E-mail Address: outbound@youthexchangefl.org Each year, over 9000 high school students from around the world board a plane. They board not as an American or a Norwegian or Brazilian or Korean. They board and land as a Rotary Youth Exchange Student. They leave behind the familiar, everything from their family and pets to their friends in school to native tongue. It may seem like a far-fetched dream, or an impossible challenge, but Rose went on exchange, and so did Keelan, and Brandon, and so can you. Rotary Youth Exchange has partnerships with districts in over 30 countries throughout Europe, Asia and South America. We give you the opportunity to deep dive into unique cultures, form strong friendships and master new languages. Here’s what some of our exchange students have to say about their experience. [Will/Poland] All the things that you leave behind you’ll get new things when you go on exchange. You’ll get host families. You’ll get a whole new batch of friends and not just American friends, but you’ll have friends from all over the world. [Audrey/Peru] You can learn all about other countries and how the people live, but until you go there and until you experience that life….. the perspective you gain is so much greater than reading about it in a book or online. [Jonathan/Brazil] When you go through exchange you face a lot of hard things that you would never face in the U.S. And so, coming back I look at problems in a different way, more of as a challenge rather than in a barricade in my life. [Megan/Brazil] I know that if I can go to a foreign country, I can live on my own on my own, and I can survive and thrive in that culture then I can I can do anything. [Jared/Belgium] When I first got there it was to be honest it was a little difficult but every month I could see myself getting a little better, a little better, and a little better and as soon as I knew it I was practically fluent. I had amazing relations with my family I was able to go to school and get decent grades. I fit in just like a Belgian. [Noah/Italy] It’s just gonna change you for the better, I’ll tell you. I used to be a super shy super timid person. I wouldn’t really go out at all. And, I wouldn’t really be comfortable around people that I didn’t know personally. And coming after, I feel a lot more energetic, a lot more social. I try to engage in a lot more conversations and it just makes me feel like a better person. [Narrator] If you have a spirit of adventure, a burning desire to stretch yourself and become more than you thought you were capable of being then this might be the program for you. For more information and to find out about upcoming parent information sessions contact your nearest local rotary club or visit our website at www.youthexchangefl.org. Next year’s outbound class is forming now come be a part of this life-changing experience.
