Waupaca Breakfast Rotary Club

RYE Long-Term

Application Deadline: XX, 2008

This program is for 10 to 12 months of study and travel in another country where you will be hosted by a Rotary District and Rotary Club and live with a family or several families in the nation you are visiting.

Current countries participating in this program are listed below. The student cannot choose where he or she will go. You prioritize the above list and then are assigned to one that is high on your list, almost always to one in the top ten, often even the first choice.

What are the RYE Qualifications?

1. Must be between the ages of 15 1/2 and 19 when they arrive in the host country.For an August 2007 Departure: Date of Birth must be between August 15, 1988 and October 1, 1991.
2. Must be in the top half of their class academically.
3. Must be interested in trying new things (food, culture, ideas, views of the world).
4. Must be willing to be a good will ambassador for your country.
5. Must be well adjusted, particularly in their family relationships. The student who cannot adjust to their own family may well find it impossible to adjust to more difficult family situations in a foreign environment.
6. Should have well rounded personalities with an ability to think through their problems in order to deal with the stresses of living far away from home.
7. Must be above average in maturity since they will have to make many decisions on their own for their entire exchange.
8. Parents must be 100% supportive of their student's desire to participate.

NOTE: If you are a vegetarian, a smoker, on prescription medication for depression, subject to eating disorders, or other similar problems, the exchange may have difficulty placing you with host families. This may impact your ability to participate in the program. Please discuss this with the Outbound Coordinator listed below.

What are the RYE program rules?

1. Must be sponsored by a local Rotary Club.
2. Must obey the laws of your host country.
3. Must sign, agree, and abide by the Rotary Youth Exchange Rules.
4. Must attend school and school activities while in the host country.
5. NO DRIVING any motorized vehicle (accident insurance does not provide coverage).
6. NO DRINKING of alcoholic beverages (except where legal and within the host family).
7. NO DATING on Steady basis (you're there to make many friendships).
8. NO DRUGS at all unless prescribed by doctor (foreign countries are much stronger in their enforcement of drug laws - hard time in jail for offenders).

NOTE: Please review RULES AND CONDITIONS.

What do Host Clubs provide?

1. Monthly stipend (varies from country to country but is about $50 in current purchasing power in the USA).
2. Counselor who will be the student's advisor for the year.
3. Generally a great deal of interaction with club members and their families.

What do Host Parents provide?

1. Room
2. Food
3. Participation in family activities (vacations, trips).

What does it Cost?

Click here for an Estimate of Funds the student must provide. The Waupaca Club contributes $500 towards the costs of conferences and insurance.

What's in it for the Exchange Student?

1. A new maturity, typically reaching the "emotional age" of someone in their mid-20s.
2. A new confidence in oneself and a new personal world-view.
3. Proficiency in a second language (possibly testing out of college language courses at a savings of hundreds, perhaps thousands of dollars).
4. World-wide networking. Rotarians are professional people, owners or senior managers in business or government. Rotary Exchange Students develop life-long relationships with the most influential people in the region of the country in which they live.
5. A major advantage is the RYE student has become a natural recruit for an international company.
6. The opportunity to promote peace through understanding - our main goal!

Can I get credit toward high school graduation?

Many public high schools will grant credit for your exchange. Thus if you decide to go before graduation you must check with your school's guidance counselor to determine what policies are in effect for your individual school because each is different.

Timeline