Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.601 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)

"If so, the easiest thing to do is simply to endorse it to your friend, mark it "For Deposit Only" (so that if stolen it can't be cashed) and the next time you are in the US, have him withdraw the amount of the check in US$"

If the OP wants to try this, he should first make sure that his friend's bank will cash -- or accept for deposit -- a double-endorsed check. Some banks will not.