Most would agree that between making new friends, taking rigorous classes and adjusting to the local culture, life can be pretty stressful for students that are new to a particular school. Just imagine what it would be like to handle all of those obstacles in a completely foreign country. Thousands of students around the world experience these difficulties each year through Rotary Club’s Youth International Exchange Program.

Over the years Coronado High School (CHS) has hosted several foreign students through the Rotary exchange program. The program allows young people, age 15 to 25, to spend up to a year studying, exploring, and adapting to the culture of a foreign country.

CHS is currently hosting three students through Rotary’s program: Florence Mertens from Belgium and Stefano Benedetti and Pier Orsini, both from Italy.

“I was expecting some of the stereotypical ‘American’ things,” says Mertens, a senior. “A lot of people back home think that California is like what they see on TV, like The O.C.”

However, Mertens concedes her experiences so far have not been like The O.C., a television drama about the lives of kids in Orange County, California.

“I am really impressed that people here have been so welcoming,” says Mertens. “I am also surprised that people don’t kiss cheeks when they greet each other.”

The exchange program emphasizes the importance of understanding other cultures in an effort to connect international communities and diminish cultural barriers and stereotypes.

“If you don’t go to the country and understand their culture, stereotypes will still exist,” says Hannah Farquhar. “Stereotypes are generally not true.”

Farquhar, a senior at CHS, spent a year in France through Rotary, where she participated in canned food drives, attended Rotary meetings, and created and presented a slideshow about the United States and Coronado at a “presentation dinner.”

For inbound students, Rotary offers sightseeing trips and activities for exchange students all over California.

“We have gone to Newport Beach, camping at Lake Elsinore and snowboarding in Big Bear,” says Benedetti. “It was a lot of fun.”

While in Big Bear, students spent a day at a local school rotating through groups of three people to discuss their countries and develop a connection to the international community. These trips also provide the opportunity to get to know other exchange students and their cultural backgrounds.

Benedetti noted that many of the exchange students around San Diego meet up to do things together, and Farquhar said the same was true of her time in France.

“Meeting other kids through the trips that Rotary offered made it a million times easier and better,” says Farquhar. “It’s difficult because when you are there, your friends and family back home don’t exactly know what you are going through. But all the other exchange students there are in the same boat as you so they know how you feel.”

One of the many challenges each student faces is adjusting to the school system and customs. Farquhar noted that school in France was the most difficult aspect of her experience. “All of your classes are in French,” she said. “Here in Coronado you can visit your teachers during lunch or after school to get extra help if you need it, but in France you can’t do that.”

Mertens admits that even though there are no ceramics or hip-hop dance classes in Belgium, she prefers the comfort of the school system in her home country. She also points out that school customs are much different because most European schools do not have interscholastic sports, which is usually the source of most school spirit.

“It has been a great experience,” says Mertens. “It’s not easy to be here, but it will not be easy to leave, either.”

Coronado students who are interested in being an exchange student may choose to participate in an academic year abroad, family exchange, or a Rotary summer camp. Participants are not guaranteed placement in their country of choice but they may suggest three countries they would prefer to visit. All programs require students to cover the cost of travel, insurance, and any personal purchases made abroad — there is an additional $100 fee for the summer camp. In some instances, students may receive a discount on airfare and living allowance from the local Rotary club. The “Family Exchange” program also requires the family of an outward-bound student to host the student of the same family that will host them. Students interested in participating are encouraged to attend Rotary information sessions, which usually take place in October. For more information, contact Rotary Club of Coronado at (619)435-8334.