The District-level interviews of outbound student candidates will be held Saturday morning, December 15 (NOT December 8). The interview session will be held at the Bellevue City Hall, 450 110th Ave NE (Northeast Fourth Street and 110th Avenue Northeast) in downtown Bellevue, near the Sixth Street Transit Center and Interstate 405. Click here for directions.

We will gather together the interview teams (Rotary Volunteers) at 8:30 a.m. for organizing and call for students to be there with parents at 9:00 a.m. to start the day. As in previous years, we will begin with a little introduction to Rotary and to the Youth Exchange program, and will continue offering conversation opportunities with past and present exchange students as well as experienced YEO's and Parents through the morning. Students and their parents should expect to be on-site until around 1:00 p.m.

Completed formal application for outbound student candidates for both the summer and year-long programs are required on or before December 1.

The formal applications this year are required to be completed by typing the form (filling it in online and printing it). There is an interactive version of the Long-Term Application available on the YEO Resources website that can be saved to your own computer and completed a bit at a time (search for Long Term Application). The applications for both the Short-term and the Long-term programs are available on the Rotary International website, too, but those versions cannot be saved. They can be filled in online and printed out, so the summer kids should probably print a blank version, complete it in draft, and then type in their responses to the web version and print the pages out as they get them completed.

Have you been looking for a way to recognize your students when they finish the Youth Exchange program? If so, we have good news!

Rotary International is happy to announce that a certificate of achievement and appreciation is available for purchase. Please note that the certificates, available in packs of 10 for US$7, will be updated each July to include the new RI president’s signature.

Order them at www.rotary.org, or call 847-866-4600.

During your exchange, you'll experience new feelings, realizations, thoughts, and observations while creating new memories. A journal is a great place to document them all. If you're thinking, “I don't like to write–I'll just remember everything and tell everyone when I return,” you should understand that this is nearly impossible, given that you'll be full of new information and experiences.

Things to consider:

• Pick a journal that works for you. If your handwriting is big, choose a large one.
• Store your journal in a plastic bag.
• Write in your contact information.
• Purchase a durable journal.

Your journal is your own space for writing down your reflections, observations, and thoughts. If you're artistic, bring along art supplies, and draw or paint your experiences. You can also glue in tickets, photos, and other items from your exchange to personalize your journal.

Catie Baetens joined the Rotary International staff as the Youth Exchange program coordinator in April. Catie came to RI with passions for travel and education. Though she has never studied abroad, she has traveled to many countries, including Cambodia, China, Costa Rica, France, India, Mexico, Peru, Spain, Thailand, and Vietnam. Catie completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Michigan, where she received degrees in psychology and history. During her academic career, she directed a nonprofit organization, the Detroit Project, which focused on revitalizing Detroit through service work. Later, she taught middle-school language arts and social studies as part of the Teach For America program in Northern California. Catie is honored to have the opportunity to work with the dedicated Rotarian volunteers around the world who make Rotary Youth Exchange a vibrant program.

Each year, local Rotary districts and clubs worldwide arrange thousands of international Youth Exchanges for high school-aged students. A primary goal of the program is to foster world understanding by way of intercultural exchange. Short-term summer exchanges average 3-4 weeks in each country. They take place when school is not in session and involve a stay with a host family. Every year approximately 7000 students ages 15 to 19 go abroad under the auspices of the Rotary Youth Exchange program.

The increased self awareness and global perspective students derive from the experience would not be possible without the commitment of the many volunteer host families and the dedication of those Rotarians who serve as Youth Exchange officers. In fact, this commitment and enthusiasm is transferred to many exchange students who continue their involvement after their exchange as members of ROTEX.

As a Rotary Youth Exchange summer student, you will spend 3-4 weeks living with a host family in a country other than your own. You may learn a new language; you will learn a new way of living and a great deal about yourself. But there's more. While you are busy learning, the people you meet will be learning as well - about your country, your culture, and your ideas. You will be a young ambassador. You will be helping to bring the world closer together — and you'll be making good friends in the process.

If you are ready for the challenge and the rewards of living in another land as an exchange student, then you are ready to discover new worlds through Rotary's Youth Exchange program.

Countries we exchange with are Germany, France, Holland, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Japan, Sweden, Mexico, and Denmark. If there's a country you have in mind, let us know and we'll see what we can do.

Each year, Club Interviews are held at the end of October (or very early in November), and District Interviews are scheduled for early December. If you have missed the deadline for this year, please consider applying during the next round!

We are happy to share this wonderful opportunity with you. Whether you are a student interested in going abroad, a family interested in hosting a student from another culture, or a Rotarian willing to share your time and talents, Rotary Youth Exchange is a chance for you to make a difference in your own life, and a difference in the world.

The Summer (or Short Term) exchange program is also offered. In recent years many local students have spent a major part of their summer involved in a 'family to family' exchange. We match up interested students with a counterpart student in another country (usually Northern Hemisphere), and the two spend their summer together, about four weeks in one students' home, and another four weeks at the counterparts home across the globe!

Building relationships is what we do. We hope you'll join us.