The Global Youth Leadership program is entirely fictional. There are, however, many wonderful experiential learning programs available around the world. Find one that’s right for you and follow your dreams.
Refugee Crisis International is also an entirely fictional organization. But thousands of people dedicate their lives and careers to development work (both paid and volunteer) in real organizations across the world, many laboring under challenging conditions in order to make a difference in their own communities, and in those far away from their homes. Their work is a game of inches with no happy ending guaranteed, and this novel is written in honor of their efforts.
My heartfelt thanks to everyone who supported me in this personal journey, long that it was.
To Kathy Wallace for the original edit. To Laura Grey for her dear friendship and love over all the years. To Cyndy Aleo for never giving up, even when I did. To Sol Kim-Bentley, for her sharp-eyed edits and cover concept.
To Lauren Billings and Nina Bocci for their remarkable support in the last mile. To Heather Carrier for the beautiful cover execution. And to every single person who read the story, provided their feedback or expressed their appreciation. Thank you all.
To Up with People – the organization, my cast (93A), and my alumni family around the world, for changing my life forever.
To my Mom, Dad and my sister Maureen for a lifetime of support.
To Leif, the unconventional one, who helped me to find my courage in the end.
To Miriam, for always.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
CJ Markusfeld is a digital marketer, parent, traveler and writer of many things. She lives and writes in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. This is her first published novel.
She is an alumna of Up With People, a global education organization which aims to bring the world together through service and music. You can learn more about this life-changing experience for young people at www.upwithpeople.org.