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·         Placement Announcements in March, ½ day; (student and parents; siblings and other family members are welcome ).

·         Final Orientation weekend in May, 2 days; (parents 1 day).             

Topics covered during orientation include travel arrangements, medical insurance, passport and visa,  money, language adjustment, travel while away, luggage, health, safety and sexuality,  banking and cash transfers, gifts, commitment to the program, reports to District, knowledge of Canada and knowledge of the host country.

FINANCIAL OBLIGATION

The parents of an Outbound Student are required to meet the following financial obligations:

Travel - The cost of their son or daughter's transportation and other travel expenses to and from the host country.  Depending on the destination this could be anywhere from $1000 to $3000.  Students are required to purchase a one year open ticket, without any limitations, on a regularly scheduled airline.  It is essential that a student is able to be returned home immediately should it be necessary.

Insurance - The provincial health insurance plan does not provide adequate health insurance for the duration of the exchange. We insist that students have adequate health insurance. We can either assist with a review of any extended health care insurance you may have, or recommend a suitable policy.

 Certain districts overseas insist that incoming students buy their approved insurance.  We have no power to override their requirements.  It is a Rotary principle that the rules of the hosting district prevail on such matters.  However outbound students should note that they can also purchase additional insurance to pay for expenses that may not be covered by required hosting country insurance.(See also Chapter 7)

Emergency Reserve Fund

 Parents are required to provide and keep replenished a reserve fund of $500.  This is available to meet extraordinary out of pocket expenses, and is usually jointly controlled by the student and a Rotarian from the hosting district or club.

ALLOWANCE

It is expected that the hosting club will provide the student with a regular but modest monthly allowance, usually in the order of $100, (or a local buying power equivalent).

Students are not permitted to do paid work to supplement their allowance. Non-paid volunteer work is permitted and encouraged subject to the rules and practices of your hosting District.

TELEPHONE CALLS AND SOCIAL NETWORKING

Telephone calls to or from the student, while easily made, should be saved for special occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries and Christmas or other holidays as otherwise they can dilute the exchange experience.  

Some hosting districts forbid telephone calls home [other than an initial "I've arrived" call] within the first three months to speed adjustment to their culture. 

Now that emailing, Facebook and Twitter are common, communication with family and friends back home is easy and usually quite instantaneous. With programs like Skype, phone calls now become free, with no charge to the host family. With this internet connection, host families may find it difficult to control how much internet time a student has (especially when internet cafes are available). However, students should try to limit their internet use (especially in the first quarter of the year) to no more than an hour a day. This will allow them to focus more on the culture at hand and not the one back home. Communication with friends in your host family can be done in other ways (cell phones etc).

Correspondence by fax, E-Mail, or old fashioned letter writing work just as well and can be shared with more people.   Writing letters is still a fantastic way to communicate with home because it makes writing home a fun process, and is exciting when you receive a new letter. It also makes contact with people back home more special but also more limited. 

It is recommended that natural parents correspond regularly with each host family.

VISITING THE STUDENT

Visits by parents and/or family are not forbidden but are not encouraged. 

Visits by friends from home are strictly prohibited. 

The arrival of parents on the scene can be disruptive to both student and hosts.  Some districts take the position that a visit by parents is the termination of the exchange.

Planned visits should be discussed with the District 7080 Chair and have the approval of the hosting district and club. Visits should not be considered until the student has completed more than 9 months of the exchange year.  Visits should be of short duration and should not interfere with the student's normal routine

or conflict with planned Rotary activities including the optional trips.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS AND GLASSES

If you are presently receiving prescription medication take a sufficient supply to last at least one month. 

If you require this medication during your year on Exchange, take a clearly-typed letter from your physician stating the nature of your problem and the prescribed treatment so that it may be continued under the supervision of a physician while away.  Physicians should be asked to use generic terms rather than brand names when specifying medication.

Customs officials may question unidentified medications. Take your supply of medication in the original prescription container.  The cost of medication is the student's responsibility.

If you require corrective glasses take an extra pair and a copy of your current lens prescription.

 PARTICIPATION

In order to get the most out of the exchange a student should be prepared to take an active part in the family, school, and community life. By contributing their talents and having open minds, students will make friends and enjoy a life-enriching experience.  Friendships should always be sought beyond those of other exchange students.

LANGUAGE

It usually takes three months or so to become comfortable in a foreign language.  Some countries run a language camp early in the exchange, most do not, and students will have to use their own resources to learn the language.  Any effort the student makes to learn the language before arrival will be rewarding and is encouraged.

TRAVEL

Unsupervised travel will be subject to restriction as deemed appropriate by the hosting club and district.  Travel with host parents or club usually does not require special permission, but the student's counsellor and district personnel must be kept informed.

Students should not make travel arrangements without discussion and permission and then expect the hosts to agree to the travel.

Many districts run a tour to other parts of the country or continent.  The cost of this tour is the responsibility of the student.  Information on tours will be provided by the host district.

SCHOOL FEES

School fees or tuition, if payable, are the responsibility of the host club.  Books, uniforms and other supplies may or may not be free.