Issues with outbound students Issues with outbound students from USA & Canadafrom USA & Canada

Mario Peres D-4480 BrazilMario Peres D-4480 Brazil

The USA is the biggest partner The USA is the biggest partner in the exchange with my in the exchange with my

district representing 65% of district representing 65% of our inbounds.our inbounds.

Canada stands out as a great Canada stands out as a great country exchange with us as country exchange with us as

well.well.

A list of a few things we have A list of a few things we have observed about your outbound observed about your outbound

students and our inbound students and our inbound students from the United students from the United

States and Canada could be as States and Canada could be as follows:follows:

We need to stress that they are We need to stress that they are not permitted to drive a not permitted to drive a

motorized vehicle of any kind motorized vehicle of any kind during their exchange year.during their exchange year.

They should make as many They should make as many friends as they can, but have friends as they can, but have no romantic attachments or no romantic attachments or

sexual involvement.sexual involvement.

Friends and acquaintances Friends and acquaintances may have to meet with the may have to meet with the

approval of their host parents.approval of their host parents.

Before accepting invitations to Before accepting invitations to travel near or far they should travel near or far they should know that they must have the know that they must have the

permission from their host permission from their host family as well as the Rotary family as well as the Rotary

host club.host club.

It is emphasized that they must It is emphasized that they must accept all the invitations to accept all the invitations to

attend Rotary functions attend Rotary functions organized by the Youth organized by the Youth

Exchange Committee or the Exchange Committee or the host clubhost club

They must accept the They must accept the responsibility of keeping their responsibility of keeping their

host families aware of their host families aware of their whereabouts.whereabouts.

When receiving invitations to When receiving invitations to sleep over with friends or to go sleep over with friends or to go

out with a family other than their out with a family other than their host family. They must have the host family. They must have the permission of their host parents. permission of their host parents.

They should always remember They should always remember that common sense is very that common sense is very

important.important.

We should always remind them We should always remind them to Live within their means as it is to Live within their means as it is

good discipline to try to save good discipline to try to save from their monthly allowance. from their monthly allowance.

Extravagance is no virtue, Extravagance is no virtue, actually it leads to actually it leads to embarrassment.embarrassment.

For some families it is common For some families it is common for teenagers to be chaperoned for teenagers to be chaperoned on all occasions. They should on all occasions. They should

accept this.accept this.

They should avoid cultural shock. They should avoid cultural shock. They must always be tolerant, never They must always be tolerant, never critical of their hosting country. Its critical of their hosting country. Its customs and procedures may be a customs and procedures may be a little strange to them, but they are little strange to them, but they are appropriate to the people in that appropriate to the people in that

country. In short, they should always country. In short, they should always keep their critical observations to keep their critical observations to

themselves because their opinion may themselves because their opinion may still be too immaturestill be too immature

Exchange students study, so Exchange students study, so they must attend school. they must attend school.

They should obey school rules They should obey school rules and be respectful to teaching and be respectful to teaching

staff.staff.

They should know that visits by They should know that visits by relatives are not encouraged at relatives are not encouraged at

the beginning of the exchange. It the beginning of the exchange. It has been known to be very has been known to be very

disruptive both to students and disruptive both to students and to the host families. Boyfriends to the host families. Boyfriends and girlfriends are not allowed and girlfriends are not allowed

to visitto visit

As to the amount of freedom As to the amount of freedom given to the student may depend given to the student may depend on his/her attitudes to the host on his/her attitudes to the host family and house rules. They family and house rules. They should always ask, not tell. should always ask, not tell.

Observe basic good manners. Observe basic good manners. Be helpful. Their actions will Be helpful. Their actions will

actually determine the amount of actually determine the amount of freedom they will get.freedom they will get.

Doing all that, they will easily Doing all that, they will easily adapt to the culture. Many adapt to the culture. Many

succeed, some do not.succeed, some do not.

We want them to take back home the We want them to take back home the fondness and the feeling for Brazil that fondness and the feeling for Brazil that they will only be able to know what it is they will only be able to know what it is like after completing their stay with us. like after completing their stay with us. Most of all, we stress how important to Most of all, we stress how important to

is to learn the language in order to is to learn the language in order to accomplish that. Most of the students accomplish that. Most of the students from the USA and Canada manage to from the USA and Canada manage to

do that very well.do that very well.

The large variety of food in The large variety of food in Brazil makes it very difficult for Brazil makes it very difficult for them to say they don’t like the them to say they don’t like the

food. They are crazy about food. They are crazy about Churrasco.Churrasco.

We haven’t had major We haven’t had major problems with the students problems with the students living in our small towns, living in our small towns,

except that after they all get except that after they all get together in our largest city they together in our largest city they

keeping wanting to visit too keeping wanting to visit too much.much.

A to recommending some A to recommending some things you could do to better things you could do to better

prepare yourprepare yourstudents during your students during your

orientation would probably be orientation would probably be as follows:as follows:

Discourage them to contact their Discourage them to contact their folks or their Rotary back home folks or their Rotary back home

with problems that they have not with problems that they have not given us a chance to solve. given us a chance to solve.

When they are there they are our When they are there they are our responsibility not theirs. They responsibility not theirs. They

should try us first.should try us first.

Perhaps another thing to remind Perhaps another thing to remind them of is the Commandments them of is the Commandments

for a successful exchange:for a successful exchange:

1- Adapt or fail1- Adapt or fail2 - Ask or be ignorant2 - Ask or be ignorant3 - Be lively and active3 - Be lively and active4 - Be considerate of their hosts 4 - Be considerate of their hosts 5 - Be punctual5 - Be punctual6 - Give 100% of themselves and expect 6 - Give 100% of themselves and expect

nothing in returnnothing in return7 - Maintain a neat appearance and keep their 7 - Maintain a neat appearance and keep their

surroundings orderlysurroundings orderly8 - Plan ahead8 - Plan ahead9 - Smile every chance they get 9 - Smile every chance they get 10 - Strive to earn the respect of others10 - Strive to earn the respect of others

And finally, tell them that And finally, tell them that countries aren’t better or countries aren’t better or

worse, they are only different.worse, they are only different.

Thank you very much.Thank you very much.