Rotary District 5500 Youth Exchange Orientation Program

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Rotary District 5500 Youth Exchange Orientation
Program
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Goals of inbound orientation students

• Set expectations for students in relation to
  program rules and activities
• Set expectations for students in relation to US
  cultural values and etiquette
• Facilitate student bonding across cultures
• Observe students and learn to know them as
  individuals
• Anticipate and prevent potential problems

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Goals of orientation counselors and host parents

• Inform about roles and responsibilities
• Present opportunities to anticipate and solve
  problems
• Introduce district YE people as resource
• Provide opportunity for cooperative learning from
  each other and YE Committee

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Content of orientation

• The rules
• American culture 101
• Speaking and presentation skills
• Bonding experiences
• Sexual abuse and harassment policies

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Challenges

• Little language comprehension
• Varying levels of pre-departure orientation
• Varying levels of previous cultural exposure
• Varying level of cultural permissiveness/restricti
  veness
• Varying socioeconomic levels

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Sequence of events

• Introduction of district YE committee members
• Overview of schedule of events with expectations
  for participation
• Exchange student role in the district, community
  and club
• Expectations re rules
• Expectations re school, club, host families
• Cultural differences

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The exchange year

• You are here orientation
• Planning ahead summer tours
• District mandatory events Orientation, District
  Conference
• Other district events for students
• Club events on your calendar
• Presentation usually 2nd half of exchange
• Usual schedule for moving host families
• Anticipating date of return

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The rules

• No drinking
• 21 is the law
• Cool ways to say NO
• No drugs, no shoplifting or petty theft
• Illegal and subject to criminal penalty
• No driving
• Insurance and liability
• No steady dating
• Positive emphasis Many friends, both sexes

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Presenting the rules

• Small groups, students from similar cultures
• Interactive How could you handle it if....
• Urged to drink? Take drugs?
• Offered chance to get your license? Drive ATV?
• The power of stories
• Student misadventures
• Impact on program and its reputation

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What is different?

• School and student/teacher relations
• Getting around
• Peer relations
• Family lifestyles
• Role of Rotary in the community
• Law and order

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Good manners for junior ambassadors

• Introductions with adults and peers
• Showing appreciation verbally
• Thank-you notes
• Learning and using names
• Being on time
• Using acceptable table manners
• Offering to help
• Carrying cards and/or pins

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Relationship with the school

• More rules
• Dress codes
• Zero tolerance
• Academic honesty
• Expectation of active participation
• Reinventing yourself choosing activities
• ABCs why make good grades?

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Relationship with the community

• In the public eye
• What will they learn about your country from you?
• Young people and volunteering

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Relationship with the club

• Counselor
• Meetings
• Getting to know members
• Showing appreciation

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Relationships with families

• Icebreakers
• Family rules and routines
• Questions to ask
• Adapt. adapt. adapt
• If all else fails...

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Anticipatory guidance

• Homesickness
• Travel questions
• Relationships with clubs
• Relationships with families
• Keeping track of your growth

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Homesickness dos and donts

• Do get involved in school and extracurrcular
  activities
• Do spend time with host family and participate in
  their activities
• Do let your club/counselor know what you would
  love to see and do
• Dont stay in your room
• Dont stay on the computer
• Dont call home more than 1x/week

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Travel questions

• Can my friend from home visit me?
• Can I take the bus to New York with my friends?
• Can I go to China with my host family?
• Can I visit my aunt who lives in Chicago for
  Christmas?
• Can I go on the trip with the school choir?

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Club related questions

• I still dont know who my counselor is what can
  I do?
• Why do I need to go to club meetings?
• My club gives me 75 but another student gets
  100 what can I do?
• My club wants me to move but I want to stay with
  my current host family what can I do?

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Questions about host families

• What if I dont like their food?
• Arent they supposed to drive me where I want to
  go?
• Why do I have a curfew, my own parents never had
  one?
• What if they want me to come to their church?
• What if I dont get along with my host
  brother/sister/cat/dog?

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Keeping track of your growth

• Keep a journal
• Learn new words every day
• Write some letters, not just e mails
• Write about your experiences for your school back
  home
• Re-read your journal every month to see how far
  you have come

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Sexual abuse and harassment

• Discuss in small same-sex groups
• Give examples and stories
• Provide situations for practice