As soon as you walk into HI-Boston you are struck by the familiar smell of chocolate chip cookies! And the friendly feeling continues with the warmth of the staff and the great atmosphere of the hostel. HI- Boston is in the downtown Back Bay area, which includes some of the best museums and night spots in the city. Guests can enjoy daily programs, lectures, films, and workshops at the hostel. A walk along the famous Freedom Trail is the best way to see the sights that played a part in the American Revolution. Stroll around Boston Common, take in a Boston Pops concert and wander through Quincy Market with its food stalls and free entertainment. The hostel is only a few steps away from Fenway Park and from fashionable shopping on Newbury Street.

We are pleased to announce that HI San Diego has been chosen as a host site for the 2007 ABC (Alternative Break Citizenship) School for Break Away. Break Away is an organization that provides educational volunteer opportunities for college students during their spring break. In July of 2007, 40-60 student leaders from across the US will stay at our Point Loma hostel. During their visit they will be participating in a week-long workshop on Immigrant Rights and Border Issues.

The conference will include Break Away leadership training, connecting with local non-profits for volunteer opportunities in San Diego, and educational activities related to the focus issues. The ABC conference is a great opportunity for HI to make an impact on the local community, and to promote HI San Diego as an affordable and socially conscious destination.

For more information on Break Away, please visit www.alternativebreaks.org

We need your help! In 2009 hostelling will celebrate its 100 year anniversary. Hostelling International has started a campaign to petition the Stamp Advisory Committee to create a Centennial of Hostelling Stamp. We need people like you to sign the petition so the Centennial Stamp can become a reality.

By providing safe, affordable accommodations that promote the experiential education of travel, hostelling has made a unique and notable contribution to cross-cultural understanding in the United States and worldwide.

In 2005 alone, more than 34 million overnight stays were welcomed by more than 4000 hostels worldwide. And in the United States, nearly one million overnight stays by visitors from more than 100 countries were hosted.

Hostels are basic communal accommodations that by their design facilitate interaction and exchange. Locations in areas of cultural, historic, and scenic interest promote education and tourism. Organized programs enhance the cross-cultural experience. For young people, hostels provide safe places to learn, explore, and collaborate with peers and adults.

Please help in this opportunity to honor the hostelling movement by signing this petition. Thank you for your continued support.

Last year search engines generated close to $6 billion in revenue from advertisers. Goodsearch has developed a way to direct some of that money to the causes you care about most. It's easy ... every time you search the Internet at GoodSearch.com, Hostelling International earns money and the more you search, the more we make. Add up the money generated from all your searches, and you can make a real difference in helping us to fulfill our mission, to help all, especially the young, gain a greater understanding of the world and its people through hostelling.

Signing up is easy. Just go to Goodsearch.com and type in Hostelling International-San Diego Council for your charity and then hit verify. Please take a moment to make Goodsearch your search engine today. Thank you.