General Information about our Camps & Tours

General Information about our Camps & Tours

our Tours are cultural exchanges and not only shopping, disco-visits etc.!

Participant:

You must be sponsored by a Rotary Club - ask for the short term exchange application form!

This application form can be found at “Formulieren & Publicaties”.

You must speak reasonably English, be generally fit and well, interested in our way of life and the history of our country, willing to participate in the daily life of a Dutch family and in sharing information about your home country.

Clothes:

Bring with you sporting shoes, rain wear, sweater and swimming suit.

Accommodation:

Generally you will be the guest in the home of a Rotarian.

Travel Expenses:

You will have to pay yourself the ticket from your home to Holland and back again and also the necessary insurance; plus some pocket money for personal expenses (we suggest ± €.10 per day).

Insurance:

You must be sufficiently insured to cover (amongst others) against illness, accidents and such like, and a third party risks/liability insurance - see also the application form. Take these insurance policy numbers with you to Holland !

With coverage from the time of your departure from home until your return home.

Application form:

Type or print the application using CAPITAL letters please!

This form must be sent (with photo and duly signed) + copy of participants passport as soon as possible by E-mail to: zomerkamp@rotaryyouthexchange.nl.

Please mention also on this application the number of the Tour + your E-mail address. When we receives all complete you get an affirmative for participation.

Living in a New Culture

Arriving in, and adjusting to, a new culture will be one of the more memorable phases of your exchange experience. What follow are some suggestions that can ease this transition.

Youth Exchange Program Rules

Because Rotary districts and clubs run their programs independently of Rotary International, each club or district program will have its own specific rules for you to follow. Just as you signed an agreement to abide by the Youth Exchange program rules of your sending club or district, you will be expected to follow the rules set forth by the Youth Exchange program in your hosting club or district. Although some of the program rules may seem strict (e.g. no drugs, no automobile driving), the local Youth Exchange program adopted them as the result of experience, and disregarding them can lead to your being sent home. You should discuss the rules with your Rotarian counsellor and host family shortly after your arrival so that they are clear to all.

Family Life

Your hosts are excited about your arrival, and will make every effort to welcome you into the family — but please remember that you are responsible for adapting to host family customs. Your flexibility is one of the personal qualities the selections committee at home considered in accepting you into the program, and you should be prepared to exercise it to the fullest.

Your flexibility will help you enjoy participation in household activities which you might not expect to do at home. You should be prepared to discuss the household rules with your host family. Some families do not expect much from exchange students, while others divide the tasks of bed-making, kitchen clean-up and house cleaning among various people. Your acceptance of whatever may be assigned to you will go a long way in smoothing the path to an enjoyable exchange experience for everyone involved.

Changing Families

Most Rotary exchange students are required to live with more than one host family during the tour. You will be informed of the requirements of your hosting club's program, and should be prepared to make this adjustment. Changing families offers you the opportunity to gain a more profound view of your host country's culture, while expanding your friendships and experiences.

Counselling

Most hosting Rotary clubs appoint a Rotarian who is not a member of the host family as a counselor to the exchange student. You may wish to call upon your counselor when you need guidance concerning problems that you cannot discuss with your host mother or father. Talking out your problems will help you adapt to your new life. Keeping confusion and hurt feelings inside will make your transition more difficult, while bringing them out in the open with a counselor will make them much less intimidating. Remember, your local Rotary club counselors are there to help you. There may be times when irresolvable problems arise during an exchange or when a student breaks the rules by which he or she agreed to abide. If this is the case, the hosting Rotary club may decide to send the student home early.

While this is a difficult decision for a Rotary club to reach, it is usually in the best interest of the student and the exchange program. In these instances, it is vital that students and Rotarians cooperate and that the lines of communication are kept open. The hosting and sponsoring clubs/districts, the Rotarian counselor, the host family and the student's family back home should all be kept fully informed of the circumstances surrounding an early return. The hosting Rotary club and the student's family should establish a mutually agreed upon route for the student's return home.

Getting Involved

As an exchange student, you should utilize every opportunity to become acquainted with your host community and nation through involvement in activities.
For example, you will be invited to attend Rotary club meetings, and you may in time be asked to speak to the club about your life back home.