orientation for inbound exchange...
TRANSCRIPT
Orientation for Inbound Exchange Orientation for Inbound Exchange
StudentsStudents
Introduction Introduction
Welcome to District 5550
Our goal for you - “The Year of a Lifetime”
We are excited you are with us !!!
Rotarian introductions (name, club, yep job)
Map of District 5550Map of District 5550
• Saskatoon
Regina • Sioux Lookout
• Kenora
• Thompson
• Flin Flon
• The Pas
• Dauphin
Brandon •
• • Neepawa
• Portage la Prairie
• Melfort
• Nipawin
• MooseJaw •
•
Weyburn
Estevan • Eastman
Our District Youth Exchange Our District Youth Exchange
Organization Organization Paulette Connery
Chairperson
Robb Finnen
Treasurer
TBA
Harassment
Officer
Jackie Taylor
Outbound
Co-ordinator
Bob Durston
Harassment
Liaison
Mike Mahon
Legal Advisor
Choral
Director
Mike Mahon
Saskatoon
Mike Mahon
Northern
Saskatchewan
Judy Krall
Southern
Saskatchewan
Kathy Fitton
Southern
Saskatchewan
Robb Finnen
Northwestern
Ontario
Gord Smith
MANITOBA
Club Ambassadors
What You Will Learn TodayWhat You Will Learn Today
Some program information
New friends
Rotary expectations
Helpful ideas for you
Calendar of activities
Objective of YEPObjective of YEP
To further international goodwill and
understanding
To enable students to advance their education
To give students opportunities to expand their
outlook
To have students act as ambassadors
To provide sufficient time to study and observe
another countries culture
Being an exchange studentBeing an exchange student
Is fantastic
Is meeting hundreds of wonderful people
Is giving speeches and writing letters
Is getting fat and at times being poor
Is seeing a new country and experiencing new things
Is being homesick and at times miserable
Is getting tired
Is being an ambassador
Is personal growth
The successful exchange studentThe successful exchange student
Is flexible and adaptable
Wants to learn and have new experiences
Is knowledgeable and well read
Is open to challenge and change
Is sensitive, loyal and trustworthy
Is involved
Recognizes different is not necessarily bad or wrong
Communicates
Is introspective
New FriendsNew Friends
Introductions
– Please tell us your
Name and age
Country
Host club and high school
Your counselors name
Favorite hobbies
One goal for your year
Your CountriesYour Countries
Belgium Brazil Colombia
Denmark Finland France
Germany Japan Norway
Russia Spain Taiwan
CHALLENGES FOR THE ROTARY EXCHANGE STUDENT
Host
Rotary
Club &
Counselor
Host
Families
Exchange
Student
Your
Community
School
Friends in
High School
Host
Rotary
District
Items Your Rotary Counselor Items Your Rotary Counselor
Must Now Have Must Now Have
Paid for return airline ticket
Emergency fund ($500.00 Canadian)
Passport and Visa
Copy of your insurance policy
ChallengesChallenges
Speaking and writing in English
Following the rules of Rotary
Adapting to your host family
Attending and participating in school
Homesickness / making close friends
Getting involved in Rotary club and
community
Speaking EnglishSpeaking English
Often students speak own language
– Considered quite rude
– Forces others away from you
This is major problem for the success of
your year
Don’t be embarrassed, remember, you
speak English a lot better than we speak
your language
Ask questions when you need help
This is my experience.
Many have been here before
And many will follow ‐
But this time is mine.
My journey will present
numerous doors to
Unlimited opportunities.
Some of these doors will be open,
Some will be closed.
But one thing I know for certain,
The key to all doors lies within.
District 5550 Exchange
Student Creed
The 6 Be’s of
District 5550
Rotary Youth Exchange
Be First
I am a person of action!
Be Curious
I seek to understand!
Be on Purpose
I am certain of my outcome and move steadily toward it!
Be Grateful
I focus on things I can be thankful for!
Be of Service
I give of myself!
Be Here Now
I live in the moment!
Following Rules of RotaryFollowing Rules of Rotary (the 4 D’s)(the 4 D’s)
No drinking
No driving (including no drivers’ education
class)
No drugs
No serious dating
Follow rules signed in application
Quick way to go home!
Host Family ExpectationsHost Family Expectations
Be a member of the family
Share responsibilities of the home
Be considerate, ask permission
Understand their position -- sometimes they
will have to say “no” to requests
Sample Family RulesSample Family Rules
No smoking
Be on time
Curfew
They need to know your friends
Keep up with homework from school
No telephone after certain hour
See list of first night questions.
Expectations at SchoolExpectations at School
Have clear understanding of school credits
while you are here
Say thank you to school teachers
School requires you to attend classes
regularly and be a good student
Sometimes Rotary will take you out of
school; you are expected to make up work
CommunicatingCommunicating
How you communicate with others is often more important than what you communicate.
– Body language
– A smile on your face
– Be proud of your home country
– Have one or two small photo albums
– Accept every invitation to do something that you can
Show your appreciation to others
Acceptable behavior is not universally defined
Making Close FriendsMaking Close Friends
A major challenge to YE students
Be careful to choose the right set of friends
Join clubs; actively participate
– Sports
– Theater
– Band, orchestra
– Church groups
– Community groups
Other Rotary ExpectationsOther Rotary Expectations
Seek Rotary help (counselor, others)
Be prepared to give presentations to your
Rotary club and other organizations in your
community during the year
Quarterly Reports
District 5550 Travel RulesDistrict 5550 Travel Rules
RYE not a travel program. Permission will
NOT be given for independent travel!
Travel outside your host club area requires
travel form
Travel Approval Requirements
Get permission first then book travel
Getting Involved in Getting Involved in
CommunityCommunity Rotarians will ask for your involvement in
Rotary and community
– Rotary meetings
– Orientations for Outbound students
– Programs to Rotary clubs
– Programs to schools and clubs
Be prepared to say “yes” and be proud to be ambassador for your country and for Rotary
AppearanceAppearance
Cultural and generational differences
Appropriate time and place for trendy looks
Schools have some rules regarding dress
If the look is too wild you can expect some
comments
Trends such as piercings and other extreme
looks are inappropriate
Where to Go for HelpWhere to Go for Help
Some problems will occur
You must ask for help, in this order
– Host family
– Club counselor
– Regional Representative
– Inbound chairman (Paulette Connery)
Rotary Support System RESOURCE WHEN NEEDED
CONTACT
FREQUENCY COMMENTS
Host Family Every day Daily
Your f irst point of cont act wit h
most simple needs. For
problems you will need t o use
your Host Club YEO in
conjunct ion wit h your host
family.
Host Club Counselor Problems, Successes,
Social Occasions, Club
Meet ings
Bi-Weekly / Mont hly
This is your main Rot ary cont act
for your day-t o-day problems
and well-being.
Host District Regional
Representat ive
Most problems, t ravel
permission, rout ine
report ing
Mont hly Minimum If report s are required, make
sure you complet e t hem.
Host District Chairman Serious Problems or
Rout ine Report ing
Sponsor District
Counselor
Serious Problems and
Rout ine Report ing Mont hly / Bi-Mont hly
Quart erly Report s are t o be sent
t o t his person. This is not t he
f irst person who should learn of
a problem you are having!
Sponsor District
Chairman Serious Problems As needed
ROTEX Emot ional and YE
Support
As of t en as needed but
mont hly at a minimum
Rot ex will not be able t o help
you wit h t echnical YE problems
They are for your emot ional
support and ment oring only.
Sponsor Club YEO Preparat ion and t hen
report about your
experience
Mont hly
You should writ e t o your club
regularly t elling of your
experiences.
Parents Rout ine, non-YE
problems, healt h
emergencies
REGULARLY
LIMIT E-MAIL AND PHONE
CONTACT. WRITE LETTERS
INSTEAD OF E-MAILING AND
PHONING!
HOME SICKNESSHOME SICKNESS
Most Exchange Students will experience
this feeling sometime
What feelings to look for
What to do about it
What not to do about it
The Exchange Cycle
1. Application Anxiety 2. Selection/Arrival Fascination
3. Initial Culture Shock: 1-6 Months 4. Surface Adjustments
5. Mental Isolation 6. Integration/Acceptance
7. Return Anxiety 8. Shock/Reintegration
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Rotary Youth Exchange
Inbound Student Calendar
MONTH PHASE WHAT YOU SHOULD BE DOING REMINDERS
JULY-
AUGUST
TRAVEL &
HONEYMOON
Get busy. Remember that these first few weeks are your
chance to make life-long friends. It is not the time to be shy.
Take it all in and get to know your surroundings. Meet your
Rotary Club members. Find your routine. Work on your
language skills. Identify your cultural mentor.
Watch the phone
calls, MSN time
and e-mail
SEPTEMBER
END OF
HONEYMOON /
START OF
ADAPTATION
Start with good habits. Write in your journal every night.
Mark on a calendar what you did every day. Answer the
phone from time to time. Get to know your host parents.
Learning the language is your priority. Watch for
homesickness. Use your support system. Keep busy. Cook
a “home-country meal” for your host family. Neepawa
Orientation for first meeting with other students
Email home and
copy to friends.
OCTOBER ADAPTATION
Homesick? Don’t call home! Talk to your Rotary or Rotex
support people. Don’t dump it on your parents. Get out of
that funk. Break the routine a little every day to keep things
fresh. Avoid spending long amounts of time by yourself.
Having trouble with the language? Find someone to talk to; a
host sibling, a “cultural mentor”, or even your Rotary
Counselor. Give and take. Nipawin Halloween Weekend,
revisiting with students and experience Halloween.
SEND 1ST
QUARTERLY
REPORT TO
YOUR Y.E.
COUNSELOR
NOVEMBER ADAPTATION
Have you made many friends yet? If not, get out there and
mingle. Learn the language. Remember, you want to make
as many people miss you as you can when you leave. There
is nothing better to make you stop thinking about yourself
than to help someone else. If you are feeling a little lost, find
someone in need and give him/her a hand. You will get it
back 10X. You might hit a language plateau here. Keep
working the language. Try something new. Speak at your
Rotary Club. If you move host families, you might have
another challenge. Make the best of it. Enjoy (and
participate in) Thanksgiving.
Send Holiday
presents home
early. By
November 15th
.
DECEMBER
ADAPATION/
ASSIMILATION
TRANSITION –
HOLIDAY
BLUES
Time to stay focused. You need to get through the period
from the end of November until January 1st strong. Don’t get
hung up with missing the holidays at home. Keep Rotex in
mind here. They will help. The more you contact “home”
though, the worse it will be. Tell your host family how you
celebrate the holidays. Melfort Winter sports weekend –
saying goodbye to oldies . experiencing Christmas with new
family, celebrating the start of new year.
Keep phone calls
and e-mails
“home” down.
JANUARY ADAPTATION/
ASSIMILATION
Now for the good stuff. You should feel good speaking the
language and you should have made some friends. Make the
most of it. From now on, you are on a roll. Hey! Where’s
my report? Learnt language and start dreaming in your new
language. Portage orientation – you are now the oldies and
meeting the newbies that just arrived, Year Half over now.
SEND 2nd
QUARTERLY
REPORT TO
COUNSELOR
FEBRUARY ADAPTATION/
ASSIMILATION
You should be busy now. Friends, school, lots of activities.
Don’t forget host families (including the first one). Winter
break at schools. Enjoy the snow and winter sports,as it will
soon be gone.
Call your host
counselor and
check in with
him/her
MARCH ASSIMILATION
Are you giving as well as taking? Don’t just be doing your
own thing. You speak the language and you know some
people. You fit in. Use it to help other people. Speak to
little kids in schools, volunteer in your community, teach
someone your language, help with your Rotary Club’s
projects. This is the part of the roller coaster ride when you
get to let go of that safety bar, put your hands in the air and
scream as loud as you can. This is “The Monster Hill” of
your exchange.
Make your
flight
reservations
home. Don’t
rush home, but
don’t stay too
long. Check our
return home
policy.
APRIL ASSIMILATION
Exams near by. Half way through the semester at school.
Easter break, make plans. Well adjusted into your bicultural
life. Hard to speak in your native tongue now. Translations
are effortless, now more difficult to think in your own
langueage. Hey, don’t you owe someone a report?!! Russell
Out/In bound orientation. Get to strut your stuff about your
country to outbounds. Preparing for conference
presentations. Eastern trip preparations.
SEND 3rd
QUARTERLY
REPORT TO
YOUR
COUNSELOR
MAY
ASSIMILATION
& RE-ENTRY
ANXIETY
This should be as good as it gets; you love your host country
and you are starting to get that dreaded re-entry anxiety. It
has to happen, you know that. Don’t waste one second
wishing it won’t. Spend as much time as you can with
friends, host families and the people you will miss most.
You can spend time with other exchange students when you
get home, so spend what little time you have with people who
you won’t see for a while. District conference and eastern
trip. Time to show district who you are as a country.
Make time for
your host
families!
JUNE
ASSIMILATION
& RE-ENTRY
ANXIETY
Get ready to leave. Make sure that you are not putting off
spending time with people. If you want to buy things to take
with you, start early. Don’t go rushing around the night
before you leave. You will be cheating your friends and
family out of your time. Leave gracefully. Don’t leave a
mess. Pay your obligations. Return what you’ve borrowed.
Say “thank you” as many times as you can.
Read “So You
Think You’re
Home Now”
JULY
RE-ENTRY &
REVERSE
CULTURE
SHOCK
Pack early. Get rid of things that are just clutter. Make sure
you have your passport, tickets and that your bank account is
closed (if you had one). Exchange money. Don’t come
home with a lot of canadian money you might not need for a
while. Have some CDN. currency with you in case you need
it at the airport. Remember, the success of an exchange is
measured in the number of tears when you leave; yours and
theirs. Smile when you get back to your country you are
returning as bicultural student and seasoned world traveller.
Thank your parents for your year. Spend some time with
them (at least two days) before you go running around
finding and connecting with your friends. Encourage clubs
and students to become an exchange student. Join Rotex
clubs
SEND FINAL
QUARTERLY
REPORT TO
YOUR
COUNSELOR
AUGUST
REVERSE
CULTURE
SHOCK
Get into your new life at home. Listen to what you are
saying. Are you being critical about “home”? Are you
telling everyone you can find about your year or are you
keeping it to yourself? Have you referred to your friends as
“Those stupid kids?” at all? Are you keeping busy or are you
moping around the house missing “home”? Was it really
easy for you to come back? Do you not miss your host
country and host families? Think about why that is so. Get
ready for school to start. Make little steps each day to get
back into your culture. Talk to Rotex and to your District and
Club Counselors about what you did and what you are doing
now. Remember that the deeper you were able to assimilate
into your host culture, the longer it will take you to find that
“bi-cultural balance” between your host country “self” and
your original “self”. This is the start of your third year as an
exchange student.
Contact your
Sponsoring Club
and offer to do a
program on your
exchange.
Help continue to
build the
program!
The Web SiteThe Web Site
Website address Clubrunner for Rotary District 5550
All forms and information are on the web – Quarterly student report
– Registrations for all events
– Travel request forms and policy
Lists of students, counselors and committee
ComputersComputers
Email – Email is our main form for communicating with students
– If your email address changes, please let the webmaster know so we can keep the list up to date
– If we don’t have your current address you will miss important information
– Try to keep your mailbox from filling up so you can receive new messages.
– Check you email at least weekly for important messages
– Reply to emails Quickly.
MSN Messenger and Facebook – Most students are active on MSN Messenger or Facebook
– It is a great way to stay in touch
– Be careful not to monopolize the computer, there are others in the host family who may want to use it.
Computers Computers (Cont.)(Cont.)
Some Guidelines – Spend your time with your host family and your friends, not the
computer – you are here to learn about Canada and Canadians and
to be an ambassador for your home country.
– If the computer belongs to your host family – they probably won’t
appreciate it if you make any changes.
– Time spent on the internet (including MSN) costs your host family
money. Make sure it is OK with them before you to use it.
– Be careful what information you give to strangers. There are some
nasty people out there. Don’t put any personal information in your
MSN or Facebook profile.
District ActivitiesDistrict Activities
Halloween Weekend TBA
Melfort Sports Weekend & Orientation JAN 10-13 2013TENT
The Pas Trappers Festival TBA
Russell Outbound Orientation April 26–28, 2012
District Conference (The Pas) May 30- Jun 2
Western Adventure Trip tentative
Camp Whitney July
Compulsory Events Optional Events
SummarySummary
We have a great year planned
This year should be the “Time of your life”
You will have the opportunities
– To learn our culture (and become Canadian)
– To make friends from all over the world
Much of the success of your year will
depend on you
We are more than eager to help
We care deeply. We want you to succeed.
Questions?Questions?