visit relatives meaning

Visiting friends and relatives (VFR) is BIG. Here’s why

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Visiting friends and relatives, often referred to as VFR, is one of the most prominent types of tourism . Whether you are a tourism management student or a tourism industry entrepreneur, it is important that you understand this vital sector of the tourism industry .

In this article, I will tell you what is meant by the term ‘visiting friends and relatives’ (VFR) and where the term came from. I will also tell you a bit about the reasons why people might travel to visit friends and relatives and how this industry has grown in recent years. Lastly, I will give you some examples of where and how VFR might occur in a global context.

What is visiting friends and relatives (VFR)?

Is vfr tourism, where did the term vfr come from, changing patterns of visiting friends and relatives, globalisation, growing expat population, freedom of movement, desire to travel, degrowth in vfr, examples of vfr, to conclude: visiting friends and relatives (vfr).

Visiting friends and relatives is a term that we hear thrown around frequently within the tourism industry. And, to be frank- it’s actually not difficult to understand.

Essentially, VFR is the movement of a person away from the place in which they live to a place where a family member or friend lives. Within the context of tourism, it is a prerequisite that said visit is far enough away from the person’s home and lasts a long enough duration that it can be classified as ‘tourism’.

Does visiting my grandma for afternoon tea at her home in the next village count as tourism?

What about if I travel to Spain to stay with my dad for two weeks in the summer holidays?

Well, whilst it may seem pretty obvious (the first is not tourism and the second is), there is no hard and fast rule that says when VFR is and isn’t tourism.

If you have read some of my other posts, such as A Definition of Tourism , you will notice that this is a recurring theme in the tourism literature. It is all too common that the boundaries are blurred and that the grey areas leave the door open for subjectivity and ambiguity.

How do Governments measure VFR? How can we compare VFR industries across different parts of the world? The answer- who knows and, well- no.

Visiting friends and relatives (VFR) is a concept that was defined by tourism industry stakeholders in order to better understand this sector of the tourism industry.

Segmentation of this type enabled travel industry researchers and academics to study the relationship between VFR travellers and aspects such as economic and social impacts of tourism .

By having a better understanding of the VFR sector, tourism businesses could be better informed to plan their operations. So, for example, hotels could better understand what facilities guests might be seeking and tourist attractions can understand what provisions may be needed for these types of tourists .

The notion of visiting friends and family, or VFR, has changed significantly over the years.

Migration patterns have changed a lot- think back to the advent of the slave trade compared to todays economic migration- I am a prime example of this with out move from the UK to China .

Over the years travel has become easier, more affordable and more convenient. It is easy to hop on a budget airline flight to fly across Europe for a couple of days. Whilst it takes a bit longer, it is also perfectly reasonable to travel to the other side of the world to visit friends and family for a few weeks.

Other factors that have influenced the growth of VFR includes increased urbanisation of areas, the building of more airports and transport infrastructure and globalisation .

Reasons for the growth in visiting friends and relatives (VFR)

There are several different reasons for the growth in the visiting friends and relatives market around the world. This includes globalisation, a growing expat population , migration, freedom of movement, education and the desire to travel.

I will further explain each of these below.

Globalisation is the notion that we are all becoming more alike, or more ‘global’. Globalisation is increasingly present in almost every aspect of the world that we live in. From English schools in Taiwan, to smart phones in Ethiopia to fajitas in Australia , the world is becoming more and more connected and more and more alike.

Globalisation is bringing people together- we can communicate more easily and understand each other better than before. But globalisation is also increasing distance between us. People who would never have considered a move to, say Japan, are not relocating across the globe for better financial benefits, knowing that they can still get many of their home comforts.

Many business are opening up offices, headquarters and factories around the world and workforces are distributed all over the globe. This means that there is more business travel than ever before.

The corporate world has, in many regards, become a multinational industry. This has meant that there has been an increase in people moving to live overseas around the world. In the UAE, for example, less than 12% of people who live there are Emirates, meaning that the expat population makes up more than 88%! Wow!

Naturally, expats will want to travel to visit their friends and families from time to time, and their friends and families are likely to want to visit them too. This is a clear example of VFR.

People have chosen to migrate from place to place throughout the history of tourism .

Over the years migration patterns have changed. Sometimes people migrate for safety reasons, such as war and political instability. Other times people choose to migrate for economic reasons, usually because the country that they are travelling to offers a better financial situation. And some people choose to migrate for other reasons such as the culture , the weather or the social aspects of a destination.

Popular migration origins, whereby people have opted to migrate the UK throughout the past couple of decades include; India , Pakistan, Jamaica, Nigeria and Poland.

People who have migrated out of the UK in recent years have typically chosen to relocate to the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Spain, Singapore and Hong Kong.

People who migrate will often return to their country of origin to visit their friends and relatives. Likewise, their friends and relatives will often travel to visit them.

Having the freedom to travel to different places has inevitably impacted the VFR industry.

This is most evident in Europe, where the EU four freedoms has resulted in years of uninterrupted travel within the union. A decade or so ago there was a significant influx of people with passports from Eastern European countries moving to the UK. This was as a result of the economic opportunities available to in the UK compared to their home countries.

Education has also become increasingly globalised. Where I live, in Hangzhou, China , people pay a lot of money to send their children to international schools, where they are prepped to attend university in the UK or America. This is common practice in many parts of the world.

VFR amongst students and their families is a significant part of the visiting friends and relatives sector.

Lastly, the most dominant reason for an increase in VFR is the desire to travel.

People nowadays want to see more of the world than ever before. People want to experience new cultures and do things that may not be possible in their home areas (i.e. sunbathing on the beach or skiing on a mountain).

Increased desire to travel has resulted in more people moving overseas, embarking on expatriate lifestyles and travelling for VFR purposes.

Whilst there has been a clear upwards trend in visiting friends and relatives around the world for many years, this was thwarted by the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time irreversible societal changes occurred including a growth in the shut in economy and technological advancements in telecommunication.

It is likely that many areas will never be the same again. The elderly, who were once averse to using smart devices with significant technological capabilities, have now mastered the use of FaceTime. Group get togethers on Zoom are now commonplace. Microsoft Teams is now the most used classroom around the world.

It is likely that some of these areas will remain popular and may even continue to grow in the future. While there will always be a place for visiting grandma in Scotland and attending a work conference in Budapest, these will likely be less popular now that the world has adapted to using modern technologies that overcome the barriers of distance.

Here are some examples of situations whereby a person might travel for VFR purposes:

• Visiting an aunty who moved to Canada ten years ago
• Going to stay with an old school friend who lives in Portugal
• Meeting your spouses family who live in Ghana
• Travelling to Thailand to attend a family wedding
• Going to visit your son at university in California
• Travelling to Dubai to visit your best friend who moved there for work last year
• Spending a month in Australia with your grandchildren who were born down under
• Taking a short trip to Romania to visit your sick relative
• Returning to your university town for a reunion event

Hopefully now you understand what is meant by the term VFR and you understand why it is such an important part of the tourism industry. As you can see, there are many different situations whereby a person may choose to travel for VFR, from attending a school reunion to visiting your grandma. If you found this interesting, why not follow me on social media? Links at the top of the page!

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When Relatives Visit

Keep the Holidays Harmonious Holidays, as much as they're supposed to be full of warmth and laughter with friends and family, have the potential for disaster. Because we expect so much, and are often overtired and overstressed, emotions -- and tensions -- tend to run high by the time family gets together. In this atmosphere, even the most innocent comment or minor infraction can open old wounds or cause major new battles.

Set the Tone by Phone Many holiday conflicts with relatives may be avoided by a telephone conversation prior to their visit. These discussions should be loving and empathic and free from warnings, anger, or criticism. Your conversation might include:

• A discussion of appropriate and not overly expensive gifts for your children.
• An explanation of how you discipline your children and how your kids will respond if your relatives attempt to discipline them.
• How you are looking forward to their being an important part of your holiday celebrations.
• The schedule of your holiday events and rituals.
• An agreement that you all will refrain from arguments and criticizing one another, especially if there are children present.
• Any changes or elimination of longstanding holiday traditions that might disappoint them or cause them to feel rejected.

Conflict : Your mother has taken away a cookie from your five-year-old son, saying, "You can't eat that cookie now. It's too close to supper and it will spoil your appetite." Your son has withdrawn to a corner of the room and is bordering on tears.

Resolution : You put your arm around your mother and explain to her that you have relaxed your eating rules for your kids during the holidays: "Mom, we're letting the kids have a few sweet treats in between meals during the next few days. I'll go tell Tim you hadn't heard about our rule change. After that, maybe you could ask him to show you his seashell collection. He's been looking forward to showing it to you."

Conflict : On Christmas Eve, you say to all your family, "Okay, time for everyone to open up one present." Your parents grimace and your dad says, "What's this all about? It's not evenChristmas and we're opening up presents? We never did that when you were growing up."

Resolution : "Mom, Dad, this year we've started a new tradition where everyone gets to open up one gift on Christmas Eve. So, we've kept most of the old traditions that we had growing up, like lightingup the tree while we all sang 'Silent Night,' and we've added a few new ones. Here's your Christmas Eve present. By the way, which one of you is going to light up the tree tonight?"

Conflict : Your Uncle Lou and your Aunt Harriet are rather tipsy from too many eggnogs and are arguingyet again about who ran the family business into bankruptcy: "Lou, I told you that you should never have hired anyone outside the family to do the books. I should have done the accounting. And another thing..."

Resolution : You quietly ask Uncle Lou and Aunt Harriet to join you in another room. "You know, when you were arguing just now I noticed that some of the little kids looked scared. Your kids looked embarrassed. You two can always get into a good fight about this subject. But now is not the time, is it?" Then switch gears: "I can remember when we were kids and you two used to do that hilarious Abbott-and-Costello comedy routine, 'Who's On First'. How about making us all laugh by doing it now? This party could use a little livening up."

Families -- and holidays -- are often less-than-perfect, but you can make the most of your times together by planning ahead, accentuating the positive, and downplaying any little incidents that may have (in the past!) caused family strife. If you lower your expectations just a little, a great time can be had by all!

Read Carleton Kendrick's bio .

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What does visit relatives mean?

Definitions for visit relatives vis·it rel·a·tives, this dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word visit relatives ., how to pronounce visit relatives.

Alex US English David US English Mark US English Daniel British Libby British Mia British Karen Australian Hayley Australian Natasha Australian Veena Indian Priya Indian Neerja Indian Zira US English Oliver British Wendy British Fred US English Tessa South African

How to say visit relatives in sign language?

Chaldean Numerology

The numerical value of visit relatives in Chaldean Numerology is: 9

Pythagorean Numerology

The numerical value of visit relatives in Pythagorean Numerology is: 1

Examples of visit relatives in a Sentence

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov :

The talk is about people who arrived in Russia with a purpose of either to work in Russia or to visit relatives , they had not declared their (true) purpose of visit as transit to Norway.

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Definition of visit verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

• My parents are coming to visit me next week.
• to visit friends/family
• It looks like a lovely place to visit.
• to visit a country/city/town
• to visit a museum/shrine
• to visit a hospital/an office
• to visit a home/house
• She went to visit relatives in Wales.
• The Prime Minister is visiting Japan at the moment.
• You should visit your dentist at least twice a year.
• This is an area rarely visited by Europeans.
• I first visited New York in 1991.
• He is planning to visit China later this month.
• The best time to visit is during the winter dry season.
• A million people are expected to visit the museum over the next 12 months.
• We've just been to visit my grandparents.
• Be sure to visit us next time you're in London.
• I visited her in hospital.
• Jason invited us to visit his ranch.
• Next time you visit the States you'll have to come and see us.
• She's gone to visit her mother in Texas.
• The President will be visiting six European capitals.
• The shops are a major reason for visiting the city.
• The president recently visited Athens.
• She regularly visits the cemetery to tend the grave of her son.

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• We don't live here. We're just visiting.
• visit something Ships visit the island occasionally.
• The lake is also visited by seals in the summer.
• Government inspectors are visiting schools in the area.
• Council officers will be visiting premises to inspect safety arrangements.

Other results

• courtesy visit
• visit with somebody
• visit something on somebody/something
• visit something upon somebody/something

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National Headquarters

What It Means to Visit Relatives for a Military Family

Written by Valerie McCarley

With frequent moves, many military families find themselves miles apart from their loved ones and extended family throughout the year. This separation can be even more pronounced during the holidays, leading to feelings of isolation and loneliness. That’s why family visits — especially during the holidays — are vital to providing a sense of connection and stability amidst the constant change of military life. For a service family, spending time with their nearest and dearest means everything.

“Family is not an important thing. It’s the only thing.” — Michael J. Fox

As fall fades into winter, scenes of togetherness play on our screens and in our hearts. We picture families gathered in the warm glow of fireplaces, candles, or twinkle lights. Smiling faces, heartfelt embraces, and the comforts of home flicker before our eyes. Young and old are filled with a renewed sense of wonder and awe as we move from one year to another.

For each of us, these images quickly morph into our own lived experiences. For me, the scent of fresh-baked cookies fills the air as I watch snow fall softly into the quiet night. I delight in the memory of family traditions and inside jokes. I can almost taste the home-cooked meals from recipes that have been passed down for generations.

I miss this. I’ve been absent from so many of these moments over the years as travel and time away became more complicated with each passing duty station — but those times when we are together? Priceless.

These once-a-year visits bring unparalleled joy and companionship. They’ve evolved as I’ve grown older, from visits back home to family now filling our home — wherever that may be. From the first Christmas with our nephew to a hometown holiday getaway (sprinkled with all my favorite traditions!) to a Christmas dinner on the beach, we celebrate our time together, which is the biggest gift of all.

These visits often reunite us with family we haven’t seen for years .

I grew up in a tight-knit community. With two brothers and aunts, uncles, and cousins galore, I was surrounded by love and support. But in 17 years as a military spouse, I’ve only been able to gather with my parents and both brothers a handful of times. Imagine that. Imagine that not only miles but years, separate you from your closest relatives.

I often long for the peace, comfort, and simplicity of home, and know so many other military households feel the same.

It’s in these moments that the ASYMCA steps in to strengthen military families…

“A Salute to Their Service” Giveaway

In honor of National Military Family Appreciation Month in November, the ASYMCA is partnering with American Airlines to celebrate the courage, strength, and service of military families like mine.

All junior enlisted U.S. military families (that’s E-6 and below) are encouraged to share what military service means to them. It’s a chance to express, in your own words, the depth of commitment and sacrifice that goes hand-in-hand with service. The family with the most “salutes,” or votes will win 500,000 miles, courtesy of American Airlines. This includes those stationed overseas, in Hawaii, or even Alaska!

Knowing that there are initiatives like this, recognizing and giving back to families who serve, fills my heart with gratitude. This could be a chance for a military family to reunite with those they’ve missed, to bridge the distance that service often demands.

Enter Giveaway

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Visiting Friends or Relatives

People who travel from their country of residence (a high-income country) and return to his or her home country (low- or middle-income country) to visit friends or relatives are called VFR travelers. VFR travelers may have different experiences from tourists because they usually stay for a longer period of time, eat local food, and interact with people in the local community. These activities can put VFR travelers at higher risk for certain diseases. If you are planning VFR travel, follow CDC’s steps below to stay safe and healthy.

Before Travel

Even if you traveled to another country to visit your friends or relatives in the past, there may be vaccines, medicines or other health precautions you need to take for your next trip. Take the following steps to prepare for your trip.

Check CDC’s destination pages for travel health information . Check CDC’s webpage for your destination to see what vaccines or medicines you may need and what diseases or health risks are a concern at your destination.

Make sure you are up-to-date on all of your routine vaccines . Routine vaccinations protect you from infectious diseases such as measles that can spread quickly in groups of unvaccinated people. Many diseases prevented by routine vaccination are not common in the United States but are still common in other countries.

Make an appointment with your healthcare provider or a travel health specialist  that takes place at least one month before you leave. They can help you get destination-specific vaccines, medicines, and information. Discussing your health concerns, itinerary, and planned activities with your provider allows them to give more specific advice and recommendations.

Common Diseases and Illness among VFR Travelers

Many VFR travelers assume they are immune to malaria if they were born or lived a long time in a country with malaria, but immunity can decrease after a person moves away. In some instances, VFR travelers have died of malaria after they returned to the United States.

If you are traveling to a country with malaria, talk with your health care provider about malaria prevention medication. Because you need to start taking malaria pills before you leave the United States, do not wait until you are in the country to purchase malaria medication. Visit CDC’s Malaria webpage for more information..

Take recommended medicines as directed. If your doctor prescribes medicine for you, take the medicine as directed before, during, and after travel. Counterfeit drugs are common in some countries, so only take medicine that you bring from home and make sure to pack enough for the duration of your trip, plus extra in case of travel delays. Learn more about traveling abroad with medicine .

Foodborne and diarrheal illness

Heading Home Healthy

VFR travelers may be more likely to get foodborne and diarrheal illnesses because of the places they visit and foods they eat. Generally, food that is cooked and served hot is safe to eat, and beverages from sealed containers are safe to drink. Avoid food served at room temperature, raw fruits, or raw vegetables (unless they can be peeled), tap water, and ice made from tap water. Wash your hands with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol. See CDC’s webpage Choosing Safe Food and Drinks While Traveling for more information.

Hepatitis A and Typhoid fever

Some illnesses that often spread through contaminated food or drinks, such as hepatitis A and typhoid, can be prevented by vaccination. Ask your health care provider about getting vaccinated before traveling.

Waterborne Illnesses

VFR travelers may be exposed to contaminated or unclean water. When this water is used for drinking, cooking, washing food, preparing drinks, making ice, or brushing teeth, it can make you sick with diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach pain. When you swim or wade in this water, you can become ill. Learn how to avoid contaminated water during travel .

After Travel

If you traveled and feel sick, particularly if you have a fever, talk to a healthcare provider and tell them about your travel. 

If you need medical care abroad, see Getting Health Care During Travel .

More Information

• Visiting Friends or Relatives in CDC Yellow Book
• Malaria in CDC Disease Directory
• Food and Water Precautions in CDC Yellow Book
• Water Disinfection in CDC Yellow Book

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Definition of relative

 (Entry 1 of 2)

Definition of relative  (Entry 2 of 2)

• approximate
• comparative

Examples of relative in a Sentence

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'relative.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing relative

• it's all relative
• relative to
• relative humidity
• relative wind
• blood relative

Articles Related to relative

The People in Your (Extended) Family

Just who are these people?

Dictionary Entries Near relative

relative adjective

Cite this Entry

“Relative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/relative. Accessed 17 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of relative.

Kids Definition of relative  (Entry 2 of 2)

Legal Definition

Legal definition of relative, more from merriam-webster on relative.

Nglish: Translation of relative for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of relative for Arabic Speakers

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Meaning of visit in English

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• I want to buy a little something to give to Val when I visit her in hospital .
• There are several places of interest to visit in the area .
• I've never been to Kenya, but I hope to visit it next year .
• I have clear memories of visiting my grandfather's farm as a child .
• He picked up malaria when he was visiting the country on business .
• beard the lion (in his/her den) idiom
• call (in) on someone
• happen along/by (somewhere)
• have access to someone/something
• state visit
• stomping ground
• stop by (somewhere)

You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:

Phrasal verbs

• They received a visit from the police .
• My uncle paid us a surprise visit yesterday .
• He gave a talk about his visit to America .
• The timetable for our trip to Paris includes visits to Notre Dame , the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre.
• The president's official visit marks the start of a more relaxed relationship between the two countries .

visit | American Dictionary

Examples of visit, collocations with visit.

These are words often used in combination with visit .

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Translations of visit

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Word of the Day

balancing act

a difficult situation in which someone has to try to give equal amounts of importance, time, attention, etc. to two or more different things at the same time

Binding, nailing, and gluing: talking about fastening things together

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Example sentences visit family

Definition of 'family' family.

Definition of 'visit' visit

Related word partners visit family, browse alphabetically visit family.

• visit an island
• visit an orphanage
• visit daily
• visit family
• visit frequently
• visit occasionally
• visit regularly
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A look at the ancient practice that turned friends into family

Rhaina Cohen

In the latest story in the NPR's series The Science of Siblings, we hear about a practice that dates back to ancient times that allows people to turn a friend into a sibling.

A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:

A friend can sometimes feel more like family than an actual sibling. As part of NPR's series on the Science of Siblings, reporters Rhaina Cohen and Pien Huang look at an ancient practice that turned friends into family.

PIEN HUANG, BYLINE: It's been decades since Susan Harvey and Robin Darling Young took a trip to Turkey, Syria and Jerusalem, but there are some parts of the journey that they just can't forget.

ROBIN DARLING YOUNG: We realized we didn't know how to get to the place we were going to. So - and, Susan, you have to admit this is true - we hitchhiked.

HUANG: So this was in 1985, and the two researchers didn't know each other that well. Sure, they both studied Orthodox Christianity in ancient Syria. Both of them were women in their mid-30s at the time in a male-dominated field. But they'd really only cross paths at conferences.

RHAINA COHEN, BYLINE: So when they decided to take a three-week trip together to see with their own eyes the places they'd only read about on a page, it was a leap of faith.

SUSAN HARVEY: It was kind of risky to do this kind of trip together because there was no escape.

COHEN: Not even at the end of the day. They shared simple pilgrims quarters and monasteries where monks would sing hymns at night.

HUANG: And that intense experience of travel and research - it both tested them and bonded them. In just a few weeks, they had become such close friends that even someone who was meeting them for the first time noticed.

COHEN: That person was the Archbishop of the Syriac Orthodox Church of Jerusalem and the Holy Land. He welcomed Susan and Robin as pilgrims and guests, and he gave them a personal tour of the city's Syrian churches. Then they came to the place Christians consider the holiest of all, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The Archbishop asked them a question.

DARLING YOUNG: Would you like to come to the liturgy, after which we will perform an ancient ritual?

HARVEY: And this was a ritual to bless our friendship. He said we had a friendship that was based on something much deeper than blood, something bigger and deeper, greater than ourselves.

HUANG: Up until then, Susan and Robin had been chasing history, and now they had a chance to live it. The Archbishop would use an ancient ceremony to turn these friends into sisters. This practice has its own Greek name.

CLAUDIA RAPP: Adelphopoiesis.

COHEN: Adelphopoiesis - wow. Say it again.

RAPP: Brother-making.

COHEN: Brother-making.

RAPP: Adelphopoiesis.

COHEN: Thank you.

Claudia Rapp wrote a whole book on adelphopoiesis. She's a professor of Byzantine studies at the University of Vienna. And she's found that in the Byzantine Empire, brother-making started between monks at least as far back as the fourth century.

RAPP: The earliest inklings we find are for these kinds of prayers to be performed between two people who are on the same spiritual journey.

COHEN: They'd be expected to pray for each other and would sometimes be buried in the same tomb.

RAPP: They would then be considering themselves as brothers but in a bond that is created through the Holy Spirit so that it is actually considered to be stronger than the bond of blood.

COHEN: Rapp says the ritual eventually spread, and it could serve different purposes.

RAPP: Laypeople who adopt the practice for themselves in order to either cement friendships or to neutralize enemies.

COHEN: It was also done in other places in the Balkans. Muslims and Christians would swear brotherhood so they wouldn't have to fight each other in religious conflicts.

HUANG: Yeah, and in China, sworn siblinghood shows up in stories and records that date all the way back to 350 BCE. The practice there was steeped in Confucian philosophy, and it highlighted loyalty between friends. Wendy Chen is a professor at Texas Tech University, and she studied the practice in ancient China. She says that sworn brotherhood got popular when society was violent and messy.

WENDY CHEN: Sworn siblinghood often took place towards the end of each dynasty. People had to rely on each other to achieve their goals and sometimes even for survival.

COHEN: Robin Darling Young and Susan Harvey relied on each other during their trip in 1985. They think the archbishop noticed this, and that's why he led them away from the crowd in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and into an alcove.

HARVEY: It's carved straight into the living rock, just slabs of stone.

DARLING YOUNG: And inside the alcove was the tomb reputed to be the tomb of Jesus.

HUANG: The space was lit with candles, and it smelled of incense. The archbishop wore full embroidered vestments and a long, satiny stole that he draped around his neck. And then, Robin says...

DARLING YOUNG: He took our two hands, two right hands, and put them together. And then he wrapped the stole around our hands...

HARVEY: That's right.

DARLING YOUNG: ...For the blessing.

COHEN: The archbishop said prayers over them.

DARLING YOUNG: At this point, of course, it's so serious and awe-inspiring, I'm blanking out (laughter). And...

HARVEY: Yeah, I don't think we actually knew quite what was going on. I mean, it was...

DARLING YOUNG: Yeah.

HARVEY: ...All being done in Syriac, which is another language.

DARLING YOUNG: And all I remember is Barekmor, you know...

HARVEY: Right.

DARLING YOUNG: ...Which means bless, Lord.

HARVEY: Bless me.

COHEN: Barekmor. Bless me, oh, Lord, they repeated.

DARLING YOUNG: And he announced to us that we were now sisters forever.

HARVEY: And so it was.

HUANG: Robin says that the ceremony was hard to process in the moment, but it clearly marked a shift in their friendship.

DARLING YOUNG: It had the effect of gathering together the other experiences that we'd had prior to it...

HARVEY: Yes.

DARLING YOUNG: ...And kind of sealing and condensing them, if you like.

HARVEY: It's like a little treasure we carry around in our pockets. And, you know, we do. We look at each other, and we'll say, beloved sister, you know (laughter).

HUANG: Susan and Robin see value in restoring this lost art of brother-making or sister-making.

HARVEY: I was thinking about what relationships have ceremonies. In my case, our daughter is adopted, so I remember our adoption ceremony like I remember my wedding.

COHEN: But today, there aren't really rituals to honor friendship.

DARLING YOUNG: The thing about a ceremony like this is it works.

HARVEY: It almost forces you to value this relationship, saying this is something truly special, and you need to honor it as such. And that, I think, is a real gift.

COHEN: Robin points out that the scripts do exist in religious texts. If anyone wants to dust them off and celebrate their friendships, they could. This is Rhaina Cohen.

HUANG: And Pien Huang for NPR News.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

MARTÍNEZ: Tune in tomorrow, which is National Siblings Day, for the next installment in our series on the Science of Siblings. So, Leila, I feel like you would be the type of person with an official - unofficial sibling, someone you would make a sworn sibling.

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

Yeah, I mean, I've got my bio siblings, four of them. Love them. But I've got a few friends that are my family, like my best friend - met her as an intern, covered the Middle East together, helped each other through heartbreak, the traumas of covering war and adulting. She's my person. Hey, Anna (ph). A, you've got to get yourself a chosen sibling. It's - it helps life.

MARTÍNEZ: Yeah. Leila, you know me. My friend circle is very tight. It's just me.

FADEL: (Laughter).

Copyright © 2024 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.

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https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2024/04/09/primary-school-offer-day-2023-everything-you-need-to-know/

Primary school offer day 2024: Everything you need to know

Parents of three and four-year-olds will soon find out what primary school has offered their child a place for the next academic year.  

The majority of pupils will be offered a place at one of their preferred primary schools, while most will be offered their top choice.   

Here, we explain everything you need to know about primary school offer day, from when you can expect to find out, to how to appeal a decision.  

When is primary school offer day and what time are school places released?   

Parents will find out which primary school has offered their child a place for September 2024 on  Tuesday 16 April.

The decision will be sent by the local council by either letter or email. Some councils allow parents to view their results through the admissions portal or system. Exactly what time the offers will be released varies by council.

How likely am I to get my first-choice primary school?  

We want parents to feel reassured when it comes to getting one of their top choice primary schools.

In 2023, 92.5% of families received an offer from their first choice of primary school and 98.3% received an offer from one of their top three choices.

At the same time, over 1 million additional school places have been created between May 2010 and May 2023, with many more in the pipeline.

What happens after I receive an offer of a school place?  

A parent or carer must formally accept the offer by the given deadline. This is usually set through the local authority’s admissions portal or system. You’ll receive details of next steps with the offer.  

Can I appeal a primary school placement decision?  

If you’re not offered your first-choice school, you can appeal the decision . However, even if you're appealing a decision, we recommend accepting the offer your child did receive so that they have a school place if the appeal is unsuccessful. Accepting another offer won’t affect your appeal or limit other options available to you.  

Parents or carers who want to appeal a decision should first contact the school’s admission authority, which is responsible for organising the appeal panel. Parents and carers can find their school’s admission authority by visiting their local council website:  Find your local council - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) .  

The panel is independent and will look at the case presented by both the admission authority and the parent before coming to a decision.  

The decision of the appeal panel is binding – if the appeal is upheld, the admission authority must offer your child a place at the school.  

Admission authorities and appeal panels must comply with the statutory School Admission Appeals Code, which is available  here . Guidance for parents on the admission appeals process can also be found  here .  

How are primary school places decided?  

All schools have admission criteria to decide which children get places. This criteria is set by the school or local council.  

While all state-funded schools must give top priority to admitting children who are in care or have been in care, admission criteria is  different for each school. They may choose to give priority to children:  

• who live close to the school  
• who have a brother or sister at the school already  
• from a particular religion (for faith schools)  
• who are eligible for the pupil premium   
• whose parent has worked at the school for two years or more  

Your  local council  can give you information about a school’s criteria.  

Why has my child not been offered a place at one of their preferred schools?  

Some schools will receive more applications than places it has available and unfortunately not every parent will be successful. Priority must be given to those who most closely meet the school’s specific admission arrangements.  

If the local authority is unable to offer a place at one of the parents’ preferred schools, it must offer a place at another school.  

In the unlikely event that a parent does not receive an offer of a place on 17 April, parents should contact their local authority for further advice.  

Can I join a waiting list for my top-choice primary school?  

You can add your child’s name to the waiting list for any school that you’ve applied for. You should still accept the offer you received and this won’t affect where you stand in the waiting list.  

Schools must keep a waiting list for at least one term. The waiting list will be ordered by the school’s oversubscription criteria.   

In some areas, your child will be automatically added to the waiting lists of the schools you ranked more highly. In others, you must ask to be put on the waiting list. Check the school admissions section of your local authority website to find out how it works in your area.  

You may also be interested in:

• Can I appeal a primary school offer
• How we are growing our 30 hours free childcare offer
• Everything you need to know about childcare support

Tags: free school places , National Offer Day , national offer day 2023 , primary school , primary school offer day , primary schools , school admissions , schools , when is primary school offer day

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Stabbing that injured bishop at Sydney church being treated as terrorism

The stabbing of a bishop by a 16-year-old boy during a livestreamed service Monday in Sydney is being treated as an act of terrorism, authorities said.

Police arrested the boy Tuesday after the attack at Christ the Good Shepherd Church. Authorities had said the boy was 15. New South Wales Police Commissioner Karen Webb said the suspect’s comments pointed to a religious motive for the attack.

Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was stabbed during a livestreamed sermon, and another priest was injured. Both are expected to survive.

The New South Wales Police Force said earlier in an update on X that it responded to a call from a church in Wakekly, a suburb west of Sydney, at 7:10 p.m. local time (5:39 a.m. ET) Monday, where there were reports that "a number of people were stabbed."

Hundreds of angry people rushed to the scene, and some clashed with riot police, with vehicles damaged. The church and local leaders pleaded for calm.

Acting Assistant Police Commissioner Andrew Holland commended the congregation for subduing the teen before calling police. Asked whether the teen’s fingers had been severed, he said the hand injuries were “severe.”

More than 100 police reinforcements arrived before the teen was taken from the church in the hourslong incident. Several police vehicles were damaged, Holland said.

“A number of houses have been damaged. They’ve broken into a number of houses to gain weapons to throw at the police. They’ve thrown weapons and items at the church itself. There were obviously people who wanted to get access to the young person who caused the injuries to the clergy people,” he said.

Emmanuel and priest Isaac Royel, as well as the teen and at least two police officers, were hospitalized, Holland told journalists.

A video shared widely on social media appears to show a priest being stabbed repeatedly, while delivering a sermon, by a man in a black T-shirt who is then tackled by members of the congregation. The church routinely livestreams its services and events.

Holland commended the congregation for subduing the teen before calling police. When asked if the teen’s fingers had been severed, he said the hand injuries were “severe.”

A subsequent video taken by a churchgoer showed people helping the bishop as he lay on the floor.

Police said the incident took place on Welcome Street, where Christ the Good Shepherd Church, which follows Assyrian Orthodox Christianity, is located. The church advertised an "Assyrian Bible Preaching" event Monday night with Emmanuel .

The church said the bishop and a senior priest were in stable condition at a hospital and asked for people’s prayers. “It is the bishop’s and father’s wishes that you also pray for the perpetrator,” the church said in a statement on social media “We also kindly ask anyone at the church premises to leave in peace.”

The NSW Ambulance service said that it treated a man in his 50s for multiple cuts and that three other people were treated for one or more cuts.

None of the injuries were life-threatening, police said, and the victims were being treated by paramedics. A male was arrested and was “assisting police with inquiries,” the New South Wales police statement noted earlier.

The premier of New South Wales, Chris Minns, described the scenes as “disturbing” on social media and urged the community to remain calm and “stick together.” Religious leaders expressed shock and condolences.

Fairfield Mayor Frank Carbone, leader of the neighboring municipal government, described the bishop as a community leader. “This is a very emotional situation. Obviously the community is very upset,” Carbone told Sky News.

It comes after Saturday's attack at the Westfield Bondi shopping mall in Sydney, which killed six people and injured nine.

Police said earlier Monday that they were examining why the lone assailant in that attack had targeted women while avoiding men, and the killer’s father blamed his son’s frustration at not having a girlfriend.

Patrick Smith is a London-based editor and reporter for NBC News Digital.

Bianca Britton is a reporter for NBC News' Social Newsgathering team based in London.

The Associated Press