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Journeys

At the heart of the Friendship Force organization are club journeys. During a club journey, club members, or "ambassadors," visit a club in a different country, usually staying in homes, and develop friendships and an understanding of the other culture through the experience.


As an ambassador on an Outbound Journey you travel to another country, reside in a family home for one or two weeks, and share that family’s lifestyle and culture. Ambassadors for an Outbound Journey travel to and from the host city where up to seven nights of home hosting and special activities are provided by the local club. There are usually options for additional home hosting in a different city within the same country, home hosting in a nearby country, or additional travel as a group or as an individual.


Ambassadors are expected to be flexible, open to experiences with a different culture, and to reflect well on themselves and their country. Your accommodations may be sparse or luxurious, just as those traveling as ambassadors to Western Colorado may find our host homes to be humble or grand. Our members can participate in journeys with our club or with any other U.S. club if space is available.


We host inbound journeys with groups of guests or “ambassadors” from other countries in our homes for a week. We try to share the “real” America with our visitors by involving them in our daily activities and by additional club activities. Western Colorado and Eastern Utah have many unique places to visit, including desert landscapes, Indian cultural sites, and mountains. Anyone in Western Colorado is welcome to join our club. Our club has one or two international inbound and one or two international outbound journeys each year. We also have domestic exchanges with other clubs within the United States.


Home Hosts for an Inbound Journey provide lodging in their homes for inbound ambassadors. The facilities offered by a home host are matched to the needs of the ambassador group, and typically are for one to three persons. Host families include their ambassadors in the activities of their daily lives as well as activities designed to introduce the ambassadors to life in the Grand Valley.

                                         2022 Lake Simcoe, Ontario, Canada

                                                      Incoming Journey


The week of April 30th - May 7th was filled with fun and friendship.  Eleven ambassadors from Lake Simcoe arrived ready to explore the west, and explore they did.  There was hiking, touring, seminars on Water in the West and Western Weather, a day trip to the stunning Arches National Park, small dinner parties and even a scavenger hunt in Downtown Grand Junction.  


Most importantly, new friendships were formed that promise to last for a long time. Take a look at the photos from our week together on the Club Photos Page.

Brisbane Incoming Journey:

A Smashing Success

The five ambassadors from Brisbane, Australia arrived by train on June 1, 2019 and departed by train on June 8, 2019. During the week they enjoyed our club’s Western Colorado hospitality. They got to experience the diversity of sightseeing options and activities this area has to offer. The welcome and farewell parties were well attended by our club’s members who greeted the Aussies and shared some time with them. The week included seeing the Colorado National Monument, The Museum of Western Colorado, wine tasting at four Palisade wineries, rafting on the raging Colorado River, visiting the Suncrest Orchard Alpaca Farm and Mill, and touring Arches National Park and the Grand Mesa. Deepest thanks to the hosts, day-hosts, drivers and club members who helped to welcome the Brisbane ambassadors. Special thanks to the Welcome and Farewell Party planners and helpers: Kathy Nielsen, Barb Sundermeier, and their staff. A unique element of the Welcome Party was that ELK and BUFFALO burgers were served to all along with the potluck salads and desserts. The ambassadors introduced themselves by singing Waltzing Matilda. In response, our club members sang our club song “Mountain Trails” (sung to the tune of John Denver’s “Country Roads”) with lyrics adapted by Jim Gardner, our club president. It was the perfect way to begin a perfect week.

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