Rotary Moments - Youth Exchange

Posted by Brian McAdam 
on Dec 08, 2011
 
In 1977-1978, as a means of fostering international goodwill, the Rotary Club of Coburgb began to accept a student from an overseas country for a year's education at one of the local secondary schools. This study would be at the senior grade levels.

Each student is assigned a Rotarian as their counsellor for the year but the student would live with three or four other families during that year.

The student's family provides the two-way transportation costs, health insurance coverage and extra money for the student. Local Rotary  approved families host the student over the year and introduce the student to activities typical of Canadian culture such as skating and skiing in the winter, baseball and aquatics in the summer as well as visits to points of interest through the County and Province.

Students speak to the local and neighbouring Rotary Clubs about their home, customs and friends. These students come from countries where English is not their mother tongue. It is truly amazing how quickly they adapt.

As part of this program, a student sponsored by the local Rotary Club can also participate in the program overseas. We have hosted and sent students to countries as diverse as Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador, Chile, Taiwan  and France. For some leaving the comfort and security of their home is a challenging experience... a year later the same can be said when they leave their new adopted Rotary homes. Details.