The Rural Voice, 1979-10, Page 55A
A trip to
remember
Sirens. light, garbage, people. concrete,
action - all exploding around me. Cnething
was for sure - this "country mouse" had
hit the city, the BIG APPLE - New York had
engulfed me.
When in March I won the privilege of
being one of 42 Ontario delegates to the
30th Annual United Nations Pilgrimage for
Youth. 1 had no idea of what really lay
ahead. The 16 -day trip, sponsored entirely
by the Independent Order of Oddfellows
and Rebeccas, followed a route which
included Ottawa. Montreal, Vermont,
Connecticut, New York, Philadelphia,
Washington, Gettysburg and Niagara Falls
climaxing a 6 -day stay in New York City
where we were guests of the United
Nations. I was awarded the trip after
winning a public speaking contest against
other Grade 10 and 11 students from Huron
County.
The highlight of the trip was ultimately
the time spent in New York City. There we
were joined by delegates from Pennsyl-
vania, lowa, Delaware, New York and thc
Patz
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Aileen Underwood, age 16, is the daughter of
George and Helen Underwood, Turnberry Township.
She is an honours student at F.E. Madill High
School. Following is a report of her trip to New York.
Maritimes. totalling 150 sixteen and seven-
teen year old youths.
Our mornings for the first four days were
spent listening to briefs on various U.N.
functions from population census statistics
to disarmament to South African affairs.
The sessions, although boring at times,
proved that the U.N. is an active force in
world activities and helped make me aware
of what is happening in the world around
me. Away from the U.N. Headquarters, we
spent much time getting acquainted with
the city through a tour of Rockefeller
Centre. a night at Radio City Music Hall,
thc Broadway play "Beatlemania", a visit
to the Statue of Liberty and an overhead
city view from the 86th floor of the Empire
State Building. to mention only a few.
At first the city sickened me. New York
is actually a trap and few are able to escape
the grip of its poverty, but as the week
progressed I realized that life did exist; a
waitress made a special effort to get us ice
cold water, a security guard at the Ford
Foundation discussed how they water the
plants, a carnival barker talked about his
summer job; New York is alive. Still, there
was reason to fear the city as I learned
quickly.
Leaving New York, I took with me
several questions which remain unan-
sweed•how much power and influence does
the U.N. actually have? Where is the world
headed? How much fear should we have of
nuclear weaponry? Why was 1 the delegate
on the air conditioned bus looking out and
not the barefoot drunk on the street looking
in: It really isn't fair. Still, I was left with
many new views and ideas, not to mention
uncountable friendships.
Actually, I consider my trip unexplain-
able. I really cannot put down on paper all I
feel it has meant to me. Arriving home only
a short time ago, all is still fresh in my
mind and 1 trust it will remain so for years
to come.
Yes, the "country mouse" is home, but
she has changed because in Summer '79
she was part of the Oddfellows' U.N.
Pilgrimage for Youth.
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THE RURAL VOICE/OCTOBER 1979 PG 53