Hannah Bywater had them in stitches at a Rotary luncheon held Monday at the Grande Event Centre, especially when it came to relaying the new culinary delicacies she tried while abroad.
Bywater, 17, spent the past year living and studying in Switzerland as a Rotary Outbound Youth Exchange Student. Monday, she spoke about her experiences living in rural areas of the country, how welcome she felt with her host families, skiing in the Alps, and the trials and tribulations of learning and speaking in different versions of German. And cow udders. Yes, she tried the ceremonial cow udder, much to the delight of her hosts.
Rotary Youth Exchange programs are open to students ages 15-19. Students selected are those who have demonstrated leadership in their community and possess qualities such as flexibility and willingness to try new things that will enable them to fully experience life in a new country and become excellent cultural ambassadors. Local Rotary clubs sponsor inbound and outbound students. During student exchanges, they are hosted by host families and attend school. Students gain a greater understanding of host country’s culture. Youth exchanges take place in nearly all 200 countries and geographical areas where Rotary clubs exist.
