One of the highlights of the year for members of the Almancil International Rotary Club (AIRC) is when the Youth Exchange Students, sponsored by the club, present reports on their experiences.
On Wednesday it was the turn of the long-term exchange students, Yonela Chiperi and Loredana Privilean, both from Laura Ayres School in Quarteira.
Yonela and Loredana took part in the Rotary Summer Camp Project in 2016 and enjoyed it so much they wanted to participate in the long-term exchange program. Yonela spent a year with three families in Italy. Loredana spent a year with three families in Ibbenburen in north Germany. Watched by proud family and Rotary members and special guests, both students gave impressive PowerPoint presentations of their year, after which they agreed it was the best possible experience of their lives.
The Rotary International Youth Exchange Programs (YEP) allow over 8 000 students from 80 countries worldwide to participate yearly in Youth Exchange Programs.
AIRC is strongly committed to youth and education, and therefore very active in youth exchange, including summer camps and long-term exchanges. The Exchanges are organised by Rotarians Dr Raymond Parfait and Patricia Doling. The exchange provides young people with opportunities to develop their personality and self-confidence; make new friends from other countries; open their minds to different people and cultures and learn or improve their knowledge of other languages.