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 Bonny
introduced our guest today,
Nathalya Flechas, recently
returned from a Year long
exchange in France.
Nathalya presented a
bannerette from her host
Club, Wissenbourg in France.
Nathalya sent round the room
a beautiful collection of
scrap-booked photos, a
wonderful display of her
visit. She had an amazing
year, loved the country,
loved the culture and misses
her friends that she made.
Her families took her to
Paris, Germany, Alsace,
Spain (Barcelona), Rome,
Pompeii, Naples & Venice.
And it continued – she saw
Strasburg, Munich, Austria,
Innsbruck, & Venice,
Marseilles and Monaco.
 Her
1st family was
great for her – Nathalya has
done her local schooling in
a French immersion program.
So she was able to
understand when spoken to,
but to respond was more
difficult.
After
celebrating her birthday,
she realized that here she
was & that she had to make
the best of it. Out of a
shell, she came & people got
a chance to know her,. What
a difference it made.
School
was different – classes run
from 8 – 5:30 & she only had
spares when she was exempt
from German lessons.
Both
her host families had been
involved with exchanges with
their own children. In
France, you must take
students in, if you wish to
send your children away on
one. Her Rotary Club was
fun – their host location
had great food!
Nathalya expressed her
appreciation for our Club
sponsoring her – it was a
lifetime trip. She’s
considering a French major
for further schooling but
returns to high school here
for one more year yet.
 Blake
thanked Nathalya for her
visit with us today – it’s
wonderful to see a young
person go out into the
world, spread their wings &
return as a new found
individual.
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