Annie on Thailand

Posted by John Mullen 
 
Thanking guest speaker Annie Webber, Past President Norm remembered the day at Rotary Glen 19 months ago when the exchange students were assigned their host countries . There was concern about Annie, a Burlington Ontario teenager, being assigned to Thailand. 

Thailand, with its very different culture, was considered to be a tough assignment, and Annie was the youngest of the outgoing exchange students.

Annie demonstrated the characteristics that enabled her to successfully complete her year in Thailand.  She gave a very poised, articulate talk during her slide show showing the many fascinating thing she experienced during her year in Thailand.

These included pictures of  a troupe of cheerleaders, including a matching set of supporters in the stands who would participate in the cheers, while the cheerleaders did their stylized dances in 45°C heat; her Southern Paradise tour, including the students frolicking on the beaches and snorkeling in the water of the South China Sea; a Christmas bonsai tree in the shape of an elephant; the city center near where she lived with its trucks, motorcycles and rickshaws. It was not uncommon to see 4 or 5 people, including babies, plus dogs, on a motorcycle all at once; her Thai friends who had unusual pet names such as "me", "you", "Pepsi", "Coke", "bunny", "Ben Ben" and "fuse" as well as her best friend "Fang" (not Phyllis Diller's husband); Annie riding an elephant, as well as "elephant Picassos" using their trunks to flail paintloaded brushes against canvases on easels.

 Annie's presentation showed her to be a  witty and charming young woman who had all the right stuff to turn a challenging year into a wonderful experience.