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John Riding is 17 years old. He´s never been away from his family of 17
brothers and sisters who live in Ephraim, Utah, population 5,000. He doesn´t
Spanish. And he´s about to embark on an adventure of a lifetime thanks to
the Rotary Club Foreign Exchange Program. John has just traded countries
with 17 year old José Aristco Sandoval Zatarain of Mazatlán. Not only have
they traded countries, but also houses, families, schools, friends and bedrooms.
For one school year they will be immersed in learning about each other´s
culture and language, and when they return home ten months later they will
have a wealth of tales to tell. It all began for John when someone in his
hometown suggested he take a look at the Rotary Club´s online application
for the Student Foreign Exchange program. He wanted to travel specifically
to a Spanish speaking country because, he says, there are many Hispanic
farm workers in his small mountain town, but few in the community speak
Spanish. He filled out the application, gathered letters of recommendation
from his school, prominent local officials and a Rotary Club member, and
soon the Club contacted him with the offer of Mazatlán, Mexico. The moment
he saw Mazatlán was on the ocean, he took the offer. On August 8th, he landed
at the Rafael Buelna Airport where his host family, the Sandovals, gathered
to welcome him into their home. Life in Mazatlán is just beginning for John,
but already he is full of enthusiasm for his new life. He raves about the
salsa here – “nothing like we get in the States” – admits to a craving for
Panama Bakery´s cheesecake, and has fallen in love with the ocean which,
he says, is forever changing, not like the mountains of his hometown which
act as sentinel landmarks. “I think that after awhile, though, I might miss
the sense of security the mountains provide, and maybe grass, and parks,”
he added thoughtfully. But he´s not homesick yet. Especially when the new
school he´s attending (Instituto Cultural de Occidente) has introduced him
to friends, some “hot” girls and the time-honored tradition of Mexican fiestas.
As a private school, many of the teachers speak English and, he says, they
have been willing to work with him in answering questions and helping him
settle into 11th grade. The Mazatlán Rotary Club is also there to help him
settle into his new life. Alejandro Gonzalez Lie, chairman of the exchange
program for 25 years, has had hundreds |
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of students under his wing. Even before John arrived in Mazatlán, the club
had scouted for families. “We look for good families, not necessarily Rotarians,
who live in good areas. The home must have air conditioning. Next, several
people will check the families´ references. We have students from all over
the world – Thailand, Japan, India, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Austria,
Turkey – so it is our responsibility to ensure the exchange homes are comfortable
and safe.” While the students´ families pay for airfare and clothes, the
Rotary Club gives each exchange student $80US a month spending money and
sets aside a $300US emergency account which cannot be accessed except in
dire circumstances. “Generally,” said Sr. Gonzalez, “the students do well,
with few emergencies. Recently, though, we placed a Mexican student in Bombay.
He arrived at the airport after a bad flood which delayed his host family
in picking him up. He was alone in the airport for hours, then once he arrived
at the home he was overwhelmed by the differences in culture and religion.
He called to say he wanted to come home, but we worked it out. We find,
overall, that in Europe our students are welcomed as sons and daughters,
whereas in the States the families are very busy with less time to spend
with the students.” Sr. Gonzalez remembers, though, one outstanding success
story which took place in the States. A Mexican foreign exchange student
was sent to the Detroit Lakes for a year. He finished high school, then
won a scholarship to attend university in the States. He eventually took
his Masters at the Sorbonne in Paris. “This student´s parents own a hardware
store near the docks in Mazatlán. They´re not wealthy and could never have
given their son this opportunity.” John Riding plans on taking full advantage
of his opportunity as an exchange student. As well as learning Spanish and
doing well at school, John is determined to improve his music skills. Sinaloan
banda music has made an impression on him, but his love is opera and he
hopes to find a voice coach to help him. And he wants to learn to surf.
On the top of the list, though, is a visit to a bullfight. “We have rodeos
in Utah, so I just have to see a bullfight.” In June, 2004, John and Aristco
Sandoval will once again change countries, both going home after a wealth
of experiences in a foreign country. They will then be 18 years old. The
experience will, no doubt, have changed their perceptions and their futures. |
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