The exchange students of district 5495 have just gone on their first American spring break! Hopefully it will be a sunny week here in Arizona for the exchange students to have a relaxing break from school with a lot of sun and time for swimming in the pool.

 

On March 1 the district had its PETS event at the Sheraton Crescent Hotel. The PETS event is to help train and educate future club presidents for their upcoming year as president. The event started with a huge flag ceremony with every inbound student’s flag and also flags from the countries some rebounds did their exchange in. At the ceremony all the inbounds, outbounds, rebounds and Rotex attended. The ceremony ended with the national anthem performed by Emilee Goetzenberger. There was a lot of people that attended the event with Rotary members from various clubs in the district and it was very successful.

 

After the ceremony all the students went across the street for a fun night at Castles and Coasters!

Every student got food, unlimited amount of rides and one round of mini golf thanks to district who payed for all the expenses, which we were very thankful for.

 

Before the PETS event we had our Interact District Conference in February. It took place in central Phoenix but not all the inbounds were able to go, but those who went had a great time! They got to listen to speakers and also see some familiar faces from the RYLA Pinerock camp in January that we attended.
 

We are all also very excited for the next RYLA camp which is in Pondarosa on March 28.

 

 

Max (Austria) spent his first week in March on Hawaii’s islands through the BELO program. He got to see a lot of the culture in Hawaii and a lot of the beaches, it looks like he is all warmed up for a hot and nice spring break!

 

Maci (Venezuela) had a good time up in Payson playing with the snow with her host family.

 

Tristan (Belgium) is spending his Spring Break week in Tijuana, Mexico with his host family.

 

Mayssa (France), Lisa (Italy), Max (Austria) and Carlos (Ecuador) all went to San Diego over spring break. It was a coincidence that all of them went to San Diego and when they realized they were all there, they decided to meet up and take a few pictures. Carlos and his host family invited Max to go with them.

 

Virginia (Italy) went to Disneyland, California for the first time and had a great time!

Hillary (Peru) also went to Disneyland in March. It was a first time for her as well!
 

Flor (Argentina) took a trip up to lovely Prescott!

Jacob (Sweden) went to beautiful Coronado in March and saw the USS Midway!

 

Newsletter written by Jacob Hellstrom, hosted by the Phoenix 100 Rotary Club