Ever Considered Living Abroad?

Rotary Youth Exchange
As a Rotary Youth Exchange student, you’ll spend up to a year living with a few host families and attending school in a different country. Whether you participate in Rotary’s long-term or short-term Youth Exchange programs, you’ll learn a new way of living, a great deal about yourself, and maybe even a new language. You’ll also be an ambassador, teaching people you meet about your country, culture, and ideas. You can help bring the world closer – and make some good friends in the process.

More than 8,000 young people each year have experiences like these through Rotary Youth Exchange. It’s the opportunity of a lifetime. Are you ready for it?

If you are interested in living abroad next year (2008-09) and are in the 9th or 10th grade, there are a few countries still available: France*, Germany*, Mexico, Peru, Finland, Poland, Slovakia, Ukraine, Taiwan and Chec Republic. (*requires 2 years of their language).

What do you need to do to live abroad next year:
Go to http://www.rotary.org/ and click on Youth & Students to locate the Youth Exchange page. You can download the application and information for your parents to read. Get your application to Vicki Anderson ASAP. Since Rotary is a volunteer organization, the only cost to you is $850 (which includes insurance, Rotary blazer, pins, ID cards, backpack, etc.) plus your airfare and passport. The fee also includes a weekend orientation in Ohio in July (you will travel with the other exchange students and the committee) where you will meet with the country contact and other students who have recently returned from the country you will be going to and the fee includes another orientation in Asheville, NC in May. You (and your parents) will be well prepared before you ever leave home.

Want to live abroad during the 2009-10 year?
The deadline for applications is October 1, 2008 with interviews in November. Currently 33 countries are available including Italy, Brazil, Spain, Switzerland, & Australia. A complete list is available upon request. You must be age 16 or 17 at the time of the exchange. The committee recommends you go abroad your sophomore year in high school or possibly your junior year. It’s best to stay here your senior year so you can prepare college applications.

How about a short-term exchange?
Did you know you can do a family to family cultural exchange during the summer? Applications will be accepted up until mid-April. Your family would host a student for a few weeks and then you would return to their country and stay with their family a few weeks. No language skills are required. The fee is $395 + airfare & passport. The fee includes an orientation weekend, insurance, etc.

Would your family like to host an exchange student next year?
They can! Your family can welcome a student from another country to live with you during the school year. The student would attend school here (most likely a public school unless something can be worked out at a private school—we currently have a student at Baylor and one at McCallie) and become part of your family. Usually a family hosts a student for 2-3 months and then they move to another family.

Contact:
If you are interested in any of these programs, please contact:

Vicki Anderson
Hamilton Place Rotary Club
877-2688 Ext. 227, 842-5158 (h)
vanderson@mbgsc.org