Friendship Force of Western North Carolina

06/16/2026

https://youtu.be/cyH_gthvH_o?si=D9_DOyADstMNFEcw

06/14/2026

I know we have some long-time members who might have hosted people before it could be done via the Internet.

Some of our members have been hosting since before the internet existed.
They've welcomed guests from dozens of countries, learned to pronounce names they'd never heard before, and kept in touch the old-fashioned way — letters, then email, then WhatsApp — with people who are now family.

If that's your story — or if a single Journey changed how you see the world — we want to share it. Your voice helps the next person find their way here.

Share your story → https://buff.ly/nQ1djTS

06/14/2026

Some more fun scenes from the last few days of our Ottawa journey, including a distillery that makes vodka from the waste product that results from the pasteurization of milk. We also saw the Cold War era 4- level underground bunker, which was built to protect Canadian government officials in the event of a nuclear attack. We visited the Musical Ride facility of the mounted police force, but unfortunately they weren't practicing the day we all visited but some of us went back the next day. On the final day of our visit, we had a most interesting tour of the temporary facilities that house the Canadian Parliament. The central structure is under renovation and the two chambers have been moved into two different buildings. The way they enclosed what was once outdoor space to accommodate the parliament was remarkable.

06/11/2026

Our planned activity was rained out this morning, so instead we had a blast playing five pin Canadian bowling. The concept is the same as tin pins in the US but the depends and the quantity are all half size. We then proceeded to lunch on the grounds of the Royal Canadian mounted police training facility where they also present The mounted police musical ride.. Precision horsemanship! Unfortunately they were not practicing today so we did not get to see that. But the tour of the stables was most interesting and the horses were gorgeous. Some of our members had fun pretending to be mounties.

06/11/2026

We had a lovely, peaceful stroll Tuesday. Hiked to the waterfall in Gatineau Park, the summer home of one of the former prime ministers, Mackenzie King. The temperatures were a bit warm and the traffic was a bit crazy getting there, but it was worth it. The ruins are replicas. They were something that Mr. Mackenzie found very intriguing and wanted to reproduce on his property. Next was lunch in the cafeteria of the national History museum, which contains beautiful examples of indigenous peoples culture and art.

06/09/2026

Monday was a chamber-of-commerce day for our ambassadors in Ottawa. After a delicious brunch buffet, we traveled into the heart of the city. We walked around a bit of the downtown, learned the history of the area at the History museum, and then cruised the Ottawa River. Lastly, dinner with our home host.

06/09/2026

Thank you to our wonderful hosts for an incredible and interesting first day in Ottawa. We look forward to getting to know more about you and Canada over the next week. Thank you for hosting us!

05/29/2026

Join our organization!! Be a Citizen for Peace and Friendship!

What if your next trip came with friendships that lasted a lifetime?

Friendship Force International is a global community of curious, open-hearted people who travel differently — staying in the homes of members around the world, sharing meals, sharing stories, and building the kind of connections that no hotel or tour bus can offer.

With 15,000+ members across 60+ countries, there's a place for you here. 🌍
See what membership looks like → buff.ly/jt923gD

05/29/2026

This is taken from our NEW and IMPROVED int'l website
Log onto friendshipforce.org and see all the great new stuff!

"In 1985, the A.R.M.S. (American Russian Mutual Survival) program was implemented under the auspices of The Friendship Force. The endeavor encouraged the use of arms that embrace rather than arms that destroy. In May of that year a group of 10 Soviet citizens traveled to the U.S. to extend arms of friendship in Atlanta, Georgia; Raleigh, North Carolina; Richmond, Virginia and Washington D.C. This was followed by a series of exchanges between the USA and the USSR, with thousands of Americans and Soviets participating. The success of the ARMS program demonstrated that the Friendship Force can be a powerful force for good in the world."

05/24/2026

Well, I can make a 2nd post so we can see Karen!!