Youth: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best way to meet youth in other places online?

Sometimes it is best to try something new. The following social networking sites offer something to different to youth.

http://www.ipernity.com/
This site is like myspace but better and connects you globally.

http://www.hi5.com/
hi5 is a global brand for young people, where over 50 million members have established accounts and personal pages. From Miami to Mumbai, Lima to Lisbon, Sydney to San Francisco, hi5 is the place where young people come to stay in touch with friends, meet new people, create & explore content, and express themselves.

http://www.blippr.com/
This site helps you discover new books, games, movies, and music you’ll like, and that youth around the world are liking, too.

http://www.buzznet.com/
Buzznet distinguishes itself from traditional social networks that are focused on profile pages and communication tools, by enabling Web users to interact with and create dynamic multimedia communities around the pop culture and music topics they are most passionate about.

http://www.bligoo.com/
Create your a community or discover communities that talks about some interesting topics for you.

http://www.43things.com/
Discover what’s important, make it happen, share your progress. Find your 43 things.

http://www.kaneva.com/
Kaneva is the first virtual entertainment world that unifies the 2D web with a 3D experience. Kaneva is the first to integrate social networking, shared media, and collaborative online communities into a modern-day, immersive 3D Virtual World.

http://www.vside.com/
vSide is an immersive, interconnected virtual city environment where you can hang out, listen to music, chat, dance, and make friends.

http://urbii.com/
URBii is an internet neighborhood where you and your friends come together to shop, play, and explore. Chat about the latest books at Amazon, or go window-shopping at Nike.com. With URBii, your physical and virtual worlds finally come together — all within the comfort of your browser.

http://www.babelyou.com/
Babelyou is an online network functioning, in many languages, which enables people to make communicate worldwide.

What is true love and how do I know when I found it?

How do you know when you’ve fallen in love, or if this is the person you want to have a sexual relationship with? There is no simple answer. First, you should be aware of the difference between love and infatuation. Infatuation is the happy, excited feeling you get when you meet someone you really like. This feeling increases when the other person likes you back. This a good feeling and can lead to love, but it is not always love. Often, infatuation fades away and when it does, if love has not grown, then most likely the relationship will end.

Real love is hard to define but most definitions include something about caring about the person enough to not be selfish and always concerned about yourself. Some questions you should ask before you have sex with someone are these:

• Do you trust them?  Will they keep your actions confidential out of respect?
• Does this person make you feel good more than not? Having sex with someone will not make him or her like you more. In fact, it could make them like you less.
• Does the person care enough about you to wait until you are ready?
• Is the person willing to practice safe sex? Sexually transmitted diseases and unplanned pregnancy are not worth the risk. If you love someone and they love you back, together, you will avoid these mistakes.

When your relationship is good and might lead to real love, you are able to be your own person, keep your friends and continue doing the things you enjoy. You are not in love if you feel you have to change anything about yourself for the other person to like you.

True love reveals itself over time. It means you accept the other person for the good and the negative things about them. And they do the same for you.  Youth should be careful to not over commit too early and become distracted from things like school and friends.

What are the most important things I should be learning?

How to communicate.  Learning to read and write well are two of the most important skills anyone can ever learn. As a young person, you have a lot of time to practice becoming good at communication skills. The youth throughout the world who are the most successful are those who have learned how to communicate effectively.  You learn to read, write and speak well by reading as much as you can. Read every book you can get a hold of.

How to get along with others. Young people who can get along with others are the most successful in life. You can practice getting along with others by listening more than you speak.  Look for the good things in others rather than what is wrong with them. Don’t gossip or talk badly about others.  When people trust you to be a team player, you will get ahead.

Learn as much as you can about the Internet and how to use it. The business of the future will be done on the Internet. If you want to participate globally, to work, learn and share you should know everything there is to know about the Internet. Another important skill to have will be learning how to develop code to create Internet products. Here is a website where you can begin to learn this skill for free: http://www.1stsitefree.com/tutorial.htm

How can I get money to go to college in another country?

It’s never too early to begin planning to attend college in the United States. The most important thing you can do is stay in school and believe that if you do well it is very, very possible to get to go to college in another country even if you don’t have the money. Your first job is to identify a college or university that appeals to you and contact them about getting in. After the application is submitted there are many resources to help you find scholarship money, or work students money to attend college in the United States. The first step is to contact the financial aid officer. Many US colleges are eager to have young people from other countries attend their schools.  After that, here are some websites that may help you:

• American Association of University Women (scholarships for women)
• American Councils for International Education
• AMIDEAST—(scholarships for students from the Middle East and Africa)
• Council for International Exchange of Scholars
• Institute of International Education
• International Education Financial Aid
• International Scholarships
• International Student Loans
• International Student Scholarship Search
• Rotary International Ambassadorial Scholarships
• ScholarshipExperts

What are some organizations for youth and how can I become a member?

Young people all over the world are working together to make a difference in the world. You can too!  Here are some websites for you to check out that will offer you great ideas and suggestions for things you can do in your community.

Do Something This is a national network of young people who know they can make a difference in their communities and take action to change the world around them.

Earth Force Earth Force provides youth with knowledge and skills to discover and implement lasting solutions to environmental issues in their community.

Idealist Kids and Teens This site offers resources and ideas for youth and teachers for activism. Read about organizations started by kids, find volunteering opportunities, and learn about how to get involved in the world of important causes around you.

The more positive contributions you can make to the world as a youth, the better positioned you will be to meet people who can provide you the opportunity to a successful future.