Italian Rotary Youth Exchange student says Huntsville has the ‘loveliest and most kind people’

They say that the best learning is done away from the textbook, when one is submerged into a different culture.

The students who have participated in Rotary’s Youth Exchange program have definitely experienced this through their travels all across the globe.

Rotary International coordinates short-term and long-term youth exchanges to over 100 countries in the world for students aged 15-19. Long-term exchanges, where students attend a local school and live with a host family, last a full academic year while short term exchanges, often structured as camps, tours or home stays, last anywhere from several days to three months.

“One of the most frequent comments that we have heard from parents or teachers of students who have experienced a youth exchange program with Rotary is the student’s increased self-confidence and self-esteem,” said Rotarian Julia McKenzie. “Students who go on an exchange with Rotary are integrated into another family and community and because of this gain maturity as well as developing life-long friendships.”

Sixteen-year-old Andrea Bonafini is currently participating in Rotary’s youth exchange programme here in Huntsville. He arrived in Canada in late August from Breno, Italy, a small town of about 5,000 people between Milan and Trento.

Bonafini is currently living with John and Suzi Jarvis but as he is in the long-term exchange his host family will change every few months.

Although he’s only been here a month, Bonafini describes Huntsville as an amazing town with the loveliest and most kind people.

“I’ve always thought that travelling and living abroad would have been an amazing experience that could change me as a person,” said Bonafini. “After my brother went on an exchange in 2013 to Australia I saw how great of a program Rotary offered and they were here to help me.”

Each year, more than 8,000 students globally participate in the program and learn about cultural differences, create connections, make friends all over the world, and are able to learn a new language.

As the program is an ‘exchange’, Bonafini’s family is also hosting a Canadian student in his hometown.

“When a student returns home they usually become more comfortable with ‘foreign’ environments and have a greater global awareness,” said McKenzie.

Bonafini is on the Robotics Team at Huntsville High School and looks forward to being a part of that group during his studies. He also plans to meet up with other European inbound students later in the year and travel with them.

“I hope that this experience changes me,” said Bonafini. “I’ve always been a bit shy because I was afraid of the judgement from others.”

Local resident Ian Markham left for France last month as part of the Rotary Youth Exchange program.

His mom, Janet, reports that he’s doing great so far. “It’s been very hot there and so he’s thankful for his host family’s pool,” she said, adding that he joined the local swim club—here he was a member of the Muskoka Aquatics Club—and athletic club and is enjoying new workouts. He’s adjusting to school, with his most challenging class being Spanish, as he’s learning from a French teacher. And he’s found a favourite sandwich at a local bakery: steak haché.

Above: (left) Ian Markham’s host family greets him at the airport in France; (right) Ian with Philippine exchange student Natalie on the first day of school in Aubenas in southern France.

Watch for a story on Ian’s travels after he returns next summer.

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