May 27, 2003 By Bryan O'Keefe For The 4 min read

The Rotary Foundation and area Rotary clubs are inviting young adults to participate in a month-long group exchange program being held in the countries of Czech and Slovakia this September. “We are trying to recruit young adults, ages 25-40, for the program. There are a lot of people in this area who have Czech roots, so I was hoping there would be some interest,” said John Carom, a leader of the group study exchange program for Rotary District 7330, which includes Fayette, Greene, Cambria, Somerset, and Washington counties.

Carom said that Rotary is seeking non-Rotarians for the trip and that Rotary will even pick up the tab for many of the major expenses, including airfare.

While in the host country, Carom said that participants are treated “as honored guests.”

“You live with their families and really get to know their business, industry and local cultural events. You visit schools, spend time with children, meet mayors and politicians; it’s really incredible,” Carom added.

Carom participated in an exchange program in England and describes the entire experience as second to none.

“It was one of the most unique and rewarding experiences of my adult life,’ said Carom.

Rotary also arranges for each participant to spend one day a week with someone in the host country who has a similar vocation. Andrew French participated in an exchange in Sweden and said that the vocation aspect of the program was useful to him in his position as assistant director of the Fayette County Redevelopment Authority.

“Every week, I was meeting members of the local government and discussing with them economic development and housing activities,” French said. “So much of it pertained to my vocation. It was very helpful.”

These same feelings are echoed by Perryopolis resident and Uniontown attorney Sheryl Heid, who went on an exchange trip to Austria several years ago. Heid said she particularly enjoyed living with the individual families and the discussions they would have.

“They asked me many questions about immigration, unemployment, medical coverage, paying for college. Our system is different from theirs and they were very curious about our way of life,” Heid said. “Once you get to know the people you realize they are very loving, caring, and intelligent.”

Carom said on his trip he stayed with a family that included a World War II veteran, which lead to fascinating discussions often lasting till the wee hours of the morning.

“One gentleman was telling me firsthand experiences of World War II and the bombing on London. It was amazing. Where else would get this sort of information?”

All of the participants agreed that the exchange keeps you busy, often times from the early morning to late night. “You are active the entire time. You are so busy you don’t have time to worry about anything,” Heid said.

One concern that often prevents people from participating in exchange programs is their work schedule. Heid thinks that many people would be surprised at how supportive employers are of exchange programs.

“There are many employers who would be supportive and you wouldn’t know it until you approached them.”

Carom said that participants often string together vacation time, personal time, and unpaid leave to accommodate their work schedule. He also said that exchanges are ideal for the self-employed, who might be able to leave for a short time during a slow season.

Another concern amongst applicants is a possible language barrier. Carom said that Rotary provides training and education on the local language and tries to put participants with people who already speak English.

With America’s image around the world battered after Sept. 11th, Carom said that group exchange programs are now more important than ever before.

“You’d be surprised some of the questions I was asked. It’s important to have that dialogue with other cultures. It fosters and promotes understanding.”

As for the fall exchange, both Heid and French hope that local residents take advantage of the tremendous opportunity Rotary provides.

“It’s such a great program for high energy people who enjoy interacting with a wide-range of people,” Heid said.

“It’s a once in a lifetime shot. I dedicated myself to it and I got to see the best of the best and experienced so much,” French added.

Applications for the upcoming Group Study Exchange Program can be found on the Internet at www.rotary.org/foundation

or by calling John Carom at 724-437-0868.