Southwest Durham Rotary Club is sponsoring its first Rotary Youth Exchange Student. Grace Abels, who recently graduated from Jordan High School in Durham, is spending a year in Arequipa, Peru. 
She left in July, and came to speak to SWDR earlier that month to talk about her upcoming trip. She will be attending school, traveling and volunteering with other Rotary exchange students, and staying with local host families. When she returns next year, she will attend Duke University. She’s also a Rotary Youth Exchange legacy — her father Jon was an exchange student to Sweden when he was in high school. Jon is involved with the Rotary Peace Fellow program at Duke.
Club member Bill Fine, who is very involved with the Rotary Youth Exchange Program, recently told the District 7710 newsletter, “If your club is yet to get involved with Rotary Youth Exchange, I highly suggest that you do. It is tremendously rewarding experience for the students, host families and host clubs. This is how Peace breaks out, one person at a time.”
SWDR is also hosting an incoming student from Brazil, João Pedro Santiago Indi, who recently arrived and is now attending Jordan High School.
Host families are needed for João for later in his year here. You do not have to be a Rotarian to apply, but you do need to live in the Jordan High School district. If interested, please contact Bill Fine by email here.
Dear Mr Fine,
My name is Dr Gwen Littman. I work for WebMD as a Scientific Director in physician education (CME). I was an exchange student in Peru was I was a junior high school student, and would be thrilled to see my son enjoy that opportunity after he completes his upcoming senior year at Jordan High School. I also did volunteer medical missions to Mexico and worked with the American Red Cross as a disaster volunteer when I was a young practicing physician. My so has already taken Spanish, hebrew and Russian and has intense interest in many other cultures. We have been able to take our wonderful son on just one international adventure thus far, but he thirsts for much more… I know he can do amazing good work in the world! In addition. I. would also love to participate with the rotary club,, if I was invited, to the degree my employer will allow… and that is something that my husband did many years ago. Can we meet or speak on the phone sometime soon? I hope to hear from you soon.