15-Year-Old Taiwanese Student Embarks on Spanish Adventure
Carter Hu, a 15-year-old from Taipei, Taiwan, has recently arrived in Marbella, Spain. Despite speaking little Spanish, Carter is set to begin his fourth year of Spanish secondary education in a local school next week. He was welcomed at Malaga Airport by his host family and two representatives from the Marbella Rotary Club, Federico Vallés and Alberto García.
Rotary Club’s Role in Student Exchange Programs
The Marbella Rotary Club, part of a century-old international organization founded in the United States, organizes student exchange programs among other initiatives. Carter, donning a red blazer signifying his status as a Rotary exchange student, is not required to be a member of the organization, nor are his parents or host family. Eva Alberca, president of the exchange committee of one of the three Rotary districts in Spain, explains that these young people are given the opportunity to have “one of the great experiences of their lives”.
Host Family Experience and Student Integration
Alberca herself was a host family before becoming more involved with Rotary. She took in a student who was initially supposed to stay for three months, but ended up staying for six. Both incoming and outgoing students are assigned a tutor to ensure their integration into their new communities. Carter, who enjoys films, video games, and basketball, has already begun playing with local boys despite the language barrier.
Adjusting to Spanish Culture and Customs
Carter has taken a liking to Spanish food and is adjusting to Spanish customs, such as not removing shoes upon entering a home and the volume of conversations. His host mother, Cristina Lima, who sent her own daughter to California in August, is pleased with the exchange experience for both Carter and her daughter. Carter will stay with Lima until January before moving in with another host family.
Ensuring a Successful Exchange Experience
The Rotary Club carefully selects suitable students and host families for the exchange program. Alberca explains that the program is not intended to “fix” troubled children, but to provide a cultural exchange experience. The club ensures that host families are genuinely interested in treating the exchange student as their own child. While school marks are not the primary factor for selection, they are considered important.
The Impact of the Exchange Program
Federico Vallés of Rotary Marbella notes that students return from the exchange program with increased maturity, a concern for many parents. Alberca, whose daughter Laura participated in an exchange in Taiwan, agrees, stating that the students’ priorities often change after the program. The students form close bonds with their fellow exchange students, often feeling more connected to them than their friends back home. Alberca concludes, “You’ll never be far from home if you make the world your home.”
