Meeting August 19, 2013 - Jacklyn Walker - Exchange Student

Meeting Summary – August 19/13

Speaker:          Jacklyn Walker

Topic:              Exchange Student

Introduced by Garth Rowswell and thanked by Dick Vokins

  Before Jacklyn left she said she was ‘super nervous and super shy’ but was able to overcome these characteristics as the year progressed.

Jacklyn was able to take several ‘vacations’ which took in the sites of Spain, Amsterdam, London, Prague and Paris.  While in Paris she climbed the steps to the top of the Eiffel Tower, along with her host parents, whom she convinced that this was the real experience when visiting Paris.   Another ‘wish’ on one of her travels was to ride a camel, which she did, and rewarded the Bactrian beast with a kiss, much to the ‘ugh’ of her host family!!

Jacklyn rode a bicycle to school for her year but since the distance from one of host families was a 40 minute ride, which she felt was rather long, so her family bought her a bus ticket and she only had to commute 10 minutes to the depot and then catch a ride from there.  This was bonus, especially on rainy days.

While away, Jacklyn stated that she had a difficult time with homesickness but her host families were very supportive and she couldn’t have completed this adventure without them.   She expected to learn a different language and have many different experiences but what she wasn’t expecting was to learn about herself.  The two things she did learn were:  (1) to stay true to yourself no matter what the circumstance and (2) do not take the people you love for granted.   

Belgium will always be in Jacklyn’s heart and is now called her ‘second home.’    Thank you Jacklyn for an excellent presentation!!  

DREAM VACATION WINNERS FOR AUGUST

Trip:                Trudy Prior – ticket sold by Dwight Mushtaler

100.00             Margie and Gerald Quilichini – ticket sold by Gerald Gagnon

50.00               Murray Hrynyk – ticket sold by Glenn Deschover

A LITTLE OF THIS AND A LITTLE OF THAT