We got a good turnout tonight to hear from our outbound exchange student Tara. We were treated to a taste of the presentation that she is planning to show her overseas host club. Tara still doesn’t know where she is heading, but is hoping for the USA, or Canada.
There were lots of photos in the presentation, but the one that caught everyone’s attention was of Tara at around 2 years of age. She was diligently but artistically spreading the contents of a bloo loo cage on herself and the toilet. Denise told me that Tara had waited until she had her hands full with Tara’s baby brother, to sneak off to express her creativity. Members of the Carols committee wanted to sign Tara up to do the bathroom cleaning, given her obvious skills with the bloo loo.
Tara is off to a camp in Bairnsdale on the weekend to meet up with the other outbound students and the current inbound student being hosted by the Rotary Club of Narre Warren, who will give them an idea of what to expect. The word is that the outbound students will then find out where they are all going next year.
Clare Ganderton gave us an insight into what it is like being a Youth Exchange Counsellor. Clare updated us on what she has been doing on the Youth Exchange front as Tara’s Counsellor, offering advice and assistance as needed. 
Next to speak on the topic of Youth Exchange was Di Double. Di was talking from the host parent viewpoint. Geoff and Di have hosted 6 Youth Exchange Students from all over the world. Di highly recommends the experience, even if people don’t have children of the inbound student’s age living in their home. She has lasting connections with these students and often gets phone calls at crazy times from a particular young lady who came to our Club from Greenland.
It was very interesting to hear about Youth Exchange from the different perspectives.
That’s it from me for this week.
Over and out.
