Rotary Community Heroes of Hope

From Student Abroad To District Leader: How Youth Exchange Builds Peace

• Judy Zulfiqar

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What if a single year abroad could rewire how a teenager sees the world—and how a community sees its purpose? We sit down with a former Rotary exchange student who now leads District 5330’s Youth Exchange, tracing a full-circle journey from northern France to district leadership and showing exactly how language, culture, and service combine to build peace.

We break down the essentials for students and families: who can apply (ages 15–19), how the application and interviews work, and what outbound orientations really prepare you for—homesickness, culture shock, and the responsibility of being an everyday ambassador. You’ll hear how immersion turns into real results, from mastering French while living with a Spanish-speaking host family to earning a French diploma equivalency. We also highlight the current cohort: four inbounds from Brazil, Denmark, and Spain, plus outbounds in France and the Czech Republic, all modeling what “global citizen” means in practice.

Safety and structure are front and center. We walk through youth protection training, Department of State clearances, live-scan background checks, and the rigorous standards for host families. You’ll learn how our district partners with a multi-district consortium to share best practices and expand opportunities, and why recruiting more host families remains the biggest unlock for growth. Most importantly, we share practical ways Rotarians and listeners can help: hosting, joining club committees, visiting schools, promoting the outbound link, and amplifying deadlines to widen access for students who might otherwise miss out.

If you care about cultural exchange, language learning, study abroad, teen leadership, or grassroots peacebuilding, this conversation offers a clear roadmap and a renewed sense of purpose. Subscribe, share this with a family or educator who needs it, and leave a review telling us how you can support the next global citizen from your community.

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SPEAKER_00:

Good afternoon, Chad. We're so excited to have you here along with uh past District Governor Judy because you just wonderfully and nimbly stepped into the role as our District Youth Service uh Youth Exchange Officer. And uh having gone through the uh through the system yourself, it was like Nirvana, it was perfect. So what I'd like to do, just spend some time talking about, first of all, if you could tell us about youth exchange for people who may not know what exactly youth exchange is, and a little bit then maybe perhaps about your experience uh in the past and and what's happening now. So let's uh let's start off with that if we could.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, um it's an honor to be here with uh the both of you. You are inspiring. Um I'm here to unleash the power of Rotary with you, Nairon. Oh, very nice. Love it, love it. Uh District 5330. Um Rotary Youth Exchange. Uh, you know, we're going on 50 years this year of a really solid uh program of diplomacy that promotes peace across the globe. Um personally, I was an exchange student with Rotary my junior year of high school in 2003-2004. I had that life-changing experience, and um I am just honored to be a part of the other side now and see how all of that is coordinated through the volunteer efforts of our members and the sponsorship. So where did you go, Jen? I was in District 1520, which sits between uh Paris and Belgium, so the north of France. Oh very nice.

SPEAKER_01:

So, did you get to learn uh two languages or just one?

SPEAKER_02:

Well, I was fortunate. I stayed in a host family that spoke Spanish as well, so I learned Spanish and French at the same time. Um and um I really was able to master that part of the program. I had exceptional results with my French language abilities, and um I really was able to make the most of uh the immersion process, which is one of the biggest cultural exchanges, of course, in that program is the mastery of conversationalism and um, you know, uh the ability to eventually perform academically as well. So I was able to achieve the French have kind of two milestones where um in American uh high schools we have our senior year and you get your diploma. Well, the French kind of have two phases of that. So I was able to actually get the first phase equivalency of a high school diploma while I was there. So um that's cool. Afforded me amazing opportunities.

SPEAKER_01:

Can you explain for somebody that maybe isn't aware of our exchange program with Rotary, kind of how that works from the perspective of the student?

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, so uh applicants can be ages 15 to 19. So, what that means is ideally for American students, uh, a 15-year-old student would apply to the program and then they go through this vetting and application process, which entails a rotary member visiting your home and your family and kind of observing your lifestyle structure and uh you know kind of taking you through a process of determining whether or not you're fit and and able to do this. Um, also, you know, kind of gauging families' um abilities as well financially, of course. Uh, but a lot of my exchange really was fully sponsored. I came from a single uh parent home. So it was a possibility that I wouldn't have had access to otherwise, um, only through Rotary International. Um, so at that point, once you're accepted by your district youth exchange officer, who I've now become. It's a full circle moment. I'm doing it, love it. It took me through its its magic. Um, once you make it through that first step, you then go through uh outbound orientations. And so that is getting you ready and resilient for all of the waves of homesickness you're going to serve as well. Yeah, because you're over there for a full year, right? Yes, exactly. Um, and they're taking you through some cultural strengthening and how to be the best ambassador uh for the United States, for example, that we could be. I went during a very turbulent time when Americans were calling French Prize Freedom Prize. So I was my duty was especially activated that year.

SPEAKER_01:

I can imagine.

SPEAKER_02:

And so from the student side, after that, you take off and uh you meet your first of hopefully three or four host families that you'll be exchanging many cultural experiences with, and from there the whole year just flashes by um in the blink of an eye.

SPEAKER_00:

So so Chad, um given that you had a turbulent time that you were there, how were you initially received uh as an American student in that French and Belgian environment?

SPEAKER_02:

You know, it was a lot of like political joking. Uh, President Bush was uh the president at the time, uh George Bush Jr. Um and so, you know, there were just a lot of kind of political jokes, but it was never projected directly at me. Um and I actually personally I was an anti-Iraq uh, you know, kind of student protester of my own at the time. So I aligned completely with the French sentiment at the time. So that wasn't so much a challenge for me. Um, but um I actually was shocked to see the opposite of what I expected. The French were so um, they were it was open arms and such a curiosity about my culture and about where I come from. I never I I cannot recall any like severe approach from any of the French uh that that hosted me during my exchange.

SPEAKER_00:

It was you know that that's so wonderful because you think about how challenging high school is anyway, right in your home, in your hometown, in your home country, and then to encounter that. So that's wonderful that you had a uh such a great experience, positive experience, absolutely.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, and we were able to break some of the stigmas and and things that you know were kind of commonplace and um you know show up as a human.

SPEAKER_01:

Right.

SPEAKER_02:

That's awesome.

SPEAKER_01:

And you're in country with um several other exchange students, right, from all over the world. And do you still keep in connection with some of those students that were uh exchange students the same year you were?

SPEAKER_02:

Facebook is a blessing in that sense. Um, I have really been able to maintain such a lovely contact with all of my lifelong exchange buddies. Um, in fact, we're all kind of putting together a little reunion here 20 years later.

SPEAKER_01:

So oh my gosh, that's awesome.

SPEAKER_02:

Many of us will be gathering uh soon back on French soil.

SPEAKER_01:

That's exciting. That's very exciting.

SPEAKER_00:

Make sure you bring back some videos so we can show um the students over here in 5330. The alumni, yeah. The alumni and and and show what the impact of the program is because I think it's so phenomenal that you are really an ambassador of the United States to the rest of the world.

SPEAKER_01:

And now you've come full circle. So, how did you um get approached or decide to become the um youth exchange officer in our district?

SPEAKER_02:

You know, it was something I always eventually wanted to get involved with. Um since the very moment I returned from my exchange. Um, it's called Rebound Homesickness. You're homesick then for the country that you have now come to call home. And so um I knew from that point on the program's impact on my life and how special my circumstances were as well, and the access that Rotary gave gave me to uh life-changing experiences. So it was always uh something that I wanted to give back and pay forward to uh other youth. And so I'm only now kicking myself that I didn't get involved sooner.

SPEAKER_01:

Well, we're excited that you're involved now. And I know that you know the process of becoming a youth exchange officer is not just a name. Right. There is a lot of training, education. Can you walk us briefly through kind of what you've had to go through to prepare yourself to be the youth exchange officer? Because we have lives of our children from our district and uh, you know, and all over the world and those that we receive. So it's it's quite a big responsibility.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, so um, you know, along with um, you know, of course, youth protection uh certification and training that's provided by um not only our district, but by Rotary International as well. That was a lot of module completions. Um as well as, you know, of course, we as um responsible parties for youth are taken through Department of State clearance as well, and um pretty thorough background checking, where live scanned, which is the equivalent of like an FBI background check. So um, you know, that is paramount. The top priority is our our exchange student safety. Um, and along with that certification came um, you know, insight and training as to how to process uh the host family applicants. The most challenging part of the program actually is securing uh commitments from the host families. Um, and they have to check a lot of boxes and parameters as well. Um, you know, the the living environment, of course, their financial ability, and um, of course, a clean background check, um, which, you know, is um it isn't difficult for those applicants. You know, they all kind of run a similar line as far as their characteristics, the family characteristics go and things. Um, but uh a lot of uh, you know, insight as to you know what we should be looking for uh from the host families and the living situations.

SPEAKER_00:

So, Chad, let me ask you, um without delving deeply into your into your uh personal life, but you mentioned coming from a single parent household um and having this opportunity. Was it were you already an interactor at that point? How did you even find out about the youth exchange opportunity and and capitalize on it?

SPEAKER_02:

I wish my high school had had an interact club, but we did not. Um we were a very uh the population of my small little country town was about 1600. Um, so we were really, we were darn lucky to have a foreign exchange student at our school, actually. And so that was really about the the length of Rotary's involvement in my high school was bringing us an exchange student um every year or every other year. In fact, I was their first outbound ever. Um I was turned on to the program by a uh French girl that I became kind of madly in love with at the time. Yeah, I was just she became one of my best friends in life too, and obviously just changed my world. Um, I kind of went chasing after her a bit uh and just wanted to live that experience. And so she introduced me to uh the people that I needed to get in touch with to apply and made it happen.

SPEAKER_00:

That's awesome. That's great.

SPEAKER_01:

So, how many students do we have um this year inbound, and how many uh do we have outbound?

SPEAKER_02:

So this year, District 5330 has four inbound students. Um, one my uh club is hosting from Brazil, uh. Uh, she is just really bringing a lot of light to this program and to our club and inspiring so many uh program milestones. Um just really impressive uh student we have at our club. She's has this perfect attendance and presents weekly uh to our memoirs about her busy week. She's better than most Ontarians. She is. Um, and so we're so impressed with how that is going. Uh, she just continues to be a great example. Uh we have three other students, uh a Danish girl in Redlands, and then we have two in Big Bear, a Spanish student, Sandra, and another Brazilian girl Bacina. And they're all just really these these are our future global citizens that we are that we're fostering here. It's it's amazing. And two outbounds.

SPEAKER_01:

And that's the purpose, right? Oh, yeah, where are our outbounds?

SPEAKER_02:

Our outbounds, I'm I apologize. One is in the uh one is in France and one is in the Czech Republic, I believe. Wow. Forgive me, I'm just acquainting myself to the outbound kids. No worries.

SPEAKER_01:

So if someone is interested in um like themselves or their their uh someone in their family that would like to go as an outbound student, how does that process look here and in like when do they need to start applying? Do you have kind of deadlines that that you could inform us on so that they could kind of take a look at that? I know it's a it's a year-long process, so I know it takes a bit.

SPEAKER_02:

It is. So we start receiving applications um around mid-September, and then they close pretty quickly um around the beginning of November, November 15th. Um, so it's a pretty short window of time to get in and apply. Um, we do hope that this is something the student has considered, you know, for some time before applying. So hopefully um we get in and start recruiting them around this time for applications next year. Um and so uh we're really happy to report we have two outbound applicants in our district, uh, one coming from Cathedral City and another from Redlands. But that process really is very straightforward, uh simple one. They follow a link and fill out an online application, and then we are forwarded their information and we take them through our our application process, our our interviews, um, and uh start getting them prepared if they're accepted into the program.

SPEAKER_01:

And where would that link be?

SPEAKER_02:

Uh rotary.org. It's a rotary.org.

SPEAKER_01:

And they would search for the outbound student or student exchange program?

SPEAKER_02:

Exactly. Exactly. Outbound application form.

unknown:

Okay.

SPEAKER_00:

So is that something that we could put on, for instance, our district website that would at least make it a little bit more personal to because sometimes rotary.org is this kind of big void in the sky type of thing. Is that are we able to put that link and help you out better that way?

SPEAKER_02:

Absolutely. I would love to get that on our district's landing page. Uh, make it as simple as possible.

SPEAKER_00:

Absolutely. Okay, so we can talk to uh to Dan Goodrich about about doing that. I'm also going to ask you uh if you can write uh some blurbs for our district newsletter about the youth experience. I am so excited that to see you come full circle. I mean, that is really, you know, we talked about the alumni committee that we started, but that's the that is the power of rotary. For you to be a recipient of this, go out into the world and then bring this, bring all of that back in your experience and to now turn around and help the next generation. That is the power of rotary. So I I really love your story, Chad. That's really cool.

SPEAKER_02:

I think that was Rotary's intention, you know, is to one day get us back into the club for meetings and membership.

SPEAKER_01:

Absolutely. And to just be those peace stewards around the world, which is really the the purpose of this program. Because when people understand other cultures, they're less likely to have conflict with those cultures. And so this program has been going strong for a really, really long time. And um, it's such a a big part of what we do in Rotary with all of our youth. So it's amazing that we're able to fully participate as a district. And how the question for me would be how can more uh students participate, but also how can Rotarians support this program um for what what do you need basically from the the rest of us? We may not have a child that's ready to go into it, but what can we do to help?

SPEAKER_02:

Yes, so I think it is going to start with my strategy of uh which I've shared with Nairin as well. A uh a start of a survey of our 63 clubs, I believe we have in our district. I've created a questionnaire uh to remind all of the clubs in our district how important this program is and um their duty to be involved in it. Um and so I hope that that will spark some initial interest and um open up the gates for me to get more clubs involved. And with that, I can start to um really capitalize on my committee uh training, my committee formation training uh that I've recently completed and get a really solid district committee going where we have um a lot of boots on the grounds in the schools, in the parent-teacher organizations talking about this program.

SPEAKER_00:

Well, let me ask you, because you you mentioned the committee, and I know that you're you're trying to do that and work with committees in each one of the clubs, but I know you also have um um well, Cynthia and Warren and a lot of other people behind you. So could you talk about the whole structure that the district already has in place that you're um a part of now and kind of leading the charge? But I know there's a whole bunch of people behind you as well.

SPEAKER_02:

Oh, absolutely. Thank goodness for the existing structure there. This program has really great bones with a lot of committed individuals. Warren and Dick and Cynthia have really laid some beautiful groundwork, and um, I am going to run wild on their path. Um so we also um collaborate with our corporation Scanix, which is our bridge or link to the Department of State as well, and that comprises of uh multiple rotary districts, including our 5280 in uh Santa Monica and Los Angeles area, and it spans over to Utah, um, Arizona, and Nevada as well. In fact, um I'm leaning so heavily on the wisdom that all of these uh folks are offering me uh lately.

SPEAKER_01:

And that those are where all those students come together and go together on the on the bus ride at the end of the year. Yeah. Those students, yeah, right.

SPEAKER_02:

Yes, Paul St. John's train tour.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, so they're getting the opportunity to really immerse themselves in the community for a year or in these various homes that they are, and as well as connect with others, other students, other exchange students from around the world, which I think is one of the most beautiful things because that really is spreading that power of peace, the power of rotary throughout our country and those around the world. So that's awesome.

SPEAKER_00:

The power community.

SPEAKER_01:

Power of community. Well, Chad, it's been a pleasure having you here. I can't wait to read your articles that you're gonna be putting on the blog for um to be included in the governor's newsletter. And maybe you can include a link in that for that survey so that people that want to take that will do so and encourage them to be a part of this exchange program.

SPEAKER_02:

Yes, absolutely. Everybody stay tuned for my survey, of course. And I'm so excited to contribute to your newsletter. Um Governor Nairon.

SPEAKER_00:

Well, Chad, thank you very much for really stepping up to the plate. And it it could not be a better circle. Um as designed by Providence. So I'm excited for your bringing youth and passion and vigor and a just a new energy uh to this and building upon what Dick and Cynthia and Warren and Scanix already had in place. So I'm really excited for what you're going to do and showing an opportunity to other kids. And we're certainly um willing to do all we need to do to help promote that and get more clubs involved. So we will work side by side with you.

SPEAKER_02:

Oh, I'm very excited for it.