This letter is in response to the letter written by Judy Feros (Mailbox, February 2006). Ironically, February is World Understanding Month for Rotarians. What better way to understand the world than to have students living and learning in another country for 12 months. Good and bad experiences are a part of learning.The idea of Youth Exchange is to take a student out of their comfort zone, send them halfway around the world and watch them learn and grow. It can also be a cultural experience for us to host a student from another country, so become involved. A student has to learn to live for 12 months in a totally foreign environment. Behaviour is also different in many cultures. In some, boys are placed on pedestals. This is Australia. People have trouble standing on pedestals here. Bad manners are not excusable, and there are Youth Exchange guidelines that should be followed.

Exchange students are no different from our own. They all try to stretch the boundaries. They are on exchange and live as part of a host family. House rules apply. They are not house guests. The long-term Youth Exchange Program of Rotary International is by no means a free gap year. “GOOD AND BAD EXPERIENCES ARE A PART OF LEARNING. THE IDEA OF YOUTH EXCHANGE IS TO TAKE A STUDENT OUT OF THEIR COMFORT ZONE, SEND THEM HALFWAY AROUND THE WORLD AND WATCH THEM LEARN AND GROW.” Youth Exchange is practical world understanding

Depending on country, it will cost the Australian student ’s family $12,000 to $20,000 to send their son or daughter on Youth Exchange. The students are willing to go. The families are prepared to pay. It is the cost of another year at school. What limits Youth Exchange is the reluctance of Australian clubs to take part. Many families would not send their child on any other exchange.When that child returns capable, confident and focused, they cannot thank Rotary enough. Other exchanges do not offer what Rotary can offer. It will cost the sponsor club a minimum of $250 to send a student (the cost of a blazer) and in turn a minimum of $5,000 to host, the monthly allowance. Send one, host one and get two for $5,250. Any more money spent will depend on the generosity of the individual club and its members. It is true that some overseas students are not as well prepped or vetted as ours. That is why District 9640 has an Orientation Camp to make sure that they know the Youth Exchange rules. These rules are international and all incoming and outgoing students have signed them. Keep them to what they have signed. If you have a problem student, talk to your District Youth Exchange Committee. Don’t keep your concerns in-house and have your club drop Youth Exchange. Could your club do more? Is not world understanding and peace one of the platforms of Rotary? Youth Exchange is a practical day-to- day application of world understanding and peace,not an academic one. John Burns Rotary Club of Southport North,Qld.

I feel the need to challenge the Reverend Bob Faser (Mailbox , February,2006)over his letter about Rotary enhances his life