STUDIES IN SCANDANAVIA — A Rotary exhange student prepares for a year in | Sweden

Grade 11 student ' Curtis

‘Bretherick is starting to get

excited about his upcoming stay in Sweden, sponsored by Rotary International. Curtis was one of seven ‘Terrace students who applied for the opportunity. to

experience life and school for one -

year in another country represented by Rotary Interna- tional, He is one of two who will be fulfilling that dream this year.

Curtis is being sponsored by the Terrace Rotary Club and Kenna Miskelly is being spon-

sored by the Skeena ‘Valley -

Rotary Club. -

Curtis says the process began -in October. He first learned about Rotary exchanges from Mike Christensen. Mike had been a Rotary exchange student in 1985. Then Steve Keitzmar came to Terrace from South Africa for 1991. Curt says he knew Steve pretty well and Steve encouraged him to follow through. Otherwise, he might not have got his applica- tionin. —

Curtis says the Rotary exchange application is pretty extensive. It included 10 pages of questions including essay ques- tions pertaining to the student’s

motivation for joining a Rotary -

International exchange. In a speech to the Terrace Rotary Club, Curt summarized, "I have

always been intrigued by travel .

mine where they'll send

and foreign cultures and I feel the Rotary exchange program is tie best way someone of my age can experience life in another country.”

In January of this year, Curtis and his par- ents, Ross and Elaine, had an interview with one provincial and two. regional representatives of Rotary International. "That’s when they deter-

me," explains Curt. The

first question Curt asked himself was whether or not he wanted to learn

Curtis Bretherick: Credits won't transfer, but the experience makes up for it.

another language. When he decided "yes", his pref- erence was to go to Europe. Ger- Many appealed to him, but Sweden won out because it’s a country with active hockey teams!

Although Curt doesn’t yet know what community he'll call home effective August 1992, he’s pretty well assured it will be Sweden. He'll live with three or four Swedish Rotary families and attend school while he’s there. Although credit from the Swedish will not be transferable, Curtis feels that the experience will

_ more than make up for having to

take his Grade 12 again when he returns to Terrace. In June, three-day orienta-

Terrace Review — March 20, 1992

Baber at at septa ap tes

tions will be conducted for young

people travelling on Rotary exchanges and their parents. Two days will concentrate on cultural adaptation, expectations, lan- guage barriers, and what to take (for the students) and one day for the parents to gather information on the whole program and have any unanswered questions addressed.

Curtis concluded in his speech to the Terrace Rotary Club, "I feel that I have the necessary qual- ities to be not only a good ambas- sador for Terrace but also for Canada,”

— Betty Barton

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