[vc_row full_width=”” parallax=”” parallax_image=””][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”251″ border_color=”grey” img_link_large=”” img_link_target=”_self” img_size=”medium”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”3/4″][vc_column_text]
The Rotary Youth Exchange Program is one of the largest and oldest of its kind in the world. Each year, about 8,000 students will be Rotary Exchange Students. Our local district, 5100, hosts and sponsors about 80 students each year – i.e., 40 “inbounds” and 40 “outbounds”. Our District currently exchanges with districts in 23 different countries. The Tigard Rotary Club has traditionally hosted one Inbound student each year, and usually sponsors (or co-sponsors) at least one Outbound student each year. The Club has been involved with the Youth Exchange Program for most of its 50 year history.
Ana Marie Gombas will be our “inbound” Rotary Youth Exchange Student this next year, starting in mid-August. Ana will arrive about August 22nd. She will stay with three host families during the school year. The first family will host her for 3 – 4 months, typically through Thanksgiving holiday. The second family will host her another 3 – 4 months, or until about Spring Break. The third family will then host her a final 3 – 4 months, until the end of the school year, and possibly until the end of June. The length of time at each family is flexible, and depends on the plans and wishes of each family.
Ana was born in Vienna, but moved to Tainach, Austria when she was 8 years old. She will be 16 years old when she arrives. Her father is a regional director of a bank, and her mother is a tax consultant. She has two younger brothers. She has studied English for over 5 years, and her reading, writing and speaking is very good. She is a good student, and earns excellent grades. She plays tennis, and plays on a tennis team that competes in regional championships. She has traveled in Europe to Greece, Spain, Turkey and other countries in Europe. And three years ago, she traveled to New York and Boston with her mother, and had the opportunity to meet the family that hosted her mother 35 years ago!
Hosting a student from another country is a wonderful opportunity to make life-long friends, learn about other cultures (and gain new insights into your own culture), and just have a lot of fun. If your family is interested in hosting Ana, or you know someone who may be interested, please have them contact Youth Exchange Chairman Ed Murphy, at murphyed@frontier.com. There is more information on the Youth Exchange Program at www.youthexchange5100.org.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]