Rotary Exchange students  share stories of home and home away from home

Rotary Youth Exchange students Yasmine Frischnecht (from Switzerland) and Jonas Senez-Lajeune (from France) shared stories of their lives at home and their experiences as Rotary Youth Exchange students.
 
Rotary Exchange students spend one year living in another country, usually with three or four host families. They learn a new way of living, experience different foods, study different subjects, enjoy a new culture and maybe even learn a new language. In addition learn a great deal about themselves and gain confidence and self sufficiency.  
 
They are ambassadors of their country, and have the opportunity to teach people they meet about their home, culture, and ideas.
 
 

History of Youth Exchange

For over 75 years, students and host families have broadened their horizons through Rotary Youth Exchange. More than 80 countries and over 8,000 students each year participate in the program, which is administered at the regional level by Rotary districts and at the local level by Rotary clubs.

The first documented exchanges date back to 1927, when the Rotary Club of Nice, France, initiated exchanges with European students. Exchanges between clubs in California, USA, and Latin American countries began in 1939, and exchange activities spread to the eastern United States in 1958. In 1972, the Rotary International Board of Directors agreed to recommend the Youth Exchange Program to clubs worldwide as a worthwhile international activity promoting global peace and understanding.

For information locally, contact any of the Rotary clubs locally.  Thank you to Rotary Cambridge Sunrise for helping coordinate the local exchange students with District 7080 representatives.