Story by Jocelyn Johnstone

It was the late 1960s – the era of the Beatles, the assassination of JFK and the moon landing.

We were omniscient, omnipotent 17-year-olds bound for the adventure of our lives.

The Canterbury nominees for an AFS Scholarship to the United States, we met a few times in Christchurch before our August, 1968 departure, shared a comprehensive orientation with the Australians at Stanford University, San Francisco, and then were off to our families.

To Wisconsin, Florida, Pennsylvania, other parts of California, in fact, across the length and breadth of the US.

As members of the Class of ’69 we met up again for our return 12 months later – and then lost contact for four decades! Until September, 2009 when we held a 40th reunion.

Would we have anything in common? Would we even recognise each other?

Happily seven of us gathered for a celebratory dinner and there was instant recognition and non-stop conversation.

What became of us post our AFS year? Three became teachers, one a businessman, one an academic, another a nurse and one a journalist, and all but one of us are still working.

We all married and had families – some of us are grandparents!

All of us are still in contact with our American families – some regularly, others intermittently.

Most of us have been back to the US and revisited families and friends or hosted them on holidays here in New Zealand. We all spoke very fondly of our host families. One named her daughter after her host sister.

While we probably didn’t acknowledge them adequately at the time, we also paid tribute to our own parents who raised the funds for us to go and who willingly allowed us to do so.

No cell phone, no email or internet, then.

We received lots of mail. The familiar blue aerograms were keenly anticipated. We immersed ourselves in American community life, our high schools, our interests. We made new friends; we grew up.

Now, approaching 59, we’re suddenly aware of our maturity, of how courageous and lucky we were to take off into the world at the tender age of 17 and experience another kind of life.

For all of us, our AFS year was a pivotal one. It helped shape us and showed us our potential.

The Canterbury 1968-69ers have resolved to meet again in five years time, but we’ll be talking in between times! Our AFS friendships have been rekindled and we are all highly delighted.

Standing from left to right: Allison Husband (Hedges), Pauline Tucker (Bonisch), Jocelyn Johnstone (Barker), Ian Lochhead.

Seated: Bill Luff, Charlotte Woods (Holmes), Rose Gregory (Lyon).

Back row: Ian Lochhead, Rose Gregory (Lyon), Allison Husband (Hedges), Charlotte Woods (Holmes).

Front row: Pauline Tucker (Bonisch), Jocelyn Johnstone (Barker), Bill Luff.