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Germany, Denmark, France, Spain, Brazil, or Italy?

Youth Exchange opportunities available through Rotary District 5220

Rotary District 5220 offers students the chance to spend several weeks during summer 2009 in our short term youth exchange program.  Most exchanges are family to family.  For example, one of our students will go to Germany for 3 weeks and stay in a family with a child of similar age and gender.  Our student will return with that child for 3 weeks in California.

Students that want to go abroad but are unable to host a student can go to Germany or Brazil.  Families that want to host students but are unable to send can host Germans.

Basic food and lodging expenses are provided by the host families.  Students are responsible for airfare, medical insurance, and spending money, which we estimate will run about $2,000.  (Given current conditions it is difficult to estimate airfare cost for summer 2009.)  The cost should not deter students from applying, as financial assistance may be available from Sponsoring Rotary Clubs. 

Rotary Youth Exchange is open to students ages 15 to 18.  Interested students must complete an application, be interviewed and agree to abide by Rotary’s established standards and guidelines for safety.  Students will be interviewed and notified of selection within one month of applying for the program.  Early application is encouraged, final application deadlines depend upon the program. 

Students must live or go to school in Rotary District 5220, which includes 55 clubs and more than 2,500 members in The Northern San Joaquin Valley and Mother Lode.  The district ranges from Galt to Madera and Oakhurst to Angels Camp, including Yosemite National Park.  It includes San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, Madera, Calaveras, Mariposa, and Tuolumne counties. 

More information on specific programs is shown below:

Germany

This family to family exchange program has been running successfully for many years.  Students will go to the southwestern corner of Germany, which includes the beautiful rolling hills of the Black Forest, Lake Constance, and the lower Rhine River valley.   An advantage of this location is that students will have the opportunity to visit neighboring countries such as France, Switzerland, and Austria.  Students will travel together to and from Germany with an adult chaperone.  They will stay in family homes, except during a four day break at a youth hostel, where all students will participate in group activities.   Knowledge of the German language is not required for this trip.   Students can participate in this trip without hosting and families can host German students without sending a student.  Our students go to Germany for the last 3 weeks in July and return with their German exchange students for the first three weeks of August. 

Application deadline for Germany: March 31, 2009

Italy

This family to family exchange program is in Northern Italy, around the City of Milan and the lakes, hills, and mountains of the Alps.  It is a prosperous and historical region with great natural beauty.   This is a popular program and students are encouraged to apply early.  Knowledge of the Italian language is not required for this trip.   Once students are matched they set exact dates for the trip with the exchange family.  Normally they go to Italy in July and return with their Italian exchange students for the first three weeks of August. 

Application deadline for Italy: February 28, 2009

Denmark

This is a pleasant country of beaches, hills, forests, and islands.  You are never far from a lake or the ocean.  Summer days are long due to its northern location.   Students are not expected to know Danish as English is a mandatory school subject for Danish students.  This is a family to family exchange program.  Once students are matched they set exact dates for the trip with the exchange family.  Normally they go to Denmark in late June and return with their Danish exchange students in mid to late July.

Application deadline for Denmark: February 28, 2009

Spain

Student’s applying for the family to family program with Spain must have studied at least a year of the Spanish language.  Spain is large and students could end up being matched with a family anywhere in the country.  Once students are matched they set exact dates for the trip with the exchange family.  Normally they go to Spain in July and return with their Spanish exchange students in August.

Application deadline for Spain: February 28, 2009

Brazil

We will be hosting a delegation of young adults from Brazil in January 2009.  Our Rotary friends have agreed to take either young adults or students in return.  Students would go to the region around Curitiba, Brazil for three to six weeks during the summer of 2009.  Exact dates would be set by the sending families and the Rotarians in Brazil.  It is anticipated that our students would stay with families.   Curitiba is the capital of Parana state and is the largest city in Southern Brazil with a population of approximately 1.8 million. 

Application deadline for Brazil: March 31, 2009

France

Rotary District 5220 does not offer youth exchange to France.  Instead, if you are interested in France, we recommend that you apply to a program run by Modesto Sister Cities International.   This is a family to family program, though participating families are not required to host French students if they are unable to do so.  Prior study of the French language by participating students is encouraged but not required.  Students will be placed in La Mayenne, which is located in the Pays de la Loire region south of Normandy and east of Brittany.  Students go to France for the last 3 weeks in June, the French students come to California in July.  For more information on this program visit www.modestosistercities.org. 

Other Countries

If you prefer to go to a country not on the list, please let us know.  We will consider whether or not we can try to find you an exchange there.  If you want to do this please apply as early as possible.

For more details on youth exchanges contact youthexchange@rotary5220.org.

Comments and questions may be addressed to webmaster@rotary5220.org. We hope you enjoy your visit.

Rotary District 5220 - Serving California's Central Valley and Mother Lode 

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