Finnish exchange student Marjukka Loukko couldn’t wait to take home her blazer covered with the many souvenirs she had collected during her stay in Australia as part of the Rotary Club of Berwick’s exchange student program. 19329
BERWICK Rotary Club has farewelled a Finnish exchange student who spent almost 12 months in the City of Casey as part of the club’s student exchange program.
Marjukka Loukko, 17, said she loved Australia and thanked her host families during the official farewell dinner on Thursday 5 June.
The Rotary Club of Berwick’s exchange program has been running for the past 25 years and aims to develop young people through cultural exchanges.
The exchange students spend three to four months with several Rotary host families.
Marjukka said the only time she felt homesick was over Christmas.
“Christmas is a family time and I had no family here,” she said.
Some of the highlights of Marjukka’s trip down under included visiting the Great Barrier Reef, seeing the penguins at Phillip Island and riding the rollercoasters at Dreamworld in Queensland.
With her English improving every day, she admitted to finding it a challenge attending an English speaking school.
While in Australia, Marjukka had her first surfing lesson, watched her first episode of Family Guy, attempted to water ski and watched her first AFL game.
Berwick’s David Nutter was one of Marjukka’s hosts and said the Rotary exchange program was a cultural experience for both the student and the host families.
He said he enjoyed seeing the students grow in their knowledge and life experiences.
“We’d definitely do it again and recommend other people get involved with the program,” he said.
President of the Rotary Club of Berwick Geoff Rankin said the Rotary exchange student program was the best in the world. It cost the club about $5000 per year.
“The program allows the hosts families to get first hand experience of another culture other than Australia,” he said.
“The host families carry all of the accommodation and food costs.”
Mr Rankin said the club nominated its visiting students from America, Europe and Japan.
“A lot of students can’t speak English when they arrive but speak very good English when they leave,” he said.
The club’s president said that over the years, many students had returned to Casey to visit the Rotary Club of Berwick.
“A good majority of the students come back to see us. Even if it’s 15 years later, they do come back.”
