Meeting the Enemy, Becoming a Friend

What would you do if you suddenly you found yourself part of a community you had always thought you would never be associated with? What if this happened in a foreign country, where everyone automatically thought you were part of that group? In Meeting the Enemy, Becoming a Friend Dr. Gelder talks about her personal transformation from outspoken critic of the U.S. military to a global citizen who worked with military personnel and Japanese citizens in cultural exchanges.A strong social and environmental activist, Dr. Gelder recounts how she had to come to terms with military actions in a foreign country and how those actions were reflected back on her for her association with the military. Overcoming her initial bias against the military, Dr. Gelder took it upon herself to become a global citizen and enhance the relations between military personnel stationed in Japan, and the Japanese people located around the military base. Through a variety of actions, Dr. Gelder worked to build a positive relationship between the U.S. military and the local Japanese citizens and their communities.In Meeting the Enemy, Becoming a Friend, Dr. Gelder shows how it is possible to be a citizen in a global world and to respond with positive actions towards the people and places encountered, while also positively representing the places and people you have come from.Gelder, Melinda is the author of 'Meeting the Enemy, Becoming a Friend ', published 2006 under ISBN 9780972134958 and ISBN 0972134956.