Former participants in foreign exchange programme stress: Latvia has changed significantly over 25 years, becoming more European, safer, more open

“The year of exchange in Latvia has left a huge impact on the rest of life,” says former foreign exchange programme participants who have spent their 1992/1993 school year in Latvia. On this basis, former members of the “AFS Latvia” Intercultural Programme have come together to visit Latvia and meet at a small island.
Former guest students in Latvia started their training programme in 1992. In that year, 34 AFS students were studying in Latvia – mostly from THE US and Western European countries. This summer, Sabine Horlemann from Germany, Fin Halvorsrud from Norway, Cory Blumh, Keith Taylor, Christopher Allen, AND Carmen Garibaldi from THE USA had arrived. The participants visited AFS Latvia in the office to meet with representatives of the organisation and the time spent more than 25 years ago.
During the meeting, the former students emphasized that despite being so long, there is a feeling of returning to 25-year-old events, as the experience of exchange participants in Latvia has remained in a very bright memory.
“These participants had logged on to the current USSR. It was a time of confusion when, because of political events, there was no doubt whether there would be an exchange programme at all, but the final result was the possibility for pupils to go into an exchange programme rather than to THE USSR, but to an independent state, Latvia. The young people also took this opportunity without knowing what they were expecting. This year they met in such a large group for the first time in Latvia and for some of them it was the first time in 25 years, which made the meeting laugh and fun, with“ live ”and sincere memories,” “AFS Latvia” is supported by co-ordinator Vineta Liduma.
Asked about the reasons why young people chose to go directly to Latvia at that time, each had their own reasons. Another opted for the northern country to explore the specificities of the country, while Latvia has selected Latvia for purely economic reasons – it was believed that living in Latvia at the time was very cheap.
Contact with Latvia has not been broken
Each of the six remaining AFS representatives with Latvia is subject to a special story. Fin has met his current wife, who has also been an exchange year from Norway in Latvia. Both have good memory of the time spent in Latvia and have also taught their children a couple of Latvian names. "Thank you and ice cream there are one of our children's favorite Latvian words. We have also worked together on several occasions in Latvia to rest, enjoy culture and traditions, "says Fin.
Carmen returned to Latvia shortly after his exchange year. He worked as an English-language teacher in the Nordic Gymnasium. Currently, Carmen lives in Norway because she is married to Norwegian, whose roots, as it turns out, are also looking for Latvia.
Christopher and Corry have returned to Latvia on several occasions and still maintain close contacts with their families in Latvia. Christopher emphasizes that Latvia is considered to be his second home and his wife has already fallen in love with Latvia.
 
Also, Sabine has returned from Germany on several occasions, not only because of the fact that there are memories of the year of exchange, but also because the best friend of Sabine has moved to Latvia from Germany, so that the link with the country has become even stronger.
Other Latvia
According to former students, Latvia has changed very much compared to the land when they were here. Then only the rare spoke English, now everybody can speak English. AFS programmes have also changed very much, become more structured, smarter, the environment for young people is more secure – more camps, language training, communication with young people from the free and office, a young man has a contact. AT that time, AFS programmes were barely established in Latvia in 1991.
While in memory of the time before 25 years ago, students indicate that the location in Latvia was relatively insecure. It also remembers the currency stores, the hot water supply twice a week, the long-distance logging in postal chapters, the writing of letters, the beach trade in the station area, the sunflower seed every corner. “They were really things that struck us so much, young people from other countries. I must say now that i no longer feel the difference between my life, such as THE US and here, in Latvia, 'Christopher said.
The former students also admit that the lack of phones at the time helped to communicate more with young people, people were more hospitalized, ready to open doors to strangers, even completely unfamiliar. The participants also remember the Latvian poverty of the time in most societies, but it was highly appreciated the importance of people's willingness to share the money that people have had. All the participants agreed that as well as the people in Latvia are living at the present time, they have not been living so well before, so it is valuable for everyone to consider what is the most important cultural exchange in the context of which everyone can actually share.
The current pupils also admit that the exchange programme was very aware of their lives, both in terms of feelings of survivors and emotional, getting the second family to life. In Latvia, the participants want to return more and more.