(upbeat instrumental music) - Welcome to "Forum 360".

Thank you for joining us for a global outlook with a local view.

I'm Leslie Ungar, your host today.

In the '60s they called them the Peanut Butter Generation, young people getting on buses to campaign for Bobby Kennedy for president.

As they descended from the buses to canvas door to door, they would be handed peanut butter sandwiches.

Our young people today pushed the boundaries way past county, state, and even country borders.

In their quest to do good, these young men and women visit countries on educational trips that were unimaginable just a few years ago.

More than a 100 years ago, philosopher William James said, "Act as if what you do makes a difference.

It does."

Our guests today have embraced this philosophy, not just in what they say, but in what they do.

Olivia has recently returned from a trip to Europe, where she visited the Auschwitz Concentration Camp, among other sites.

With no direct Jewish background, she wanted to see for herself what history looked like, whether it was standing near a gas chamber or at the Berlin Wall.

Kyrsten went to Nicaragua this summer on her fourth mission to the same community.

Living with families for a week each year in the Spanish-speaking country has inspired her to this fall study International Business with an interest in Spanish.

We welcome Olivia Valentine, an incoming sophomore at Copley High School, and Kyrsten Maimone starting her freshman year at the University of Cincinnati.

I welcome you both and thank you for making time to come visit us in your international travels.

(Olivia chuckles) - Thank you for having us.

- Yes, thank you so much.

- My pleasure.

Olivia, I'm gonna start with you, since you returned virtually really days ago, first tell us where you went and why you chose to go on this trip.

- Okay, so we first headed to Berlin, Germany, and then we went to Warsaw, and then Krakow, and then we went down to Prague kind of by Czechoslovakia Public, all that fun stuff.

So I think I really wanted to go, 'cause I kind of learned a little, and I'll talk more about it, is we hear a lot about what Jewish people had to go through during the Holocaust and I don't think we always realized that there was a beginning point, and then there was a middle, and then there was an end.

So, it was like I really wanted to see not only the middle part, but I also wanted to see how it was beforehand, how it was after, like how it really experience it and not just hear it through a book, or see it through photographs that I've seen a 100 times in school.

- And before we go on, let me ask you, what was one thing that was different about being there and seeing it that people might say, "Well, you know, you can see it virtually, you can see it on YouTube, you can see it, you know, on Zoom."

What was something that you can think of that was different seeing, being there in person?

- I think the feeling of it.

I can't get a feeling.

I mean you can, but not like it really is, like the feeling of just physically being there.

Like I know, when I was at Auschwitz, the physical feeling of being in such a place of just horrible actions that it happened.

Just physically knowing that like that happened, and feeling that, and like accepting that feeling, and trying to work through that feeling, I can't get that through a YouTube video that's someone filmed four years ago.

- Mm-hmm.

- So there's definitely the feeling of it, - Feeling.

- that's different.

- Okay, good.

Good to know for people out there wondering, you know, why these amazing trips.

So Kyrsten.

Kyrsten?

- Kyrsten.

Yeah.

(chuckles) - Kyrsten.

- Wanna make sure I pronounced it correctly.

You returned about a month ago, - Mm-hmm.

- right?

So tell us where you went on this trip, 'cause you've been on other trips, that we won't get to but on this trip where you went and why you chose this trip.

- Right.

Okay, so this trip we went to Nicaragua.

It's in Central America and we stayed in Ciudad Sandino, which is about like an hour away from the capital city of Managua.

And we chose to go here.

My mom and I have been there three previous years, so this is our fourth year.

- And had it not been for Covid, it would probably been like your sixth year, right?

- Yes.

- I, I think, yeah, I think yes the sixth year.

'cause, yeah, - Yeah.

- there was two years that we couldn't go, but we chose this trip because the first year we just really felt a calling in our hearts and we just had such an amazing, unique, and powerful experience when we first went, and we just decided that as many years as we can go in the future, we're gonna try to go as, like every year, Lord willing.

- Now since you go to the same place each year.

- Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

- So do you see some of the same people?

- Yes, which is really, really nice and cool.

Like since we have gone four other years, I know these people and we both know each other, and we are able to keep in touch through social media and Facebook.

But it's nice catching up with them and learning what has gone on in their lives, and telling them what's going on in mine.

- Now, what are some things that you would do?

When you go to this community what are some things you would do either with or for these people?

- Okay, there's different teams that you can sign up for.

So there's like construction, medical, and children's and Bible distribution.

So I've been on the children's and Bible distribution every year that I can choose.

So what that looks like is we have a children's camp, or a VBS usually in the beginning of the day, and we just set up games and activities, and have a little sermon for them.

And then later in the day we go to a different neighborhood and pair up with a church in that neighborhood, and we go around, split up in teams and distribute Bibles to a bunch of different houses, which is just one thing that you don't really think about, like, oh passing out Bibles, because like everyone seems to have a Bible here, they're at every hotel room, you know?

- Mm-hmm.

- But it's not a very common thing to have your own Bible, especially there, so we are able to bless families with something as little as that.

- So, that's something that you learn about other countries that everyone doesn't necessarily have a Bible.

- Right.

Right.

- But I want you to kind of turn that upside down.

I think that when we travel we learn a lot about ourselves and we also learn things about our country that we learn by leaving it, - Yeah!

(chuckles) - right?

Is there something that you can share with us that you either learned about yourself, or that you learned about, you know, the country because you traveled outside of it, whoever wants to, Olivia, you wanna answer.

- Yeah.

- Sure, I think so.

I've also kind of relating to what you've been doing, I've done a couple missions trips all over the place, but last year I actually went to Mexico, - Okay.

- and we kind of did kind of the same thing.

And I think looking at kind of the community around like you see how much like, you know, they're always like in foreign countries like, oh, they don't have as much as us, but they may not have as much as us, but they have so much joy, and so much light.

- Mm-hmm.

- Yeah.

- Like they may lack in like physical items but they never lack in joy and love, and they're always so happy, and they're so friendly.

Like other places, like they'll have a conversation with you like right on the street.

- And they're very welcoming to Americans.

- Yes, they're very welcoming, - Yes.

- and you think that they would be like, oh like kind of annoyed, or like, oh like I'm sure you don't really wanna talk to me, you just wanna see the sites, but they'll open up to you, and they'll have a full conversation.

I know on the trains in different places that we went on planes, like we just got to know like these people that are locals, and we would talk to them and we would be like, "Hey, like what's the best place that we can go for ice cream or dinner, or best sites?"

And like they're open to it, and they wanna show their community off.

So, it's really amazing how they just love where they are and they're so accepting of other people.

- Yeah, I had the same experience I'd say like just very, you said they don't have as much physical things, but they're not lacking at all in just the joy and presence, - Right.

- And, yeah, it's great.

One thing, you asked what did we learn about ourselves?

One thing I learned about myself is that my comfort zone can be very restrictive, which is like a given 'cause it's a called a comfort zone.

But I definitely was pushed way out of my comfort zone more than I've ever gone.

And I just learned that I'm able to do a lot more than I think I can do.

- Yeah.

- And it was just really cool like seeing that part of myself, yeah.

- Which kind of leads me - That is cool.

- to, you know, you know, summer may seem long, it, you know, at your age summer may seem long, but it goes pretty fast.

And I imagine you could have stayed and worked, or you could have volunteered somewhere here in your own communities but you chose to repeatedly travel somewhere.

So, you know, as a communication coach I find that people are always scared of the why question.

But I'm gonna ask you why, from your perspective, was it important enough for you to choose to take a week or two, whatever time you took away from your family and your friends and go to another place?

- Right.

- Why was that important for you?

- Yeah, this year, especially, I was very hesitant to go 'cause it is 10 days and I just graduated high school, I'm gonna be leaving for college in actually a week now.

(chuckles) So I wanna spend time with family and friends that I won't be able to see as much.

So I was just very hesitant to go.

But ultimately I made the decision that I know I should go because I know I'll have a good and important like time there.

And I'm very glad I made that choice.

But it's definitely hard.

I know that the experiences and lessons that I would learn would be like pay off more than just staying at home.

- And they were.

- And they were.

- And they were.

- Yes, for sure.

- And you can take that with you now as you start school and say, "Starting a new school is nothing after going to a foreign country."

- Right?

- Right.

- Yes.

(chuckles) - Olivia why, why do you choose to leave your pets and your family?

(Kyrsten chuckles) (Olivia chuckles) Why?

- I think it's definitely I want to, I like talking about comfort zone.

Like I'm comfortable in my house, I'm comfortable in my bed, comfortable with the people around me, but not everybody else has the same walk of life that I do.

And I want to experience what they have to go through, or what they get to go through.

- Mm-hmm.

- Like just being able to go to Germany and see the walk of life that they had to live in a time that they didn't choose this.

I have been gifted to be living here in a privileged life.

They didn't get that choice.

So, I wanna feel, I wanna understand, and I wanna learn anything that I can about how their life was.

So, just being able to learn and step in, walk in different atmospheres, different cultures, different people's shoes.

I just love being able to learn about people and how they outlook on life, 'cause all of us have different outlooks.

- Mm-hmm.

- Is there one thing, and both of you are well traveled, but as you think about Nicaragua, you also did Europe and you also did concentration camps, and you've done different mission trips.

Is there one thing that stands out from all of your trips that is one memory that stands out the most?

Is there one memory, one person, one event that comes to mind first?

- I think I'll kind of, I'll talk a little bit about, so I went to the Berlin Wall, and I really like to read.

So, it was a very interesting feeling to be physically there.

A really big lesson that, or like thing that I noticed when I was at both Auschwitz and the Berlin Wall is like, this isn't just a story that we're told years after years in the same pictures.

Like this is a physical thing.

Like standing at the Berlin Wall and seeing this like huge wall that people were trapped behind just because the government wanted them to be behind there.

They wanted to control them.

Or being at Auschwitz and physically walking under a gate that millions walked in and never came out, and I get to.

Just being able to be there is just such an out of body experience.

And it was amazing because then I noticed that like I have all this freedom and they didn't, and it's such a gift.

Like I think whenever I travel and go to a different place, I realize how much I'm gifted with.

Like, I always come back grateful for anything that I have, even if it's just the pillow and the blanket that I have to sleep with 'cause I know people don't have that.

Like in the comforts, like going to Auschwitz and seeing like the wooden racks that they had to sleep on.

I get a bed and a comforter.

Like just realizing what I have and what I don't, and that these are real things that happen.

Like a real person had to sleep on that, four of them to be exact, or more.

- Right.

- It's always a grateful experience, and just the fact that it's not a tale that we just get told.

And I think that's what we feel like, sometimes when we're here.

Like it's literally across the ocean.

Yeah.

That's far away, but it happened.

It's not another tale that never happened 'cause sometimes we can't relate to it.

We just see pictures of it.

- Right.

Is there a person that comes to mind, or an event, or city?

- Yeah, an event.

So, I actually have two.

So one is, - Okay.

- in an concentration camp as while I went to Dachau in Germany, I think it's near Munich.

But it was just like that surreal feeling, and just feeling of like gratefulness that you didn't, that we don't have to live like that.

But also it's just like the feeling like, oh, that happened, and there was physical people here, and in this life, and, yeah, that just really stuck out to me, and it touched me in a way that like nothing else ever has.

And also when I went to Nicaragua, I think it was this year, yeah, we were going out for Bible distribution, and there was this one house, and it was a woman and her husband.

And in that house they had like three or four pigs, a bunch of chickens, and dogs, and it was just right when you walk in the house, they didn't have like a backyard farm.

It's just right there.

And it was just, it just really, I had to like stand there and just think for a second.

Like, this is what they live in every day, and they're so happy, and they invited us into their home.

Like they're happy to be showing us their home and talk to us for 30 minutes.

They talk to us for a while, but it's just like, it just really makes me appreciative, and for what I have, and that these other people are willing to show me, - Share, yeah, awesome.

- share their life, and yeah.

- Did you wanna take any of those animals home with you?

I would've wanted to take some of those, no?

- No.

- No, oh, okay.

- I'm not super big with animals.

- Okay.

(laughs) - And they were a little smelly.

(Leslie laughs) (Kyrsten laughs) - They were a little smelly.

- Yeah.

- Take a pig for the plane ride home.

- Yeah.

- That's right.

- Put it in a carry on.

- That's right.

That's right.

- Yeah, animals - And, no one - aren't my big thing.

- will know.

(Kyrsten laughs) (Olivia laughs) - I wanna reintroduce our guest today, we are talking about amazing young people who have traveled the world to learn and to do good.

We are talking with Olivia Valentine, an incoming sophomore at Copley High School, who's recently been to Poland and Germany.

And Kyrsten Maimone who was a Nicaragua with the summer, but her travels have included Germany, and Europe, and different places that she has also gone.

Now, I believe both of you went to Philadelphia on mission trips, is that right?

- Yes.

I have.

Yeah.

- You went but you went somewhere else?

- Yeah, I went- - Domestically?

- Mm-hmm, yeah.

- You've gone, so you've both gone domestically.

Is it different traveling domestically than it is internationally?

- I would think so.

I like being, because I went to Philadelphia for probably five or six years.

And even though it's close to home, it's still like a different place.

It's a different atmosphere.

There're houses, they have row houses, so they're literally one after the other, and they don't have as much space as us, but it feels like a different place.

And it's still, even though it's people that are close to us that are home, there's still, like I don't know.

It's just a different atmosphere and they still need as much love as people do in foreign countries.

Like they still are joyful and they also still don't have as much as we do, even though they do live in America.

And they do have privileges that some people don't.

Like they still need some things and they still need love, but they're still so friendly and house opening.

- Mm-hmm.

- Like I've definitely been in houses down there, and been in communities, and they are so excited to just show off everything that they do have, so.

- So if you had a choice of taking a week and going somewhere on a mission trip, domestically or internationally, what would you choose?

- I think I would stick to international.

- Yeah?

- 'Cause, well, I went on one mission trip to West Virginia, and it was just a little different.

Do you know how sometimes they have those Christmas trees, and you like pick a little ornament, and you buy presents for them?

- Mm-hmm.

- That's what we did.

So we brought all those presents from our church there and we just set up like, I don't know, like a hangout like worship thing.

So it wasn't as much like within the community, it was kind of just like, you just are loving on them.

And it wasn't, I can't think of what I'm trying to say, but it wasn't - But you still got to see.

- much like an action- - some of parts - Yeah!

- of West Virginia that many, many, many Americans will never.

- Right, but I do enjoy the going internationally and just learning of a whole new culture, and way of life, - Which is why - living, and language.

- You're majoring in international business?

- Yes.

- Right?

- Yes.

- And not just business.

- I get it, all the pieces, - Right.

- are coming together.

- Yes.

- I feel a need to apologize to you for the state of the world that you're inheriting.

If we could fast forward 20 years, okay, and you are now 35 and 38, how would the world be different if your magic wand worked and you could change it in any way?

- Hmm, I think I'd say just be kind to others.

I mean, it's such, everyone says it, but- - I wish everyone did say it.

- I wish every- Yeah.

- Maybe everyone you know says it.

- Said that they did it.

- I wish everyone did say it.

- That's true, and did it.

Yeah, and acted on it.

- Yes.

- because you just really never know what is going on in other people's lives.

And it's just a waste of time to just be rude, and just be kind and love everyone else.

Yeah.

- That's a good thought.

And how would the world be different if you could wave your magic wand?

- I would kind of improve like healthcare, or like the way that people like living conditions.

So I wanna be a surgeon, an orthopedic surgeon.

But I really have thought about traveling internationally to different places that don't have all of the fancy equipment that we have, but just that people are taken care of, and like there's so many places that I've been that are just filthy or unclean for someone to be living in, and they just don't get the resources that they should have.

Just being able to have everybody seen in their conditions and be able to be taken care of.

Like maybe they won't have financial help to be able to do that, but they could like just better healthcare for people who are injured.

Like there's so many people, like, so I work with homeless people, sometimes there's so many people who have needs or injuries that have gotten infected, and they can't take care of them.

So, unfortunately they either have to cut off a limb, or suffer with the infection.

Just be able to have places that like they can go to, they can get taken care of.

So just to care for people in ways that they need to be cared of.

- Pretty basic, huh?

- Yeah.

- Should be.

- Yeah.

- Should be pretty basic.

You both believe in the power of volunteering.

You know, even at your ages you had options.

You could have worked the time that you traveled.

Not that you aren't still working, but you could have worked the time that you were traveling.

Why do you make time to volunteer in a world with so many things buying for your time?

Why is volunteering important to you?

'Cause I think it's important to your generation and even the generation before you has made volunteering very important.

But what is it called to you or what does it say to you?

- I can't buy joy.

That's just the main, I can't buy it, but I can give it to other people and I can feel it.

I can work millions and hundreds of hours on a job that maybe I don't even like.

But I love seeing smiling faces on little kids when you give them candy or you give 'em a high five.

Like that's stuff that I can never buy.

And just being able to be there, and also when people find out that you're volunteering, not that like in, I want the credit for it, but like when you go to somebody like in Philadelphia, or in Mexico, and they're like, "Like, what are you here for?"

And we're like, "Oh, we're just volunteering.

We're just here for a week."

And they're like shocked that somebody is willing to, and wants to, but I so much want to.

Like when the time comes where you have to leave, you're like, "I don't want to."

- Mm-hmm.

- "I don't wanna leave.

I wanna keep being" - It's a good sign - "down here."

- of that time well spent.

- Yes.

- So why would you say volunteering calls to you and really in your family?

- Mm-hmm, I'd say I just love learning about other people and just other ways of life and cultures.

That's always been something that really interests me.

So even domestically here, but I love just really just connecting with people and learning what they've gone through and what, yeah, I think that's the- - And how is your Spanish?

- It's pretty good.

- Pretty good?

- And then, well, not really.

I took two years of it in middle school, and then I did sign language in high school.

But since we do go to Nicaragua, - Right.

- I'm able to.

- That's what I wondered.

- Yeah.

- Nothing like- - And they're very understanding and helping like with my Spanish.

But- - Now, do they speak English?

- No, well, no.

- No?

- So, you need - Not very many people- to speak Spanish to communicate.

- Yes, actually, when we were doing Bible distribution one time I was at one point it was literally me and like three local natives like going around the streets, and I was like, no one speaks English except for me.

And I don't speak very well Spanish, but, you know, it worked out perfectly.

But, yeah, - Okay.

- I definitely (indistinct).

- Did you learn how to ask for where's the bathroom?

- Yes, I did, - That was one of my first questions - know that.

- I did know that.

- Okay, just making sure.

Just making sure.

- No, gotten better.

- In the time that we have remaining, I'm gonna ask for just one or two word answers, which may not seem fair, but my first question is, what do you think most people get wrong about your generation?

- Hmm.

- I know it's a tough one, but in a word or two, can you answer it?

- That we are all selfish, we are all conceited.

- And that's wrong?

- Yes.

That was completely wrong.

- Definitely wrong.

- Yeah, I think people - Kyrsten?

- just like underestimate our like knowledge and willingness to do these things.

- Great things?

- Great things like this.

- Great things?

- Yeah.

- Yes.

In a word or two, how did Covid affect your schooling?

- It was challenging and then I didn't feel like I was getting everything that I needed to, and it felt outta reach.

- Yeah.

I'd say the same thing.

And I just felt very disconnected, and I honestly struggled with just learning the material.

- I'm sure.

- Yeah.

- Now some fun ones.

Favorite performing artist?

- Oh.

- Is there a favorite?

- I don't know.

I like a lot.

I know I've definitely been, I know everybody, but I like the cute little outfits of Taylor Swift and her little era going on right now.

- No, I love Taylor Swift.

She's my favorite.

- Wow.

- I was even thinking Taylor Swift, okay.

- No, she's my favorite.

- She's on everybody's mind.

- I love her.

- I was just gonna, - I love her.

- She was rocking Versace and Cavalli, so I was even thinking her.

- Yes.

- A favorite food?

What is the favorite food - Oh, - of an almost 16 year old?

- Tacos.

- Ooh.

- Tacos, absolutely.

- And going to college, what is your favorite food?

- I'd say pasta, as a general, - Yes.

- as a general.

- Yes.

- Yes.

(chuckles) - Mm-hmm.

- A favorite book that you're reading, or that you've read any time in your school career.

- My favorite book is "Not If I Save You First" that is my favorite book.

- Okay.

I think “The Book Thief" is one of my favorites.

- Okay.

- Mm.

- Do you have a favorite Netflix, Hulu, Amazon binge?

Any favorite there?

- Not really.

I kind of watch a lot of things.

- Yeah, I have a lot.

- Totally.

- I am watching "Modern Family" right now, and I'm really loving that.

- That one's so funny.

(Kyrsten laughs) - Yeah.

- Can you tell us quickly why you picked University of Cincinnati?

- Ooh.

- I really wasn't gonna, it wasn't on my radar really.

And then I visited it and I just felt it inside of me.

Like, I need to go here, and it's a really great school for business.

- And you know, a president of a university once told me, "If you just leave it up to your child, they will know."

- [Kyrsten] Yeah.

And I did.

- And you did, and how, in a few words did you pick orthopedic surgery?

- I think just, I've seen so many people who don't have those kind of things, like talking about the homeless people, and then also just like being able to fix people that don't have amazing healthcare, and don't have all those amazing things, and you know, I'm so grateful for the limbs that I do have.

- I just wanna live long enough to come to you as my doctor.

(Kyrsten and Olivia chuckling) There is a saying that the power of youth is the common wealth for the entire world.

Our guests today, Olivia Valentine and Kyrsten Maimone have proven the saying, they use their power of youth to learn, to help, to build.

Swedish activist, Greta Thunberg, is raising awareness of climate change.

Young people everywhere are our future wealth.

You don't have to look any further than the kids down the street for the wealth of things that they're doing to prepare to make the world a better place.

When I was about their age, a very wise woman told me, "Look for ordinary people doing extraordinary things."

Today we've had the honor of having two extraordinary young people.

I thank you both Ms. Olivia and Kyrsten.

Thank you to our audience for joining us on "Forum 360" for a global outlook with a local view.

(upbeat instrumental music) - [Announcer] "Forum 360" is brought to you by John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Akron Community Foundation, Hudson Community Television, the Rubber City Radio Group, Shaw Jewish Community Center of Akron, Blue Green, Electric Impulse Communications, and Forum 360 Supporters.

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