Juliette Geesink

For the 2007/08 school year, Juliette Geesink took the plunge - and traveled across the Atlantic Ocean to learn and embrace the Canadian culture.

Geesink was chosen to represent Holland in the Rotary Youth Exchange program after an application and interview process. The Rotary Youth Exchange program gives students between the ages of 15 to 18 an opportunity to embrace and learn about another culture by living there for 11 months.

"The Rotary Club looks for someone who is self-sufficient because of the long stay away from their home at such a great distance," explained Sue Collins, member of the Waterdown Rotary Club. To qualify, the student must be currently enrolled in high school and in the upper third of his or her class. They must also be of good character, articulate, healthy, and involved as a leader in their community.

A student comes over from their home country to Canada to learn about the culture while attending high school and living with different host families.

"Juliette has stayed with five different host families but usually there are only around three or four," said Collins.

Exchange students become very close with their host families and the students they meet at school. Collins told the Review, "We had someone come back to Canada last year who was an exchange student 15-20 years ago."

Host families are very important, as they decipher how enriched the exchange student becomes in the new culture. Host families take the students on weekend trips such as apple picking, Wild Water Works, Medieval Times and many other locations and events that explain Canada's history and present. During her stay, Geesink has traveled to a number of sites, including Elmira for zip-lining, Toronto for a Raptors basketball game, Hamilton for a fashion show and Bulldogs game and back to Elmira to visit a Mennonite community.

As part of the Rotary District 7090, Juliette is among 39 other exchange students from around the world who are also experiencing life in countries throughout the Rotary world. One of the requirements of the program is that they attend Rotary meetings and make presentations about their hometown and country for the other exchange students.

The Rotary Club has taken them on weekend excursions to Niagara Falls, Temagami, Buffalo, Jamestown and next they are off to Niagara for a bike ride on the lake. Geesink describes these meetings as one of the "highlights" of her stay.

"In only a weekend I got so close to these people because they are going through the same thing as me so we can relate," said Geesink of her fellow exchange students. "We do teamwork activities, play leadership games and even went ice skating a couple of times."

While Geesink came to Canada, another student in exchange was able to set sail to Paris, where she will have a chance to experience all of Europe.

Waterdown High School student, Bethany Ince, took a year off after graduating to take part in the Rotary Youth Exchange Program to study abroad.

Collins explains that it is not a direct exchange between two countries; there are many students who take part and are placed all over the world. The exchange student from Paris is currently residing in Alaska for the year.

Ince is among the 24 students the Waterdown Rotary Club has sent across international borders since 1970. The students have visited Thailand, Japan, Australia, Mexico, New Zealand, Tasmania, Bolivia, Brazil, Sweden, Costa Rica, and France.

In turn, Canada has hosted 24 students from Mexico, Australia, Brazil, Finland, France, Denmark, Chile and now, The Netherlands.

"When these students come to Canada they teach us about their home country and when they return home, (the students) pass on the knowledge of Canada," said Collins.

Geesink said she will teach Holland "how nice Canadians are and tell them all the differences." Geesink noted that the main differences were the drinking age, national holidays and school curriculum.

"The high school is different because (in The Netherlands) they have three different levels," Geesink explained. The lowest level is four years, the middle level is five years and the highest level is six years.

In order to attend university, a student must complete the highest level or attend college after the middle level and then the student may apply to university.

Another difference in the curriculum is the schedule. Geesink explained, "We go to school at 8:05 a.m. until 1 p.m., sometimes 2 p.m., 3 p.m., 4 p.m. - there are different classes every day."

Although there are some differences, she is very thankful for the similarities. She noted that because there is such a large Dutch community in Canada, she could walk to the local grocery store and find "my Dutch chocolate and Gouda."

Also, the entertainment is quite similar. In Holland the movies, songs and television shows are the same. The media helped Geesink prepare to speak English fluently.

"She (Geesink) has been an exceptional exchange student because she already knew the English (language) so she got to get involved right away," said Collins.

Geesink was able to act upon the objectives of the Rotary Youth Exchange program right off the plane. The objectives include: acting as an ambassador for their country, Rotary, and their community, learning to live with people of different cultures and creeds, learning more about who they are and what makes them unique, and upon their return to their home country, to share with others what that they have learned about another country and culture.

Geesink explained that she has not only learned about Canada, but also about her home country. "When you come here you get to know your own culture too because you have to be prepared to answer the questions everyone has for you about your home country," she said.

Collins described the Rotary Youth Exchange program as "amazing" - and Geesink couldn't agree more.

"The most amazing thing is to be with people from all over the world. The friendships you make are forever."

Further information about the Youth Exchange Program is available on the Internet at: www.student-exchanges.org and www.rotary.org/programs/youth_ex/.