Sometimes, it is hard to tell exactly when something begins and when it ends. 

For me, the Civic Summer of 2019 started on May 24th with the arrival of our 24 Argentinean Fulbright participants. Argentina was also involved at the end as Becky and I, in cooperation with the Argentine Fulbright Commission and the U.S. Embassy in Argentina, hosted an alumni reception in Buenos Aires that attracted over 150 of our past participants. We also  managed a week-long seminar for over 40 Argentinean students, 24 of whom will come back to Amherst in 2020.  The end was also a beginning!

Before it was all over, we:

The numbers give a sense of scale but don't even begin to capture the impact on the lives of both visitors and hosts. The topics and classes were all explored in depth and integrated  with   community service and experiential learning. Even more important was the learning done out of the classrooms where new relationships were formed and stereotypes banished. This quote from one of our participants captures the summer experience from every angle:

"Being in Amherst, living this life, meeting these people, interacting with American society, literally each single moment was shaping my own experience, I didn't feel that I was a foreigner even for one second. From the first day everyone was smiling, all the people were welcoming, helping & supporting. If I'm going to live in any other community outside mine, for sure it's going to be Amherst."

I want to conclude by thanking everyone who helped make the 2019 summer a success! Extending a kind welcome to international visitors may seem like a small thing but in today's political climate such seemingly small gestures make a big difference. All of you participated in showing a welcoming and supportive face and we can't thank you enough for all of your efforts.