Presentation at the 2007

YEO Pre Convention Meeting

Maria Letícia M. C. Ferreira

D 4770 - Brazil

leticia4770@netsite.com.br

When discussing about the

“inbound syndrome” with a former exchange

student through MSN he proposed some of the

following …

Joao Paes de Almeida :: Brasil says:

The answer is quite simple...

It´s impossible to someone who hasn´t

experienced an exchange, or

someone who has already forgotten it,

to try to understand the inbounders´

feelings, fears and insecurities

Bonding together means to be among

5 to 10 people, within 190 million who

live in Brasil , for example, who

understand what they´re going

thorough… Jokes make more sense;

limits make sense…

Joao Paes de Almeida :: Brasil says:And so on...

Maria Letícia diz:: That´s true...

Joao Paes de Almeida :: Brasil says: It´s not a question

Maria Letícia says:: I agree with you...

Maria Letícia says:: I need some hints on how to manage that situation and how to

avoid some excessive cases ….

Maria Letícia says::That´s the proposal of our speech at the

YEP meeting in Salt Lake City….

Joao Paes de Almeida :: Brasil says::Can I give you a suggestion?

Maria Letícia says::managing the inbound syndrome

Maria Letícia says:: of course

Joao Paes de Almeida :: Brasil says::At firsf place, let´s talk about the inbounders

before going to their exchange year .In my point of view:

1. Decided/ or not decided boys and girls

2. Ready to have the biggest adventure in their lives

3. Young boys and girls - 15 to 17 years old

4. Families who give or don´t give support

5. ***Important *** Boys and girls who don´t have a minimum idea of how it will be to be out of home for a

year and who most of times are unconscious of the obstacles they´re going to face.

Joao Paes de Almeida :: Brasil says:The first shock happens at the end of the

first week up to the third week when the only thing that is in our minds is:

Where did I get into?That´s something which normally happens thanks to the first student´s frustation...

he /she doesn´t have either his/her father, mother, boyfriend/girlfriend , or friends to

tell them what has happened.

As a result...

1. How many students want to give up in the first month?

2. How many of them spend a lot of time/ money with telephone and the

internet?

3. How many of them have serious problems with the first host families?

Joao Paes de Almeida :: Brasil says:In my opinion, the first host family had

to have or to be a former exchange student or a mother or a father who

was an exchange student´s mother or father…

To show that situation to your listeners I would use the image of a

child´s swing …

Out of the blue all those expectations, excitement, news … just fall down and … throw up all the difficulties very high to the sky … to

the sky !!! hehehehe

So, it comes the first inbound meeting in the second or third month ...

What does it happen then?Instant empathy!!!

From one side, high expectations, excitement, news, etc... The other side , a written sign with

…“difficulties” illustrated with a ??? ( I didn´t have any idea of what

it would be … )

Joao Paes de Almeida :: Brasil says:Everbody has been through the same

thing …

Joao Paes de Almeida :: Brasil says:The "bonding" is instantaneous...

That´s it.A way of managing that, and I would like to establish if I was in a Rotary Club … is

the idea of having an “ Inbound Leader” …

This person would be elected by the inbounders´group to be their representative

in the district.

When something happens between the exchange student and the family , it´s

demagogic to think he/she is going to talk with his/her counselor.

Joao Paes de Almeida :: Brasil says:Counselor is “something” I think ... that

never worked in life …

Joao Paes de Almeida :: Brasil says:My two brothers were also exchange

students ... They also used to say counselors “didn´t work”. With me…

didn´t work with me too…

But ... that role of “Inbound Leader” is generally the person who is referred as

a “little leader” or someone you can have as your confidant.

Joao Paes de Almeida :: Brasil says:There is always one …

When the exchange student had some problem with the family, school or Rotary Club , he/she

should call his/her “Leader” …

Joao Paes de Almeida :: Brasil says:Did you understand what I meant?

Joao Paes de Almeida :: Brasil says:I and my friend used to be that kind of

person for sometime ... there ...

Maria Letícia diz: Yes, I can see what you´ve said

Maria Letícia says: But to find that kind of leader isn´t something easy ...

Joao Paes de Almeida :: Brasil says:We were the ones who tried to set some trips to

ski…Leticia, in reality, it´s the own group who has to elect that leader …But it couldn´t be something

official, in my opinion. In my Business Administration course we called that “Informal

Leader”.

Maria Letícia says:Please, tell me then when you were an exchange student and your host district

... Joao Paes de Almeida :: Brasil says:

I went in 2002 to D 5470.

Maria Letícia says: Many many thanks João , for your

contribution, bye

Youth Exchange Program

Distrito 4770