Issues with outbound students from USA & Canada Mario Peres D-4480 Brazil

The USA is the biggest partner in the exchange with my district representing 65% of our inbounds.

Canada stands out as a great country exchange with us as well.

A list of a few things we have observed about your outbound students and our inbound students from the United States and Canada could be as follows:

We need to stress that they are not permitted to drive a motorized vehicle of any kind during their exchange year.

They should make as many friends as they can, but have no romantic attachments or sexual involvement.

Friends and acquaintances may have to meet with the approval of their host parents.

Before accepting invitations to travel near or far they should know that they must have the permission from their host family as well as the Rotary host club.

It is emphasized that they must accept all the invitations to attend Rotary functions organized by the Youth Exchange Committee or the host club

They must accept the responsibility of keeping their host families aware of their whereabouts.

When receiving invitations to sleep over with friends or to go out with a family other than their host family. They must have the permission of their host parents. They should always remember that common sense is very important.

We should always remind them to Live within their means as it is good discipline to try to save from their monthly allowance. Extravagance is no virtue, actually it leads to embarrassment.

For some families it is common for teenagers to be chaperoned on all occasions. They should accept this.

They should avoid cultural shock. They must always be tolerant, never critical of their hosting country. Its customs and procedures may be a little strange to them, but they are appropriate to the people in that country. In short, they should always keep their critical observations to themselves because their opinion may still be too immature

Exchange students study, so they must attend school. They should obey school rules and be respectful to teaching staff.

They should know that visits by relatives are not encouraged at the beginning of the exchange. It has been known to be very disruptive both to students and to the host families. Boyfriends and girlfriends are not allowed to visit

As to the amount of freedom given to the student may depend on his/her attitudes to the host family and house rules. They should always ask, not tell. Observe basic good manners. Be helpful. Their actions will actually determine the amount of freedom they will get.

Doing all that, they will easily adapt to the culture. Many succeed, some do not.

We want them to take back home the fondness and the feeling for Brazil that they will only be able to know what it is like after completing their stay with us. Most of all, we stress how important to is to learn the language in order to accomplish that. Most of the students from the USA and Canada manage to do that very well.

The large variety of food in Brazil makes it very difficult for them to say they don’t like the food. They are crazy about Churrasco.

We haven’t had major problems with the students living in our small towns, except that after they all get together in our largest city they keeping wanting to visit too much.

A to recommending some things you could do to better prepare your students during your orientation would probably be as follows:

Discourage them to contact their folks or their Rotary back home with problems that they have not given us a chance to solve. When they are there they are our responsibility not theirs. They should try us first.

Perhaps another thing to remind them of is the Commandments for a successful exchange:

1- Adapt or fail 1- Adapt or fail 2 - Ask or be ignorant 2 - Ask or be ignorant 3 - Be lively and active 3 - Be lively and active 4 - Be considerate of their hosts 4 - Be considerate of their hosts 5 - Be punctual 5 - Be punctual 6 - Give 100% of themselves and expect nothing in return 6 - Give 100% of themselves and expect nothing in return 7 - Maintain a neat appearance and keep their surroundings orderly 7 - Maintain a neat appearance and keep their surroundings orderly 8 - Plan ahead 8 - Plan ahead 9 - Smile every chance they get 9 - Smile every chance they get 10 - Strive to earn the respect of others 10 - Strive to earn the respect of others

And finally, tell them that countries aren’t better or worse, they are only different.

Thank you very much.