AIFS Foundation/AYA
Ms. Patty Bologna, Program Manager
Ms. M. French, Director
Ms. Sarah Fergemann
Academic Year in America
River Plaza
9 West Broad Street
Stamford, CT  06902

Re:  AYA Independent Exchange Coordinator (IEC), Diane Torres of Ft. Worth, TX

Dear Ms. Bologna, Ms. French and Ms. Fergemann:

The following concerns have been provided to CSFES by xxxxxxxxxx for your review and files.

Please add to our complaint sent to your attention about the above-referenced matter.

I am available to answer any questions you may have.

Sincerely,

Danielle Grijalva, Director
Committee for Safety of Foreign Exchange Students
P.O. Box 6496 / Oceanside, CA 92052
www.csfes.org / 866-471-9203

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Complaint against IFS Foundation/AYA -- Treatment of two YES
participants, plus AYA participants in Ft. Worth, Texas
From: dgrijalva@csfes.org
Date: Tue, May 15, 2007 4:16 pm
To: Pbologna@aifs.org,  mfrench@aifs.org,  sfergemann@aifs.org
Cc: Beth Melofchik <Melofchikbx@state.gov>,   Elizabeth Dickerson
<DickersonEB@state.gov>,  lawrencesj@state.gov,  
estaffored@sister-cities.org,  jhishmeh@csiet.org

AIFS Foundation/AYA
Ms. Patty Bologna, Program Manager
Ms. M. French, Director
Ms. Sarah Freeman
Academic Year in America
River Plaza
9 West Broad Street
Stamford, CT  06902-3788
Re:  AYA Independent Exchange Coordinator (IEC), Diane Torres of Ft. Worth, Texas

Dear Ms. Bologna, Ms. French and Ms. Freeman:

The treatment of two YES (Youth Exchange Study) participants from Indonesia was originally brought to our attention  by Representative Lon Burnam's office in Ft. Worth, Texas, including concerns regarding seven AYA participants living in the home of their AYA independent exchange coordinator (IEC), Ms. Diane Torres.  The students are from China, Germany, Thailand and Korea.

For those receiving this complaint not familiar with the YES program; this is a program established in October, 2002  by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs to provide scholarships for secondary school students from countries with significant Muslim populations to spend one academic year in America.  The YES program is vital to expanding communication between the people of the United States and the partner countries in the interest of promoting mutual understanding and respect.

As a mother of three and Director of the Committee for Safety of Foreign Exchange Students (CSFES) I send this complaint with great disgust and embarrassment.

Concerns which require immediate attention are as follows: 

• Investigation regarding the YES checks that Sella Mushalia and Nadia Grevinad from Indonesia never received.
• Investigation regarding the approximate $800 missing from the male student from China (name to follow).  
• This student reported approximately $800 was taken from him by his host family. 
• AYA's IEC, Ms. Diane Torres, remedied the the situation by simply moving the    boy into her home without further investigation.
• Seven foreign exchange students currently in the home of AYA's Diane Torres.  The students are attending the  following high schools in Texas:  1)  Arlington High School 2)  Nolan Public High School  3) Trimble Tech High School. 
• Up to five foreign exchange students reported living in the home of AYA's IEC Pat Specht -- Texas.  The AYA IEC for Ms. Specht's students is Ms. Diane Torres.  The AYA IEC for Ms. Torres' students is Ms. Specht.

Below you will find an email from xxxxxxxxxxx  dated May 14, 2007 to your attention.  To follow will be the
contact information for the families the students from Indonesia were forced to live.

Please be advised that it was reported this afternoon that Ms. Diane Torres has instructed the students living in her home to not write letters about their experience.

Nothing resembling public diplomacy is evident in what we have presented to you in this complaint. 

Respectfully,

Danielle Grijalva, Director
Committee for Safety of Foreign Exchange Students
P.O. Box 6496 / Oceanside, CA 92052
www.csfes.org / 866-471-9203

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Sella and Nadia
From:
Date: Mon, May 14, 2007 5:07 pm
To: pbologna@aifs.org,  mfrench@aifs.org,  Danielle Grijalva
dgrijalva@csfes.org

Ms. Bologna:

     This email is in response to our phone converstion of 10 May, 2007 regarding Sella xxxxx and Nadia xxxxx. 
A copy is also being sent to Danielle Grijalva with CSFES with the request that she forwared this email to any and all people she has been in correspondence with regarding Sella and Nadia.

     Let me first address several items of issue regarding each young woman:

Sella:

     1.  Sella's host family did not have heat for the majority of the winter months.  To stay warm at night, she had to sleep with her clothes and jacket on.

     2.  This home was also without HOT water.  Sella had to "wash" in a basin, go to the neighbors home for a shower or just "do without".  When asked about heating water in the microwave, Sella was told that it was "to expensive".

     3.  Sella's host mother, on many occassions, did not provide a dinner meal for her.  Or if it was provided, it was tacos and beans the majority of times.

     4.  Sella witnessed abuse by her host father upon the host mother.  She was even asked to photograph the bruises!!!  Several days later, her camera was mysteriously broken.

     5.  She was required to clean up the back yard, after the family dog had "done his business".

     6.  When I first drove past Sella's host family home, there was a mattress and box spring set as well as old car parts on the entire front porch.  Sheets were hanging in the windows for curtains.  Grass in the yard was over 3 feet high.

     7.  One of the host family members (a son) was recently released from jail.  (I do not know what the charges were on this).

Nadia:

     1.  Nadia was with a family that  forced pork on her at meal times.  She is Muslim.

     2.  She was subject to the host family trying to remove her head covering on a regular basis.  Again, she is Muslim and wears the traditional head covering.

     3.  Her prayer times were not respected.

     4.  Nadia had to walk home from school through a neighborhood that is totally unsafe.  I personally witnessed men sitting along the curb of her street drinking alchol (this was at 4:00 p.m. on a Friday afternoon), rotted mattresses strewn along the yards, and stray dogs (pit bulls and rottweilers) wondering down the street when I went to pick her up.

     5.  At one time, a man pulled up beside her as she was walking home and exposed himself to her near the host family home.

     6.  The back yard of this home had a broken down car in it.  There was also a garden hose with water running from it attached to the roof.

     7.  When Sonya Carter and I arrived to move Nadia and her belongings, her host mother stood in the yard and screamed profanities at us.  (When I picked Nadia up the first time, she never even asked my name or where I was taking her).  She allowed Nadia a total of 10 minutes to pack her things.  Diane Torres was witness to all of this.

         Both Sella and Nadia were placed in homes were English was NOT the primiary language.  The television and  radios were always on Spanish speaking channels.  Conversations in the home were also in Spanish.

     These young women were placed in homes were their culture, backgrounds, and religious beliefs were totally ignored.

     Ms. Bolanga, you said that you wished that Sella and Nadia had used the "proper channels" to resolve these problems...  allow me to tell you what they did do and how things were handled through your "proper channels".

     Sella contacted Diane Torres, your area representative, about the problems she was facing.  Sella was told to "find somewhere else to live if you don't like it". 

     When Nadia contacted someone in your Connecticut office to express concerns, her call was apparently given to  Diane Torres to handle.  Ms. Torres told her that she didn't appreciate Nadia causing her problems by calling her supervisor. 

     This is the "HELP" that these young ladies received by following "proper channels".

     The weekend that arrangements were made to move Sella and Nadia, I first spoke with Diane Torres on the phone to make her aware of the changes.  She told me that she wasn't aware of any complaints or problems and that she had "personally" inspected and interviewed both of these host families.  She found nothing wrong with either placement. 

     When I met with Diane Torres at the home of Bobby and Sonya Carter to fill out paperwork, Ms. Torres informed  me that "these girls need to understand that not all Americans live in homes like this" - referring to the home of Bobby and Sonya Carter.

     Ms. Torres informed us that Sella and Nadia could not share the same host family home because they come from the same country.  I find that interesting in the fact that Ms. Torres has 7 students living in her home, with 2 from China, 1 from Germany, 1 from Thailand, and 3 from Korea.   Interesting set of rules Ms. Torres lives by.

     Since Sella and Nadia have been moved, Diane Torres has made NO attempt to contact me or to visit my home. 

She has NOT as much as called to check on the welfare of either girl.

     Diane Torres has, however, contacted Sella at her school (Ms. Torres is employed there) and recently told Sella that "Sonya Carter sure was causing a lot of trouble for her".  I request and demand that you contact Diane Torres and have her cease talking with Sella regarding this matter.  It is unfair for Ms. Torres to place the blame for her problems on the shoulders of these girls.  They have done nothing wrong but to blow the whistle on the poor conditions that they were subject to by Ms. Torres.

     I believe this program was founded on good, sound practices to provide a quality exchange program for students throughout the world.  What happened along the way???

     I am not only embarrassed, but angered for our country, my state, and my city.  I can not believe that we allow such on ill run program to continue.  If you can not provide safe, culturely and educationally friendly homes for these students, then please don't allow them to come.  It is now that the world needs to see Americans as we truly are - friendly, generous, and conscience of others and their beliefs in the world.  Not as Sella and Nadia had to endure for almost 7 months of living here.

     Both Nadia and Sella are responsible, beautiful young women.  It is truly a pleasure to share Fort Worth, Texas with both of them.  My knowledge of their country, culture, and religion has increased because of their willingness to share their life stories with me and my family and friends.

      While I am sadden for the reason to meet these girls, I am truly thankful to have made their acquaintance and friendship.

     If you have further questions, please feel free to contact me.

Regards,

LM