Bob Artis, DG 2019-2020

 

To ALL our host clubs and families, I THANK YOU and APPRECIATE YOU! Let’s make this a remarkable and joyful Christmas for our young guests. Imagine a young person, away from home in a strange and unfamiliar country, unknown school, classmates, family, culinary delights, culture, and lifestyle as well as a plethora of other unimaginable changes. This can be particularly unsettling during the holidays, however, even in the face of these uncertainties these young people have tremendous courage.

 

I am reminded that years ago in 1996 our son, Keith, was an exchange student to Bolivia. Back then, there were no social media platforms available. The only way to communicate long-distance was by phone, which was unreliable or by snail mail which was best. So we would often send letters and care packages for his enjoyment and happiness as he experienced a new life in Bolivia. Several months before Christmas we started thinking about what to send. Perhaps like other parents, we wanted his first Christmas away from home to be very special. After all, this was our first experience having a child abroad for an extended period of time. Although he had traveled to Japan for a short time as a wrestler with the late “Destroyer” a member of Rotary Club of Akron. We gathered, packed, and mailed items we thought he would enjoy. We made an extra special effort to have Christmas away from home to be as much of a holiday feeling in his new home away from home as possible. Fast forward…when Keith returned home from Bolivia we; his mom and I, friends and another Youth Exchange student from Japan (Mayumi) were all overjoyed to see him. His first Christmas home was our time to celebrate, rejoice and be thankful to the Holy One for his safe return home. On Christmas morning, part of our family tradition, we fed our sweet tooth before opening gifts. As we began opening our gifts from under the Christmas tree, Keith said, “Hey, I didn’t receive anything last year while I was away from you guys”. His mom and I looked at each other in complete disbelief. How could this be possible? We said almost in unison “We sent you Christmas gifts!” Unfortunately, they never made it to him. As parents, we were very proud in the manner in which he handled the situation. He never once called or wrote us letters complaining about how he perceived we had forgotten him for Christmas’. He had become a remarkable young man who learned not to complain but rather make the best out of the situation   For our two countries it is my profound hope that this Holiday Season will be very special for ALL our Inbound Youth Exchange Students. That they will experience the joy of Holidays moving from the unknowns to growing in familiarity with a new country, school, classmates, culinary delights, culture, and family.