Contributed photoHOULTON — On Jan. 4, during the Houlton Rotary Club luncheon meeting, Hannah Jacobs of Houlton High School spoke to the club about her experience as a Rotary Youth Exchange Student last year in Italy.
This exchange program began in 2003 and Dana Delano has been chairing the Youth Exchange committee since 2008. Each year two or three area high school students are involved. The families of the students are very involved since in each country the host family is responsible for sharing their culture during the visit with their guest exchange student.
Jacobs chose Italy for her exchange experience and she hosted Sophia Iazelli here in Maine. They visited as far as Boston, Grand Falls, New Brunswick and other local locations. In Italy Hannah got to go to Milan, Cannes in France, experience Bastille Day, visited a vineyard, saw the World Expo and even stayed at Sophia’s grandmother’s castle in Turin.
Jacobs found the late night evening meal in Italy unusual from the United States mealtime and walking everywhere was different from the dependence on the automobile here in Maine. She shared slides from her trip in Italy as well as slides of the hosting of Iazelli in Maine and Boston. She thanked the club for the opportunity to learn about another culture.
Also attending the meeting were the 2016 students who would like to visit Switzerland and France. The overall feeling is very positive about the lessons learned for everyone involved in this exchange program. The Houlton Rotary Club offers this opportunity and funds it with efforts such as Bingo Night and other events.
