Linnea Keatts and Melanie Plantaric

00:09 Look at you go.

00:12 Okay, I'm Linnea cakes and I'm calling from Walla Walla Washington and I'm 80 years old and

00:26 I am a friend of Melanie plantaric who wanted to interview me today and

00:37 That's it.

00:41 Okay, and I'm Melanie plantaric. I'm 71 years old and I live in Walla Walla Washington where I'm at my friend Linnea K who I think has a fascinating story and I've been trying to encourage her to share it. So I thought storycorps would be a perfect opportunity to talk to her about the story.

01:10 So when they are the story. That I really enjoyed learning about you that you told me.

01:23 Several years ago was how you

01:27 Because I met you true American field service a FSU or a leader in our community for that and I volunteer to help a bit with that and then I got to know you and and you shared with me your journey with AFS then and how it

01:51 As I as I see kind of created internet a family for you. So can you talk a little bit about that Journey with American field trip? I was I was born and raised in the in the state of Michigan and my sister died in 1953 and my family of course was devastated and in 1954 just a year later. We were a friend of us encouraged us to maybe host an exchange student and we ended up hosting dendy Evans from Manchester England and then the following year 5556. We hosted a girl from Norway and the experience of Hosting these two girls has literally changed my life.

02:51 About the rest of my life. So far. Both of these girls are still alive in their little older than I am, but I have been incredibly close to both of them over the years and later went to live in Norway, which was really connected with the exchange students that live with us many years went by and I was married and we moved to the state of Washington and we did not have our own children.

03:27 And soul in 1985-86. We went to Norway and live there for a few years and the students from the occupational therapy school where I was teaching said why couldn't we come to the u.s. To do our internship and I said, I don't know why not so they came we moved to Walla Walla 1987 and they started coming is in his occupational therapy students for 3 months each fall. We had three students each ball from the school in Norway in Trondheim, and it was such a wonderful experience for all of us for them for the community and for my husband Robert and I

04:20 And then we have to stop the program because new regulations came up about exchange and requirements for visas and so on. So we thought this is sad, you know, we here we have 24 students stay with us and

04:43 So then we I saw an ad in the paper for somebody to be an AFS host family and I thought of course I reconnected with AF else after those many years and I became a volunteer with a f f in 1998 and we hosted our first five year long.

05:12 And and we just found the experience wonderful and have contact with all of those 5 students to this day and following is part of the AFS volunteer experience. I became the coordinator for students who would coming on Exchange through a program through the US state department called. Yes youth education and study in the student came from after 9/11 were invited to come from countries that has significant Muslim population in Saudi student came to Walla Walla and Mater and the special coordinator for these students and I got to know each of them and they are from all over the world in the Middle East so far.

06:12 Africa all over and it was just an incredibly positive experience for me and I think also for the students and then in 2005 or 2015 retired, but I continue to have contact with so many of these students and I think that the impact as you ask Melanie the impact in my life and in our life being parents to these many students was phenomenal 40-plus in the cars. They look at you funny, but but it do students have been

07:12 Can you to be as they go through their lives in go to weddings in their countries have them come to visit us and then The Unborn contact stuff. I have with many of them on Facebook and it's just influence our life immensely and I often think what if we had had our own children in the early eighties. This never would have happened. It just never would have happened. Then I feel so grateful for having had this opportunity to be parents to many many students from all over the world.

07:56 Right, and I have had the privilege of meeting.

08:04 Photo of the people you're talking about

08:09 I

08:10 I was struggling you were telling your story earlier about the 24 students you had from Norway with that, right? So, did you have three at a time? So you did you do that for 8-year? Yes from 1989 to 1995. We had three students every all the three months. It was they did an intern here in the public schools think they lived with us, but they had internships out.

09:05 I'm I was struck about how you opened your home in your heart to all of these people from all over the world all of these you sand and and really created an international family for yourself. But as that was not your intention, but that's was the outcome and knowing that you didn't have your own biological children, but also how richer life is because I I know you've gone to see them they have come to see you and and they still call you mom and dad and and they have some of them have their own children. Can you tell a little bit about the grandchild that you held up with? You know, we always we call them our children and then we

10:05 Over 40 kids there. We have his grandchildren could probably the most significant story is Yuki Suzuki now, de who was in AFS student mailbox for a year, and we went to her wedding and visited her several times and Japan and then she now has three children in two years ago. I'm sorry. I said you you probably should bring the children to come. So I think she's going to mediately to the travel agent in so they came for 2 and 1/2 Weeks two summers ago and we have time and then last year. She said Mom.

10:54 After she got home, she said mom, can we come back next year and stay for 5 weeks?

11:09 But that's all going to do it. So last summer they were here this summer July and August for 5 weeks and we had a wonderful time with them. They were wonderful children, and she's a fantastic daughter and cook and mother and so it was so meaningful us to to do that and probably, you know, I'd sad this year. They wouldn't have come. Anyway, I don't think but but we've also gone to their country.

11:56 Well

11:59 I just I just kind of Marvel at Abbott. What a way to travel in connection with with those people.

12:16 So I'm I'm just so glad you shared that with me and I am really feel very lucky to know you because I see you with the people and how you bring them in and you know, whether and cooking bacon do all kinds of things with people.

12:44 So I know it's a lot of fun to be at your house and I'm sure they have wonderful memories of of that. Thanks for telling me about about all of the joy that you have and I I know that I went on a trip with you with an AFS conference. I don't even remember was that 5 years ago maybe?

13:19 8 years ago and you were like a rockstar there people New Year to you and

13:27 Why did you for all your service to AFF and

13:33 I I think the story of a s s a f s is pretty amazing to about how these will maybe you could tell the story a little better than I could about at the end of World War 1 write the the medic it was in American field service and they were ambulance drivers they could be but they were off the battlefield and and help in the war and Steven galati's the guy who started the exchange program back in New York in 1940.

14:22 Seven or eight something like that and he they got together and had some money left and they decided why don't we start high school Exchange program and try and give back, you know to end in encourage world. Peace. And the the saying is one in our one student in peace and in our country and we've always carried that motto on and so they say that's when they started the program and it's no horse in Intercultural program. So students don't just come to the u.s. Students here go all over the world with the regular FF program the other countries.

15:22 Exchange students coming and going is kind of what I believe is. The only way toward world. Peace is one student.

15:39 Yeah, it's pretty remarkable we have.

15:47 Thanks for energy juicing juicing me to the program. And of course, we are all in a FS. They're all volunteers like 60 plus exchange programs in that exist today and ours and rotary. I think are the only two programs where people are volunteers. I never got paid for anything. I did with a f f I did get an experience to go on a trip to Turkey when the students were returning to Turkey in that was

16:26 6 years ago which was a phenomenal experience, but we we pride ourselves on being following tears because we believe in the program.

16:39 And you were a volunteer on that trip because they needed a chaperone and it states that year one of whom was with me from Walla Walla on that you were her liaison, but the airplane from New York to Istanbul and then I was with us for a few days, but I was on my own then for three weeks and one of our other students from Turkey who had been here very close to me. So

17:28 The other Exchange program that I have been involved with that Robert and I have shared is is we have a sister city in Celsius, Japan and Robert was the chairman of that committee here in Walla Walla and every year that have an exchange back and forth for two weeks. And we posted every year for 2 weeks students or adults for that visit to Walla Walla and we stayed in Japanese home when we go to set up there and we made friends with two girls particular like one of them is like a daughter to us. She has been back to visit us several times for six weeks. So she's pretty much our daughter knows only if that's All Grain Exchange.

18:28 To community you are very close actually.

18:37 Yeah, well, it's your building relationships that you build understanding and that leads to peace.

18:46 That's for sure.

18:52 Well, I I

18:55 I just think it's so cool that you know, you didn't have your own your own biological children than yet. You do. Have you no more children than most people I know so.

19:13 It's just remarkable to me and called me and said they had a a girl that needed a home. It was a different Exchange program and we couldn't host that year, but I asked in a meeting them at the school district where I was working and I asked at a meeting. Is anybody interested, you know, and I told a little bit about this girl and one of the gals said this and I never forgot it. She said in imagine having anybody come and live in my house.

20:00 But it's from somewhere else and I thought I can't imagine not having somebody, I'm living my house, because I mean there's a lot of misunderstanding about sharing not only with people from your own country but sharing somebody from another culture who speaks a different language and have different customs and of course to us. That's the enrichment of the whole program is is getting loving them and having them love you, you know that as family

20:43 Yeah.

20:51 You know, there's just something about Hospitality to the stranger. That's a real.

20:59 Blessing I think when I when I went to Turkey by I remember meeting a young man and I was with my daughter when we were traveling through turkey and he was so excited to hear somebody speaking English and he was studying English and he wanted to become an English teacher that he invited us to his house his. And he was trying to get ahold of his parents. And when we finally came he squirted us to his house and we picked up the bus and they have all the food prepared for us. It was amazing and and close up.

21:42 You know just for them to open up their house and I have heard them say that it's a blessing for them to welcome the stranger and and thought it's just an attitude and I think if you don't ever experience, you have no idea how wonderful it is to get to know someone put another country or culture. It's so interesting that it were truly is.

22:13 Yep, well

22:16 My friend, is there anything else in our world right now with the virus with covid-19 and my first thought last spring or this spring was what happens to all these students that are here? Well, it turns out that all of the exchange students who were in the United States had to go home and one of the families that used to host with us hosted them a boy from Switzerland then living over in Vancouver Washington and it was just heartbreaking for them and for the student because the boy had to go home and put all the students have to go home and I've been trying to investigate a little bit about what's happening right now and volunteer.

23:17 Community told me that there are couple students who have been placed in this community in Milton-Freewater, Oregon and I so I'm not sure but I think there must be some students who are coming on Exchange is far as American kids going abroad, you know, they won't be allowed to go to Europe and I don't I don't know the specifics but AFS has been exploring different kinds of programs some in country program an online and virtual and all that but it's a very difficult time when the program has been so Dynamic and have so many students. I've read this almost 3,000 exchange students came with a

24:17 Students through the special program Department program. Yes, so I don't know the specifics because I haven't I retired cold as a as a volunteer 5 years ago and see what's going on in such a dynamic wonderful program and benefits family.

24:55 It's very important that happened was very important for family to come to community here in for our students to go abroad and do the same thing.

25:13 To learn about other cultures. That's the only way since young people particularly and living in homes instead of just going to college a lot of colleges programs, you know for internet.

25:44 True understanding each other. What time is it?

25:52 Find a keep in contact with the family and with the student somebody outside of the family just to make sure things were going. Okay, and sometimes it course we're all human and sometimes there are issues and problems and children students needed to be moved to another location and but you were where were there to support and provide and I think AFS provides excellent support for families and

26:28 Bright

26:31 I certainly enjoyed the little that I did do and I think it's

26:40 I think it was just a great program for the kids that I that I mess.

26:53 That's for sure.

26:55 And it's

26:57 It's like you said one student at a time World, Peace.

27:05 We are in the in our country wait, you know that we don't even before.

27:23 We don't have as much contact as

27:31 As I think

27:34 Wait, we could benefit from

27:37 Because it's just a relationship. Can I use me to make assumptions about another culture or develop biases or prejudices about him? If you've never met anybody from who's different from you in that way and and that?

27:57 That's the only tonic for it is his personal relationship to really try to understand.

28:07 Somebody who is different from you, which is really important for peace.

28:13 The other thing that we did when we were here is that we tried to provide experiences for them in in the community all students and they would get together and share cultures. I can remember we had students from countries in the Middle East war with each other at home and it did Brian have anything to do with each other and they were in a group of that person was from that country and they were fighting them when they were back up there and their home country and it was so fun aminul to see young people come together and get to understand each other. The program is not only valuable for the students in the families and the community these kids.

29:13 Coming together and getting to know each other is a life-changing experience and I have many examples software that is is happened students from when we had a girl from France and we had a boy from Mali and a girl from Morocco one year and I didn't realize it but they all speak French cuz if they had been colonies or whatever and boy the girl from France and it was going to have to do with the girl from

29:45 By the end of the year, they was very good and still to this day communicate.

29:52 All those things together is very valuable.

30:00 One thing I remember doing with you and I know you had started this before I had the opportunity to go with it. Maybe you could share about bringing the AFS student from this region to Temescal it which is a Native American Museum on a reservation. Just south of Walla Walla. Can you tell little bit about that? Because I experienced when your cluster coordinator when you're working with the students from these countries that I mentioned that are here on special scholarships. One of your roles is to introduce students to the native cultures in this country. And so because we have the most like which is only 45 minutes away, so

31:00 Umatilla Walla Walla on Caillou's tribe, they have a wonderful Museum there. So I thought well we'll go to the museum and then I thought you good idea. They have a high school there to down over the hill in Mission and I thought well, let's go see if we can visit the high school. And so I contacted the school and they thought it was a wonderful idea and then they said

31:32 The teacher said why don't you come over? I'll bring the Student Self to the museum and then you can come here for lunch afterwards. Okay, cuz I said what do we do for lunch? There's a cafeteria there or a little restaurant at the Museum. So we went down to Mission and walked over the hill down to the town. It was the most phenomenal experience the the whole native Council was there the Chiefs and they they served us think they call it first lunch or something. It's something that the native people do for.

32:18 People, you know to give thanks in to welcome into honor people who are coming into the to the culture for the tribe for a visit and it isn't something they do very often but it was a full I can't remember exactly the term but they had salmon in here all these amazing Breads and everything that was typical and they served in they dance and they had drumming and they put on this event for the 30 of us that went and we were students and some adults and teachers and so on.

33:06 Event happened when I was the only time we had that lunch, but we went every year after that and it was a wonderful experience and the native people. One of the Chiefs said to our student from Ghana. He explains, you know, where he was from and someone in the end. The chief said I am so grateful for you to come to my culture and tell me about your country. He said I could never travel to your country, but you brought your culture to me and I'm so grateful in this in so that was their gift to us, but I didn't like four years and that you went to they just thought that was so cool. And one of the reasons why it worked as well as it different is it they asked me to come I offered

34:06 Could we come and visit you know, but then and it was their idea not mine, like can we come and have lunch with you and share your culture know and the students ended up also taking our students through the museum on there. They were the guides that was kind of a school project for them. They had to describe, you know, what happened in the different parts of their history from which horse was very painful, but they had to describe in the in our visit and it was so cool. It was just a wonderful experience probably one of the best things that I did with all of them have 5 minutes left.

35:04 Okay.

35:08 Yeah, I thought because I got to go on one of those trips. Maybe the last one that you are on.

35:18 Just to watch the AFS student percent their cultures to the native kids.

35:27 They'd show a map and they told little bit about their food and their country and they took turns doing that and then after that the native dance for us they sing for us to dance to

35:47 That was sold.

35:50 That was very meaningful forever. Thank you for sharing all of this again with me and

36:01 But I think it's

36:04 Very meaningful and amazing.

36:08 Well, like you said, you know, like I said initially these students that have lived with me in additional students that I've shared within the community. They are my family and it's the same for my husband many wonderful experiences that take us through

36:39 Okay.