John Crist

June 17, 2008

John J. Crist has seen many changes as President of International Cultural Exchange Services.

The United States has gone from a beloved part of the world to a nation which is disliked in many countries, and from a wealthy nation to an "indebted" nation.

Internally, the United States has become more "homogenized." Crist's office had been in San Francisco, he told Putnam Rotarians today. Now he works from "the chateau" on Hurricane Creek Road.

"Who would have thought we would have had Friday's, or Applebee's or Starbucks within easy reach from Hurricane?"

ICES is one of about ten programs selected by the State Department for funding of exchange visitors through the Freedom Support Act of 1992.

During the eight-year run of that program, 1,400 visitors from the former Soviet Union visited this country through ICES assistance.

"We process the placement of all international visitors," says Crist. "From 48 countries, they all come to the Hurricane office, and we place them with families throughout the fifty states -- 500 placements this year."

In the past year, ICES had eight requests specifically for West Virginia, and each year the program hosts 20 to 30 visitors to the Putnam area.

Some of our people have been surprised to observe a democratic society at close range, says Crist. "We thought you could do anything you wanted, anytime you wanted," they say.

But they learn that there are rules which apply to everyone. "That's the difference between democracy and anarchy."

Under the Freedom Support Act following dissolution of the Soviet Union, Crist says there were few applicants to visit the United States. "They thought the grants would go to someone with good connections to 'the party' because that's the way things worked.

"When they saw the selections were on merit, the applicants lined up around the block."