8.0357 Operation Crossroads Africa (1/153)
Elaine Brennan (EDITORS@BROWNVM.BITNET)
Tue, 7 Mar 1995 20:07:00 EST
Humanist Discussion Group, Vol. 8, No. 0357. Tuesday, 7 Mar 1995.
Date: Mon, 27 Feb 95 11:52:00 EST
From: Arthur Carmichael <carmicha@clam.rutgers.edu>
Subject: [Arthur Carmichael <carmicha>: Operation Crossroads Africa, Icn]
This post is for students who are interested in traveling to and
Learning about and from Africa, professors whothink that some of theier
students would be interested in learning about and from Africa, people
over the age of 26 who would like to take on the responsibility of
being a group leader in the crossroads program, or anyone else who feels that
they would benefit from traveling to and learning from africa.
OPERATION CROSSROADS AFRICA, INC.
1995 SUMMER PROGRAM
37 YEARS OF CROSS CULTURAL INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN FROM AFRICA
participation in an Operation Crossroads Africa project will give you a
hands-
on opportunity to learn about and from Africa.
THE CROSSROADS PROPOSAL
Invest seven weeks of service as a volunteer with a Crossroads international
development project in an African commmunity. Return to the U.S.A. with a
greater understanding about Africa, an understanding which
can increase your self awaerness and value to your community.
WHAT IS THE CROSSROADS AFRICA EXPERIANCE LIKE?
As a crossroads volunteer, you will spend six weeks at a workcamp
project designed to provide maximum interaction, learning opportunities, and
cultural awareness. you will be a part of an international team of eight ot
ten women and men of various racial, cultural, and educational backrounds,
working on a development project your African hosts have initiated. You may
be assigned to school construction, an inoculation drive, an archeological
dig, installation of a water system, reforestation of an area, or some other
useful work. On a crossroads project, everyone puts in several hours of
manual labor each day and takes part in communal maintenance. You will live
in a simple workcamp environment with the basic amenities, minus many modern
conveniences we take for granted. You will enjoy meaningful exposure to the
Languages, music, history, and customs of your host country. Each team
includes one group leader.
You will help create group-oriented solutions, incorporating ideas of
people whose assumptions may be very different from your own.
Crossroads Volunteers do not go to Africa to impose thie r own values on
Africans. They go to render service and to learn as much as possible from
the experience. The project includes six work weeks and one travel week.
Crossroads Africa is not a tour or recreational activity. It Is
a challenging experience. Like most post-high school educational
experiences, it is not free. The fee for participation is $3,500 which many
participants successfully raise through religious organizations, schools
unions, social or civic groups. The raffle which OCA sponsors each year has
been a major fund raising vehicle for many participants. Also, the Crossroads
staff can offer applicants advice and assistance in raising funds.
WHO SHOULD APPLY?
In its recruitment, diversity is one of crossroads' primary goals.
Successful participation in Crossroads requires, above all, communication
skills and a strong and sincere desire to establish contact with people of
other cultures. A willingness to appreciate different patterns of thought and
modes of behavior is essential.
Flexibility, Patience, and a willingness to contribute to the communal
lifeof the group will be paramount. we urgwe you to carefully comsider the
nature of the Crossroads program, our philosophy, and our objective
before applying.
"Since my Crossroads summer, I appreciate life differently. I feel like
I've gained spiritually. Although it's hard to articulate, I feel a lot more
relaxed about myself. Part of it is that I'm more comfortable in the world as
a
whole."
Julious Park, Ghana '91
TENTATIVE HOST COUNTRIES
Cape Verdi (P), Ethiopia (E), Madagtascar (F), Namibia (E), Tanzania (E),
Zambia (E), Zimbabwe (E), Cote d'Ivoire (F), The Gambia (E), Guinea-bissau
(P)< Mali, (F), Senegal (F), Togo (F), Uganda (E), South Africa (E),
and Ghana (E).
Language Key: (P) Portuguese, (F) french, (E) english
PROGRAM DATES (tentative)
june 25 - August 13, 1995
"What I took home with me was the pride that Africans have in themselves..."
Karen Nance, The Gambia '77
"Crossroads provided the practical or realistic
dimension to studies which had been...limited to bookd and accasional social
contacts with African students...The Crossroads experience...made me feel
certain and confident that I wanted to specialize in African Affairs."
Yvonne Williams, Togo '60
CROSSROADS: 37 YEARS OF CROSS-CULTURAL INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
In 1995, Crossroads Africa, which was founded by the Reverend James H.
Robinson in 1958, celebrates 37 years of service. As a personal friend of
many
leaders in African nations which won independance in the 1950's and 1960's,
Reverend Robinson knew the importance of getting involved in learning about
and
from a free Africa. The Peace Corps, which began in 1961, is modeled after
Crossroads. Because of its highly successful organizational model, Crossroads
Continues to be a prototype for broadening international understanding and
cooperation while tangibly contributing to the process of developmemnt.
"These past two months have made sense out of the last twenty-one years of my
life."
Fred Smith, Botswana, '81
send application requests to:
Operation Crossroads Africa, Inc.
475 Riverside Drive, suite 830
New York, New York 10115-0050
include you r name, address, and whether you are applying as a participant
or as a leader (you must be at least 26 years of age to be a group leader)
or call (212) 870-2106
if you call tell LaVerne art Carmichael says hi.
If you would like to know more about the experience of being a crossroads
participant, or if you would like to know how I went about raising
the $3,500 dollars, or if you are a former crossroader and want to swap
stories
or if you feel that this post should not have been submitted to this list and
feel the need to send a "flame", or if you just feel the need to send a
"flame"
my E-mail address is carmicha@clam.rutgers.edu
also please feel free to repost this posting on any list that you feel would
benefit from it, or e-mail it to anyone who you feel might be interested.
sincerely,
ABC III
Arthur B. Carmichael III
1100 Haral Place
Cherry Hill, New Jersey 08034-3605
U.S.A
Ph# (609) 354-0831
carmicha@clam.rutgers.edu
P.S. sorry about my horrid typing.