Welcome

1. Orientation Program for Host Families and Club Volunteers Welcome Thank you for coming

2. Orientation Program for Host Families and Club Youth Exchange Officers Congratulations! You’re Expecting a New Arrival

3. Orientation Agenda • What is Rotary and its purpose? • Who are Rotary exchange students? • Expectations – families, students, clubs • Arrival and settling in • Student transition throughout year • Insurance, Finances, Travel, School • Rotary involvement & Support system • Activities and calendar • End of the year • Other topics • Student Protection Policy (video)

4. What is Rotary International? • World’s oldest and most international service organization • 1¼ million Rotarians, in 170+ countries • Celebrated 100th anniversary in 2005 • 32,000 clubs, in 520 districts • Rotary Motto: “Service Above Self” • “The Four Way Test” • Is it the TRUTH? • Is it FAIR to all concerned? • Will it build GOOD WILL and better friendships? • Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned? • The Rotary Foundation • Polio Plus • Nicaragua

5. What is Rotary District 5890? • In Houston area, Rotary is District 5890 • 10 counties • Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Colorado, Harris, Matagorda, Washington, Wharton, Fort Bend, Montgomery • From Weimer to Brenham, to Tomball, to Kingwood, to Clear Lake, to Lake Jackson, to El Campo • 60 Rotary Clubs • Approximately 1,700 Rotarians

6. District Leadership • Youth Exchange Officer • Tony Sortino • sortino@cdstexas.com • 281-370-5162 (home) • 281-351-4040 (work) • 832-723-1302 (cell) • Inbound Chairperson • Mindi Snyder • mindis@ci.rosenberg.tx.us • 979-543-1822 (home) • 832-595-3369 (work) • 979-541-9215 (cell)

7. District Leadership • Youth Protection Officer • Ted Turk • tedmturk@sbcglobal.net • 713-957-9888 (home) • 713-621-2100 (work) • 713-305-3026 (Cell)

8. District Leadership • District Compliance Officer • Anais Watsky • awatsky@yahoo.com • 281-370-4200 (home) • 281-370-4216 (fax) 17814 Running Brook Lane Spring, Tx 77379

9. District Leadership • District Insurance Officer • Carl Luckenbach • cluckenbach@sbcglobal.net • 281-257-8564 (home) • 281-651-0002 (work) • 281-796-8151 (cell)

10. Purpose of Long Term RYE Program • Promote Rotary’s goal of world peace and understanding, one person, one exchange at a time

11. Background Information • District-to-district program • 8,000 exchange students per year • Open to children of Rotarians and non-Rotarians alike • Operated completely by volunteer Rotarians as part of Rotary’s commitment to international and community service • In compliance with certification req’ments of RI and US Department of State

12. Who are Our Inbound Exchange Students? • Outstanding young people • Age 16-18½ upon arrival • Carefully selected and well prepared • Most speak English well • Anxious and excited to: • Learn our language • Discover American culture • Represent their countries • Become part of your family

13. Responsibilities of Rotary • In the beginning • Select qualified host families • Provide counselor • Register for school • Establish bank account /emergency fund • Insure obtaining picture ID • Find ways to get student involved !!!!!

14. Responsibilities of Rotary • Throughout year • Maintain monthly contact (minimum) • Be an advocate for student • Support host families & schools • Help with transportation • Invite to meetings / get club members involved • Arrange transition to new host family

15. Expectations of Host Families • Provide a home away from home • Clearly communicate family expectations • Treat student like your own child • Love, support, encouragement, understanding, discipline • Know their new friends • Be willing to say “No” when appropriate

16. Expectations of Host Families • Provide room and board • Help with challenges • Language • School • Culture shock • Homesickness • Provide an ear to listen, a shoulder to cry on, a hand to depend on

17. Expectations of Counselor • Function: Serve as club representative for student and host families • Beginning tasks • Obtain Texas ID for student • Save important papers • Return airline ticket • Passport, Visa, DS 2019 form • Retain emergency fund ($400) • Register student at school

18. Expectations of Counselor • Ongoing tasks • Maintain monthly contact (form enclosed) • Provide monthly allowance • Inform students and families of district activities • Transition • Orient new families of current situations and upcoming activities • Problem Solving • Assist student and family with resolving problems before problems get big

19. Expectations of Club YEO • Ensure YE committee for club • Get Rotary club membership involved • Ensure club compliance with district • Forms required on district web site • Report changes of address to district

20. Expectations of Students • Represent country and Rotary (be ambassadors) • Adapt to host family • Learn our language and learn our culture • Perform well in school • Communicate • Participate in Rotary, school, and community activities • Return home within 2 weeks of end of school, or 1 week after USA Tour

21. Expectations of Students • Program Rules & Guidance • No Driving, Drinking, Dating, and Drugs • No Downloading onto family computers • Well Groomed (no tattoos, extra body rings) • No Smoking (state law) • Maintain Excellent School attendance • Make Right Set of Friends • Participate in Community Volunteering • No Working at a job • Restricted visits from home • Limited Phone calls and e-mails

22. Arrival and Settling In • Welcoming your student • Meet at airport • First Night Questions (enclosed) • Introduce them to family & friends • Have a welcome party • Encourage family involvement • Do not let them retreat to their room • In-room tv, telephone, computer not good

23. Being the 1st Host Family • First Host Family • Excitement – everything is new • Culture shock – major adaptations • Language struggles • School arrangements • Often the closest bonds • Set the standards for the year

24. Sample Family Rules • Be on time / let family know where you are • Curfew • Do school homework • No telephone after certain hour • Help with chores (cleaning dishes, mowing lawn, etc.) See list of questions to ask each new host family.

25. Use of Telephone • Explain how it works; set rules for use • Limit calls to country (family, friends) • Helps them to overcome homesickness • Options for student calling home • Telephone card • Call parents; ask them to call them back • Be aware: Large phone bills can occur

26. Use of Family Computer • Do not let student spend too much time on computer • Limit / prohibit downloading information • Explain no visits to sites in poor taste • Ensure not too many emails to family and friends back home • Makes adapting to our culture more difficult

27. Making Close Friends • A major challenge to YE students • Help in finding clubs for student to join, even before student arrives • Interact (in many of the schools) • Sports • Theater • Band, orchestra • Active participation is good cure for homesickness

28. Problem Solving • Some problems will occur • Student must ask for help, in this order • Host family • Club counselor • Club youth exchange officer • District Youth exchange committee (inbound chair, YEO, committee) • Do not let small problems become big problems

29. Being the 2nd/Last Host Family • Second (or Third) Host Family • Transition issues • New family practices • Language and culture begin to “click” • Last Host Family • Comfortable with language and culture • Big events: prom, graduation, departure • Preparing for separation • Tearful goodbyes

30. Sibling Relationships • The Good • Set the example • Be a protector and a listener • Introduce to friends & activities • The Not-so-good • Jealousy • Withdraw from family & exchange student

31. Medical Insurance & Care • All Inbounds Insured (keep cards on them at all times) • Plan B CISI/Bolduc policy normally • Plan A for Sweden, Belgium, Danish students who bring insurance from their country • CISI/Bolduc – Plan B • Medical per Accident/Illness - $500K • Repatriation - $10K • Medical Evacuation - $50K • Deductible - $100 One time • Web Site: www.cisi-Bolduc.com

32. Medical Insurance & Care • In the event of illness/accident • Stabilize first • Call Rotary Contact in Club (counselor, YEO) • Emergency medical release provided by family • Be sure each host family has copy of release form • Use club member or host family doctors • Notifying student’s family • Let Rotary do the contacting once details are known

33. Student Finances • Emergency Fund • $350.00 from students maintained by Host Club • True emergencies – medical, etc. • Monthly Stipend from Rotary • Student Bank Account • Rotarian normally co-signs • Student may have home Credit/Debit Card • Student should not overspend • Telephone bills assumed by student

34. Host Family Finances • Support day to day routine expenses • Room and board • Laundry detergent, toothpaste, soap etc. • Regular family activities: movies, out to eat, family trips etc. • Extra-ordinary expenses • Clothing and postage are student responsibility • Telephone: Long distance costs are student responsibility • Family vacations: discuss expenses, establish share of cost long before departure

35. Student Travel • Cultural & Educational Program • NOT Travel program • District, clubs, families often provide opportunities • Students not allowed to travel alone or make own travel plans • Special requests must be pre-approved by YEO • Approval from natural Parents Required • Unauthorized Travel will result in student being returned home (has happened)

36. School • Educational program - student visas • Class participation essential • Rotary counselor to set schedule • NO Driver Education • Encourage participation • Sports (not in varsity if has graduated) • Music, Theater, etc. • Interact • Help with Homework • Suggest student get phone # for attentive classmate in each class

37. Support System • Club Level • Counselor • Youth Exchange Officer • President • District Level • In-Bound Chairman • Youth Exchange Officer • Student Protection Officer • Dept of State requires students to know how to contact them • See letter in appendix

38. Activities and Calendar • Mandatory Events • Inbound Orientation – September 11-13 • In New Braunfels • Depart Friday morning, 8:00 AM • Transportation by Rotary • Return Sunday afternoon, 5:00 PM • District Conference – April 22 - 24 • In downtown Houston, Hyatt Hotel

39. Activities and Calendar • Optional activities • Week-end together Oct • Christmas party Dec 5-6 • Youth Exchange Conference Jan 29-31 • Host Family Appreciation Banquet Feb • Interact District Conference Mar • Farewell party late May / Jun

40. Activities and Calendar • SCRYE Tours – 2 weeks in June • Western tour – Las Vegas, California, Grand Canyon • Eastern tour – Washington D.C., New York, Niagara Falls, Boston • Estimated student cost for tour and airfare - $2,100.00 • Rotary district informs students which flight • Student makes own reservation • Depart for Home – June / July

41. The End of the Year • Leaving for home will be hard for the student and the host families • Reverse culture shock • “The more successful the exchange, the harder the leaving & re-entry” • Maintain contact • You WILL probably see them again

42. District Student Protection Policy See Video

43. Student Protection Policy Our Role: • Maintain safest possible environment for all participants • Safeguard welfare and prevent physical, sexual, emotional or financial abuse of exchange students • Provide means to address all concerns and indications of harassment or abuse

44. Student Protection Code • Do • Treat students with respect - be aware of your tone of voice & manner and their reactions • OK to touch and hug students in a way that is not intrusive/disturbing to them or observers • Control who they hang around with • Communicate with Rotary D5890 Student Protection Officer if there are any allegations or suspicions or if you have questions

45. Student Protection Code • DO NOT • Engage in rough physical games including horseplay • Use physical force in any way, especially as a form of punishment • Touch an exchange student in any way that could be interpreted as intrusive or sexual • Make sexually suggestive comments, even as joke • Spend excessive time alone with a student, which may lead to misunderstanding

46. Student Protection Guidelines • What to do if your exchange student tells you of Harassment and/or Abuse (video) • Listen attentively & let him/her know it was right to tell you • Assure him/her that they are not to blame • Remain calm and make sure student feels safe • Encourage student to share with you what happened and who was involved • Make detailed notes including date & time • Don’t promise to keep secrets & explain the necessity of informing Protection Officer

47. Student Protection Guidelines • Keep Communications Open • Assure student that you can jointly address his/her concerns/problem With all of us working together, we can keep our exchange students safe and make this a meaningful and happy exchange experience for all of us.

48. Summary • We have assumed the legal and moral responsibility for someone else’s children • We are here to help you and the student have a meaningful and safe year to learn and live our American culture • We cannot help if we do not know

49. Particulars for 2009 2010

50. District 5890 Exchanges • 25 Inbound exchange students (14 countries) • List of students / host clubs enclosed • 23 Outbound exchange students (countries) • 16 Short-Term exchanges • For 2010 – 2011 recruiting • Will conduct information meetings in September / October • Club interviews October / November • District interviews December 5-6