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Download Center Rotary YE Volunteers Tours and Travel Questions?
Download Center Rotary YE Volunteers Tours and Travel Questions?
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Sponsor Country: Finland Host Club: Grand Forks Grand Forks, B.C., Living in a fairy tale. You probably think that I'm about to tell you a story of my wonderful, wonderful host town and host families. I'm not saying that they aren't, but this is a story of wonderful, wonderful nature in British Columbia. What's the fairy tale got to do with it? Well...read on and find out. The first week I arrived to Grand Forks I noticed those beautiful mountains that are every where ( Duh, of course they are every where, this is a valley). I thought that if I climb up there, that would be the highest place I'd ever get. I was wrong, when I saw The Rocky Mountains in Grand Forks were just hills. Other thing that really surprised me was all the different kind of pine trees. In Finland we also have pine trees, but only two or three different kind. Now the fairy tale part. You may think that I'm out of my mind, but you just have to believe me...I saw BAMBI, and not on TV, on my host family's back yard. The Bambi wasn't even afraid of me. That was cool, and even cooler was when I saw a real Flower, and I don't mean growing on the ground kind of a Flower, I mean the skunk from Bambi. Luckily I didn't get "sprayed". I also saw the Thumper, the bunny rabbit from Bambi. I think you now agree with me that I'm living in a fairy tale, some way or the other. Mirkka Heinonen, the Rotary exchange
Sponsor Country: Germany District 1800 Hosting
Club: Invermere
Hey everybody,
Hosting Club: Coville Sponsor Country: Brazil Hi! This is Matias Nicolino from Argentina. I'm an inbound student in Colville, WA, USA. So far, things have been great here in the States. Here I send a couple of pictures of the Rotary orientation meeting last September in Lutherhaven. My favorite is nº 2, the one that I'm with Antoine from Belgium (left); Me (center/above); Nadine, from Germany (with red sweater) and the other two guys that I can't remember their names. We dressed up for the talent show! Hope everything is OK with all of you. Have fun and see you soon, Matias
My name is Nagisa Tojima. I am from Japan .This picture is me and my friend
in KENDOU Team uniforms. I played KENDOU for I'm having a great time and I hope you are also! Nagisa
Host Country: Sweeden Sponsor Club: Nelson Hej, For all of you that didn't know Sweden is the best place in the world. I
don't know where to begin, everything rocks
Hosting Country: Poland Sponsor Club: Nelson Hello All !! Well, I'm becoming a Pole. I have a hard time with English now because I'm learning Polish therefore everyday I can understand more. I'm living in a beautiful, cultural, 790-year-old town. My host family is great and have taken me to many little and big Polish cities. Of course I've met the Babcia's who insist that I try their perogies which are the best on the planet!!! School, well it's interesting........I have 11 academic subjects up to 6 times a week. I'm loving it here and enjoying every minute (almost). Thanks to everyone who helped me get here!!!!! I hope everyone else is having an awesome time. Czesc, Elaine
Hosting Country: Belgium Sponsor Club: Kennewick (Pasco - Kennewick Club) Hallo! Greetings from Kotrijk, Belgium. I hope that all the other exchange students are having as great a time as I am. It's been quite an experience for me. I have already been to France, Luxemburg, England, and all over Belgium. I love everything about Belgium, the people here have been so wonderful, my host family is so nice, its a beautiful country, and they have delicious food here! I can't believe it's already December, time has flown by so quickly! I hope all is well with the other exchange students. Dag! Deidre Bertsch
Hosting Country: Germany Sponsor Club: Grand Forks Moin! As your stereotypical-exchange-student I'm going to point out how hard it is to believe that our year is one third over. And it seems like only yesterday we were stumbling sleepily off the plane into the arms of our awaiting host parents. But enough with the nostalgia and into the present....I am having SUCH an amazing time. It is a little, well, interesting to say the least, being in a country where I didn't speak a word of the language when I arrived. But as the time goes by and I learn more each and every day it affirms my beliefs that absolutely anything is possible. I have also, from other exchange students, learned tons about North America and some of the funny little differences between Canada and the US. Well, viel Spaß. -Adrianna Brown
Hosting
Country: Karori,New Zealand
Sponsor Club: Ta Ta Creek B.C. Cindy Cale is from Ta Ta Creek in British Columbia and is staying in
Karori, New Zealand Cindy Cale
Hosting Country: Costa Rica (District 4240) Sponsor Club: Richland (Columbia Center)
Hey everyone what is going on? Sorry this is late but I have been really busy lately. Everything is really good and I am having a great time. My friends are always with me and the country rocks. My English teacher invited me to a gringo thanksgiving and all the students are going on a fun packed weekend after. Well gotta run much luv and luck Brenda
Hosting Country: Belgium Sponsor
Club: Cranbrook
Sunrise. HI! Cheers from Belgium everyone - the land of chocolate, waffles, fries, and, well, what's not to love? I am having a really great time - my family is really cool, my Rotary club too, and school is alright, but pretty tough right now...the French is coming along really well, but I still have a ways to go! Understanding becomes easier every day, but speaking is still quite difficult. I have already done a bit of traveling - some with the Belgian Rotex, and some exploring of Belgium on my own. The trains here let me go everywhere, and with my handy French-English dictionary, there's no stopping me now!!! Brussels is really beautiful, and the architecture there is amazing, as well as the history behind it. The Rotex trip to London was another adventure too - lots of uncanny photos in red phone booths and with the somber guards of Windsor Castle...but that's London for you, eh? We just got back from the Halloween Weekend in the Ardennes which was really fun (more pictures for the scrapbook...), but it was also a bit sad, as it is the last event with all the 'oldies', or our friends from the southern hemisphere, who must return to their home countries in December. On the agenda for next week is a day trip to Germany with the Rotary responsible for our club, which should be exciting. The weather here is different from at home in Canada, as it will be my first Christmas without snow.... Lots of rain, but Belgium is known to only get maybe a centimeter of the white stuff, if any! The discotheques of Charleroi (my city) are places worth visiting too, although if you are not fond of techno music, I would suggest another activity for Friday nights...I myself have grown quite attached to the hard core bass! Well that about sums things up for now, and I hope that everyone else's exchanges are going great! Salud! Kelsey Dreger, 12, Rue Van Brusselt, 6280 Gerpinnes, BELGIUM
Hosting Country: Mazatlan, Mexico Sponsor Club: Nelson
Hello !!!!! This is Kate Rivard reporting from Mazatlan Mexico. Where to begin, when I arrived the first sign of a difference I noticed was the incredible humid heat, as soon as I got off the plane I felt like I had been covered in a blanket of humidity. I looked out the windows from the airport and saw palm trees!!!! I was over joyed!!!! Everything on the flight had gone smoothly. The plane ride felt very magical, I was filled with powerful feelings from every range of emotion during my short trip. Finally being here and seeing it as reality was amazing. My house parents were there to pick me up at the airport. I gave them a hug and just smiled ear from ear as we headed for the place which would be my new home. We couldn't really communicate apart from sign language, and a lot of the pointing and name games. My first sightings of houses were quaint little shacks made of broken boards, with no screens or glass on the windows. That first impression made me think all the houses were similar, and that my house would be the same as the ones I had seen first. It was how I had pictured most of the houses to be. As we drove through this strange new city to my new home I was overwhelmed, and overjoyed I couldn't believe it was real, seeing the palm trees, the people, and the streets ........ Everything seemed so surreal. When we arrived at my new home I was surprised to find that it was much like the houses back in Canada, yet different. Every day since I arrived has been full of surprises, and I'm sure that it is not going to stop any time soon. It has been wonderful and exciting. The people in my life are warm, genuine, caring people. There are many differences between our cultures, but there are many similarities as well. It is very interesting to be learning and experiencing different things everyday. I have seen and done things I've only dreamed of!!!!! Before I arrived I had quite a bit of anxiety, I couldn't speak the language yet and thought I wouldn't be able to communicate, but somehow it's working out. So long for now. Kate
Hosting Country: Mexico Sponsor Club: Grand Forks Well hello everyone!!! Sorry this took me such a long time but I have been very busy!!! There
should be some mistakes in this because the keyboards here are weird so mind
(for example) the lack of apostrophes. Well I am in a town of about 80 thousand
people, which isn't very small for Canada, but here, it is. Its just like a
small town with a lot of people if that makes any sense. No high rises that's
for sure. Well it was a real surprise arriving in a 3rd world country things are
so different, it really made me realize how not poor the poor people are in
North America and probably most of Europe too! I am having lots of fun, Mexicans
are great. They're sooooo much fun and they sure know how to throw a party!
Independence Day here is lots of fun; we don't have one of those in Canada, so
it was nice. Well it's October and the day of the dead is arriving and lots of
parties too. Here they sell these really weird skeletons with sombreros on and
they are kind of freaky but I
Hosting Country: Argentina Sponsor Club: Sandpoint A huge hello from Jrenque Lauguen, Argentina! Well, it has been about three months since I began my year abroad, and those three months have just flown by! I have a wonderful host family and have adjusted to my new home and life quite well. I have made some great friends and joined some activities such as aerobic and choir. Everything is so different here, but so far I have enjoyed most of the differences. I love the culture and people here. They are so family and friend oriented and lots of fun to be with. The food is also wonderful! As far as the language goes, I have learned a lot. My speaking is definitely not as good as my understanding, but I'm learning everyday. It is very frustrating at times, because I thought that by now I'd be half way fluent, but I am coming along. At this moment I am not very homesick, but I have had my moments. I have learned that it makes it so much worse to just sit at home and think about your family and friends, so I try to keep myself busy. School is definitely my least favorite thing. It is so boring and the teachers don't even talk to me or try to help me, but summer vacation is coming in about a month so I am hanging in there. To all my family and friends, I hope you haven't forgotten about me. I miss you guys TONS! Until the next newsletter, I send lots of luck to all and a huge thanks to Rotary and my parents for making this experience possible. Chau, Ali P.S. - The picture is me and my friends at school.
Hosting Country: France Sponsor Club: Cranbrook Lisa Duke is from Cranbrook and is going to school in FranceHey everyone I hope you're having an awesome time this year! I'm having a great time in Colmar, France. It's pretty wet here although I've been told that in Colmar it rains less than everywhere else in France. I'm not so sure! School is harder than in Canada but I've managed to get some good marks, unfortunately, my tendencies to leave things to the last minute got in the way and I had to read a French novel in 2 nights!! NOT recommended!! The food here is delicious! Whoever invented the baguette is a genius and should teach us Canadians!! The "toussaint" vacations came and went unfortunately the weather was terrible and in Chamonix (maror viewpoint of Mt. Blanc) we could not spot the famous mountain! But, Lyon, Geneva and Lausane were excellent!!! Well here in my little town I'm becoming quite a little celebrity! My friends and I got our picture in the paper eating at the cafeteria because of the no beef ssue! Definitely the launching point of a modeling career! Hee Hee!! Well that's my news for now, hope you're all having a blast!! GROS BISOUS Lisa Duke Famille Barthelme, 7 Rue
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. My host parents are great, the food
is great, the people are great, and most of the chics are blond. There is so
much more that I can't describe in words but that's ok. I am in contact with
other exchange students from all over the world, its rockin. I know at least 15
within a 45-min. train ride. I make almost weekly trips to Denmark where one of
the "big D's" gets broken every time. I've made lots of friends and am
trying to learn the language, but I must say that it's pretty messed up (I'm
going to feel pretty stupid if Megan says that the language is really easy but
oh well) having the time of my life, hope everyone is too. Thanks to Rotary and
my parents for giving me this opportunity. For anybody that would like to e-mail
me my e-mail is 
