Barely a year after my first outbound exchange, I was appointed as the Exchange Director (ED) for the Lincoln-Nanyang exchange held in June 2005. Our ambassadors were from the Friendship Force of Lincoln, Nebraska ( USA ) and my main task was to ensure the week-long exchange was a fruitful one for both clubs.

It was quite a challenge to organize the exchange, partly because it was a first for me. A lot of effort was put in by my committee. Activities were planned over and over again and we scouted potential sites for their suitability. The itinerary was meticulously planned – so detailed that it was almost right down to the minute. All these were done for a single reason: to make sure our ambassadors were introduced to our multifaceted culture and our way of life during their short eight-day stay with us.

Besides being the ED, I also hosted two ambassadors – total strangers whom I have never met before. I was a little apprehensive at first as the two of them were from different states in America , were of different age, have different accents and to add to it, were strangers to each other as well. I was worried if they would have difficulties adapting to our environment and more importantly, us adapting to each other. However, my worries were unfounded. With their gracious accommodation of my little eccentricities, we had enjoyed each other's company tremendously during their stay with my family.

One interesting experience was that of our visit to a condominium showroom near my place. Posing as potential buyers, Debra and Dietra (my two ambassadors) received a running commentary of the functions and design of the condominium unit. They even took pictures of the condominium model which was forbidden, but they managed to get away with it anyway. If we weren't running short of time, we would have viewed another adjacent unit.

It was certainly a trying week, having to make sure everything ran smoothly. Fortunately, I had a committed committee who did their very best to ensure the success of this exchange. The FFN main committee's past experience proved valuable and they were always ready to lend a hand. This exchange also became a gathering for our members, some of whom had taken time off from their busy schedules to help out. The exchange would not have been so successful without everyone's commitment and efforts.

The exchange gave me a break from my daily routine. From this exchange, I realized that there are still many things and places that I have yet to discover even though I had lived in this city state for more than two decades. Given our hectic lifestyle, we might have taken for granted the vibrancy and uniqueness of the different cultures and religions in this melting pot that we live in. The exchange was an opportunity for me to re-examine Singapore's cultural diversity in greater details, deepening my roots as I shared these findings with my ambassadors.

Amid the fun and laughter, my greatest joy was to know that we have achieved our primary goal of setting up FFN – to promote friendship without boundaries.

Wong Wendell
Exchange Director
for Lincoln Exchange 2005