volunteers who help the our daily operations and make our international visitors' time special in eastern Iowa. In honor of Volunteer Recognition Day, we would like to recognize Jeanne Stoakes, one of our amazing volunteers. Jeanne is an Iowa native who has long been a familiar face at Global Ties Iowa. Jeanne first got involved with volunteering with Global Ties Iowa and has since donated hours of her time helping our international delegations feel welcome in eastern Iowa. In 2023, she received the Lifetime Membership Award in recognition of her enduring commitment to Global Ties Iowa. Read our blog post about Jeanne's dedication to citizen diplomacy! https://lnkd.in/ge-4T7kr

Catch us at the Community Board Fair on Tuesday, April 23rd from 4 PM to 6 PM at the Coralville Public Library in the Schwab Auditorium! Hope to see you there!