Our Exchange student keeping in touch

 
For the past year Flora, our Rotary Youth Exchange student from Austria, has lived with Rotary families in Timaru and attended school in Timaru.  Flora is now back with her family in Austria and has written with her latest news.
 
(For information about Rotary's Youth Exchange programme click HERE.  For information about other Rotary Youth programmes click HERE.) 
 
Flora writes "I finally settled back into my old life in Austria. My summer holidays are over now and school started three weeks ago. It is quite hard for me right now to catch up with everything they learned last year at school. Next week I am going on a school trip to Rome, I am really excited for that." 
 
 
"After I left NZ I flew to Sydney and there I met my family. It was really emotional for me to see my family again. Even though it took me a couple of days to get used to them again. I had a lovely holiday over there the 1st week we stayed in Sydney and then we flew up to Cairns. In Cairns we went  snorkeling in the great Barrier Reef. It was absolutely amazing, I also saw a shark swimming past me. The best thing came last we flew to Hamilton Island! It was just like paradise we did so many incredible things. Sadly, the holiday ended and we had to fly back to Austria. I was quite nervous about seeing everyone again but it turned out really well."
 
"I am still thinking of NZ a lot and miss all the people that helped me through the year. I am so thankful for the experience that Rotary made possible for me. I wish I could go back but NZ will always stay in my heart."
 
(Photo: Flora and one of her host mothers, Kim)