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The Link VOLUME 2—ISSUE 26

www.facebook.com/RotaryClub.DurbanNorth

28 January 2016

OUR RETURNED STUDENTS SPEAK TO US

Our Club has over the past few weeks been blessed with visits from our three returned Long Term Youth Exchange students.

Rob Lukan was the first when he gave an

impromptu report on his year in Belgium. It was sincere and I believe it was far superior to a pre-pared presentation. He spoke from the heart. Club members are always interested in where the students have been and what they got up to. However, more important, is how the students matured, living their own lives and gaining a level of independence, seldom achieved while staying with their parents! Rob displayed this in an ex-emplary manner. Interesting to hear that Rob’s competency in the French language (he knew nothing a short twelve months ago) is of a stand-ard that he would gain entrance into a French speaking university. Rob will be staying in Durban and will be studying Property Development at UKZN this year and also a French Course at Alliance Francais.

Georgina du Plooy was with us last week after returning from her year in Italy, where she lived

about 20 minutes from Milan and “had the best year of my life..”. Her initial exchange was challenging – adapting to a new lifestyle without knowing anyone or any Italian was difficult but Italy soon became her home and she fell in love with the country and Europe language, adjusting to the change in culture. Georgi-na did a lot of traveling and picked up Italian really fast. I made the most amazing friends and met about 200 other exchange students from around the world. She attended school and was fortunate to study sub-jects of interest to her. Art played a major part and she was fortunate to visit many of the famous Italian and French galleries. As her exchange proceeded she overcame the initial challenges and got totally immersed in the culture of her host town and country. She luckily was part of the students Euro tour, where for two weeks with two tour busses visited all the major cities in central Europe. Georgina will be studying a Bache-lor of Arts in Corporate Communications at Varsity College in Durban North this year.

“The culture shock coming home is difficult but its lovely seeing everyone and being back in Durban. Thank you to the Rotary Club of Durban North for giving me this life changing and self-discovering experience”

Abi, Rob and Georgina

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UPDATE ON VERONICA RAAFF

Have delayed bringing you up to date until we had a clear idea of what is going on. Going back to the very beginning:

As I am sure you know/remember when ma had pancreatitis, a scan revealed calcification of the aortic heart valve and she was advised to see a cardiologist. She consulted a Dr Pretorius who has since been doing 6 monthly check- ups which indicated all was ok.

After the bronchitis, she started experiencing shortness of breath and a tightness in her chest which didn’t respond to medication prescribed by Heather Theron who then suggested that she see Pretorius “as a precaution”

Pretorius did an angiogram on 8th January which indicated that the blood vessels around the heart were all normal. However, at a subsequent consultation last Thursday, he told ma that the pressures across the suspect valve were abnor-mal and that she would require a valve replacement which would, of course mean open heart surgery. Having experi-enced this before ma was naturally upset and decided to consult John Blankenberg and suggest a second opinion.

She saw John last Friday and he managed to get her an appointment for today with Dr Gilmer who is recognised as one of Durban’s top cardiologists. Gilmer confirmed that there is a differential pressure across the valve which, with a healthy valve, would be the same on both sides. However he does not think a valve replacement is necessary at this stage and will monitor the pressures every six months. If the pressure differential increases, then a valve replacement will be re-quired. John will be treating the shortness of breath and chest tightness which still persist.

The past month has obviously been very worrying and we are enormously relieved at this news and must just hope that no further deterioration of the valve occurs.

I hope you understand why we have not let you know the situation earlier.

Abi Mabula was also with us last week, also having spent her exchange year in Italy. While at school she

was active in teaching English to the lower grades. She became immersed in her Rotary club and was active with their activities. Abi also enjoyed all that was offered on the Euro student’s tour.

Abi is off to Wits University to study Law

Many Rotarians believe that the Youth Exchange program is a glorified holiday!

The Rotary Objectives for Youth Exchange are –

To further international understanding and good will by enabling students to study first hand some of the problems and accomplishments of people, in lands other that their own.

To enable students to advance their education for a year in an entirely different environment.

To broaden their own outlook by learning to I live with and meet people of different cultures creeds and colours, and having to cope with day to day problems in an environment completely different to the one they experienced at home.

To act as ambassadors for their home country, their parents and Rotary.

“Our three” returned students, measured up to these objectives in an ex-emplary manner and we can all be proud to have been part of their life changing experience. We wish them well in their future endeavours and will track their progress with much interest.

Long live Rotary Youth Exchange, we need to keep this program running.

OUR RETURNED STUDENTS SPEAK TO US cont.

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Exchange Student news from the past—Eye Tulayachat

Hello all my Rotarian Club of Durban North How are you guys doing? I hope you would re-member me, My name is Eye from Thailand. It’s been almost 8 years already sine I left SA. I still remember when I first arrived in SA, I couldn’t speak any English. All I do it’s just smile! After 1 year as exchange student, I learn lots of things such as various culture, how to live with others,

help people, see the world and especially Eng-lish. I had lots of happiness and sadness ( cause I have to leave this beautiful country). Until now I still saying that it is the best year of my life. After I got back from SA, I took another year in high school and I went to university name As-sumption University. It is a international pro-

gram. My major is Business English, at first it quite hard cause I was not that good in English but in the end I finally graduated in 2014 After I graduated, I work as an exporter at Soft Tip Co., Ltd. For 5 months and I decided to apply for Emirates cabin crew because I always wanted to be and I also want to travel around the world. I fail for the first interview in Thailand (there was almost 5,000 candidate). After all I did it in the second

time in Singapore (about 600 candi-date). Right now I’ live in Dubai for 3 months already I just finish

training and just stared flying since 14 January 2016. My first destination was Frankfurt, Germany. I am so excited for the next layover destination!! I’m so proud of this uniform cause most of Asian people want to work for this job especially with Emirates. My Family were very proud of me. All my friends were so jealous and they see me as their idol now. I would not have this moment if I denial exchange student pro-gram. So, I just want to thank you Rotary club of Durban North for gave me a big chance that change my life forever. One day I will go back and visit all of you again. I promised. Lots of Love Eye (^__^)

We will be waiting at King Shaka International

on your first trip to Durban!

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East Coast Radio launched the initiative today in a bid to lend a helping hand to areas hardest hit by the drought. The collection drive appeals to all KZN residents to drop off sealed bottles of water at East Coast Radio House in Umhlanga. The bottles will then be distributed to the most desperate areas by relief organisation, The Gift of the Givers. If you could bring a 5 litre bottle of water to Rotary this evening (or R20.00 and I will purchase on your behalf) I will deliver to ECR. Let’s give something back to ECR and at the same time— help our drought stricken victims.

#WaterShare

DISTRICT LEADERS SET TO CELEBRATE FOUNDATION’S

CENTENNIAL Rotary Foundation Trustee Chair Ray Klinginsmith asked district governors in training at the International Assembly to lead the celebration of the Foundation's centennial year, 2016-17. "You are the primary contacts between the Foundation and our 34,000 Rotary clubs in the world. The success of the centennial celebration is largely in your hands," said Klinginsmith at a 19 January general session. "Catch the spirit and spread the word about the im-portance of celebrating our success."

Since the Foundation was established in 1917, it has spent more than $3 billion on programs and projects to improve the lives of millions worldwide, said Klinginsmith. The centennial celebration officially kicks off in May at the Rotary Convention in Korea and culmi-nates at the 2017 convention in Atlanta.

GOLD FROG YIELDS ONCE

AGAIN

Gussie emptied the Gold Frog and seen on the right are Tracy and Tapenga Au-gustus—sorting the takings Initial estimate is that over R3000.00 was inside

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THE 'Y' CHROMOSOME

People born before 1946 are called -

The Greatest Generation.

People born between 1946 and 1964 are called - The Baby Boomers.

People born between 1965 and 1979 are called - Generation X.

And people born between 1980 and 2010 are called -

Generation Y.

Why do we call the last group -Generation Y ? Y should I get a job?

Y should I leave home and find my own place? Y should I get a car when I can borrow yours?

Y should I clean my room? Y should I wash and iron my own clothes?

Y should I buy any food?

But perhaps a cartoonist explained it most eloquently below...

Just thought you might want to know "Y"

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R.I. President : Ravi Ravindran - District Governor Tom McGhee

Club Meetings: Every Thursday 5:30pm Northwood Crusaders Ranleigh Crescent Club President : Alma Maxwell almamaxwell@mweb.co.za; AG Gussie Augustus aug@iafrica.com

Rotary Club of Durban North: Club No: 17377—Chartered 10 February 1959

The Link Editor: Ant Connolly :Contact: connolly.anthonyj@gmail.com

Assistant Editor : Hilary Augustus: Contact: aug@iafrica.com Winner of District 9370 Best Weekly Bulletin Award—2014-2015

Honorary Rotarian Albert

Schweitzer said:

“I don’t know what your

destiny will be. But I do know—

the only ones among you who

will ever truly be happy, are

those who have sought and

found how to serve others.”

28 January 2016—Business meeting

FEBRUARY 04 Di McGregor 7 Adriaan Verhagen 8 Yvette Loubser 13 Veronica Raaff 22 Michael Lien 25 Vanessa Knight 26 Jenny Kruger 28 Margaret Smith

3 Don & Yvette Loubser 12 Anthony & Dael Connolly 16 Alethea & Alan Duncan-Brown 5 Vanessa Champion 21 Hilary Augustus

Sick List

Geeta Maharaj continues to have

intensive treatment. Please keep

her and Karam in your prayers

and hope that this time the medi-

cation and treatments are suc-

cessful.

Lionel Wybrow continues to un-

dergo treatment and our

thoughts are with him

We continue to keep Veronica

Raaff (see Clive’s report else-

where in The Link) and Chic

Steele on our prayer

list.

10 February—La Vida—Barnyard

Theatre

15 April—Golf Day

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A creative man is motivated by the desire to achieve,

not by the desire to beat others.

Ayn Rand

Rowan Hornby

The Haircut... Blessed are those that can give without remembering, and take without forgetting.

One day a florist went to a barber for a haircut. After the cut, he asked about his bill, and the barber replied, 'I cannot accept money from you, I'm doing community service this week.'

The florist was pleased and left the shop.

When the barber went to open his shop the next morning, there was a'thank you' card and a dozen roses waiting for him at his door.

Later, a cop comes in for a haircut, and when he tries to pay his bill, the barber again replied, 'I cannot accept money from you, I'm doing community service this week.' The cop was happy and left the shop.

The next morning when the barber went to open up, there was a 'thank you ' card and a dozen donuts waiting for him at his door.

Then a Member of Parliament came in for a haircut, and when he went to pay his bill , the barber again re-plied, 'I cannot accept money from you.. I'm doing community service this week. 'The Member of Parliament was very happy and left the shop.

The next morning, when the barber went to open up, there were a dozen Members of Parliament lined up waiting for a free haircut.

And that, my friends, illustrates the fundamental difference between the citizens of our country and the politi-cians who run it.