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Katherine Joyce of Sleepy Eye said she isn’t feeling too nervous about her upcoming exchange experience. “Not right now,” she added smiling.
But come this Saturday when she boards her flight to Ecuador, well, that just might change. A little.
On Saturday, Katherine, daughter of Dr. James and Kathleen Joyce, will fly from Minneapolis to Ecuador where she will meet one of three host families she will be staying with as part of her long-term Rotary Youth Exchange experience.
Annually, Rotary International sponsors more than 8,000 exchange students from over 80 countries. This 75-year tradition has allowed students and host families to expand their horizons and gain invaluable cultural experiences.
In Ecuador, Katherine will reside in the coastal city of Machalla, populated by about 60,000 people. “Ecuador is so diverse,” she said. “I will be trying to grow as a person as I immerse myself in a different culture.
“I hope to teach (the Ecuadorians) that not everybody is a stereotypical American. I want to be able to tell them about the United States while learning about their culture.”
Ecuador was one of five countries Katherine chose as potential exchange sites. “Four of my choices were Spanish-speaking countries and the other one, I think, was New Zealand,” Katherine explained.
When it comes to speaking the language, Katherine has several years of Spanish lessons to draw from. “The first week of September I will attend a language camp (in Ecuador) and that should help, I hope.”
Katherine, a St. Mary’s junior, will attend a military school her host family’s son also attends. “I will be staying with three host families (over the course of the experience),” she said.
“Because my first family’s son attends the military school, I’ll be going there too.”
Spending a year in Ecuador will mean Katherine will miss a number of school events, including social and extracurricular activities. “I’m sure I’ll miss Mock Trial and the Science Fair,” Katherine admitted, adding Ecuadorian students also take part in Science Fair. “I met several students when I went to the International Science Fair (last spring).”
Still, Katherine is excited to experience travels throughout the country from its coastal regions, including the Galapagos Islands, to the mountains and the Amazon jungle. “Ecuador is on the equator so the temperature will always be hot there,” she said.
Katherine explained, that within Rotary International, it is not unusual for an exchange student’s family to host a Rotary student themselves. “My first host family (in Ecuador) has a daughter who will be going to Philadelphia,” Katherine explained.
And in Sleepy Eye...
On Sunday, just one day after Katherine leaves for Ecuador, the Joyces will welcome a young woman named Ana Clara from Brazil. Ana will begin her school year in Sleepy Eye as a student at St. Mary’s.
Katherine’s journey will be her first trip abroad and she is excited for all the new experiences ahead. “I’ve been reading a lot about Ecuador and the Rotary meetings have helped,” she said.
This coming experience is one Katherine sees as advantageous for her future plans. “I was thinking about studying to be a psychologist,” she said. “Being able to speak fluent Spanish will help because of the increased population of Hispanic people in the United States.
“Or I might like to be an ambassador,” Katherine added. “We’ll see how it works out.”
Katherine Joyce of Sleepy Eye said she isn’t feeling too nervous about her upcoming exchange experience. “Not right now,” she added smiling.
But come this Saturday when she boards her flight to Ecuador, well, that just might change. A little.
On Saturday, Katherine, daughter of Dr. James and Kathleen Joyce, will fly from Minneapolis to Ecuador where she will meet one of three host families she will be staying with as part of her long-term Rotary Youth Exchange experience.
Annually, Rotary International sponsors more than 8,000 exchange students from over 80 countries. This 75-year tradition has allowed students and host families to expand their horizons and gain invaluable cultural experiences.
In Ecuador, Katherine will reside in the coastal city of Machalla, populated by about 60,000 people. “Ecuador is so diverse,” she said. “I will be trying to grow as a person as I immerse myself in a different culture.
“I hope to teach (the Ecuadorians) that not everybody is a stereotypical American. I want to be able to tell them about the United States while learning about their culture.”
Ecuador was one of five countries Katherine chose as potential exchange sites. “Four of my choices were Spanish-speaking countries and the other one, I think, was New Zealand,” Katherine explained.
When it comes to speaking the language, Katherine has several years of Spanish lessons to draw from. “The first week of September I will attend a language camp (in Ecuador) and that should help, I hope.”
Katherine, a St. Mary’s junior, will attend a military school her host family’s son also attends. “I will be staying with three host families (over the course of the experience),” she said.
“Because my first family’s son attends the military school, I’ll be going there too.”
Spending a year in Ecuador will mean Katherine will miss a number of school events, including social and extracurricular activities. “I’m sure I’ll miss Mock Trial and the Science Fair,” Katherine admitted, adding Ecuadorian students also take part in Science Fair. “I met several students when I went to the International Science Fair (last spring).”
Still, Katherine is excited to experience travels throughout the country from its coastal regions, including the Galapagos Islands, to the mountains and the Amazon jungle. “Ecuador is on the equator so the temperature will always be hot there,” she said.
Katherine explained, that within Rotary International, it is not unusual for an exchange student’s family to host a Rotary student themselves. “My first host family (in Ecuador) has a daughter who will be going to Philadelphia,” Katherine explained.
And in Sleepy Eye...
On Sunday, just one day after Katherine leaves for Ecuador, the Joyces will welcome a young woman named Ana Clara from Brazil. Ana will begin her school year in Sleepy Eye as a student at St. Mary’s.
Katherine’s journey will be her first trip abroad and she is excited for all the new experiences ahead. “I’ve been reading a lot about Ecuador and the Rotary meetings have helped,” she said.
This coming experience is one Katherine sees as advantageous for her future plans. “I was thinking about studying to be a psychologist,” she said. “Being able to speak fluent Spanish will help because of the increased population of Hispanic people in the United States.
“Or I might like to be an ambassador,” Katherine added. “We’ll see how it works out.”
