Rotary Hosts Exchange Students

Bethel Rotary Club Presidency Henry Holmes, wearing a humongous leprechaun hat, presided over the club’s Saint Patrick’s Day celebration Monday, March 17, where everyone consumed large quantities of a delicious corned beef and cabbage dinner prepared by long time Rotary master chef Maybelle Dumont. 

Those assembled sang patriotic songs, accompanied on the piano by charter member Norman Case, a 50-year Rotarian; then donned green bowler hats and sang various renditions of Irish songs. The freely expressed consensus was that the occasionally raucous and sometimes off-key renditions still required some work, but everyone had a good time. Bethel’s prime Irishman, Tom Brennan, took the stage to tell a number of Irish jokes prior to the dinner.

Among the "honorary Irish" guests at the gathering were three Rotary exchange students, one from overseas who is here for the current school year, and two Americans preparing to go abroad this summer for a full year each.

This year’s Rotary foreign exchange student is Sanna Muuronen of Finland, a 10^th grader at Whitcomb High School. Since Finnish is one of the most difficult languages in the world, and is virtually unknown outside of Finland, Sanna (like most Finns) studied foreign languages back in her home country, and speaks Swedish and English fluently. Among the courses she is taking at Whitcomb are French and, of course, English, as taught to native American high school speakers.

Sanna said that among her favorite experiences in Bethel have been playing basketball at Whitcomb and learning to play soccer. She is very interested in sports and is planning to become a sports physician. She noted that before coming to America, the popular images of this country led her to expect something quite different: "a much larger school with metal detectors at the door, and a more impersonal environment." She is glad that it was not so, and that in many ways has an atmosphere similar to the one she left in Finland.

Preparing to go abroad from Bethel as a Rotary exchange student is Raji Ward of Bethel-Gilead, a 10^th grader at the Sharon Academy. Born in India, Raji came to America as an infant, but has traveled overseas on occasion. She is interested in foreign countries and is slated to go to Thailand, where she is looking forward to immersing herself in Thai culture. Raji has already visited with Bethel-Gilead neighbor Wilwon Claughton, a native of Thailand, to learn a bit about the country and acquire some of the language as well. 

Whitcomb 10^th grader Spencer Cook will be going on a Rotary exchange to Argentina later this year. She said she wants to become fluent in a second language, and that the year abroad will help make that possible. She is currently studying second year Latin at Whitcomb, which she expects will form a basis for learning Spanish. Of particular interest to Spencer is the opportunity that Argentina will offer for horseback riding, a widespread activity in that country. Spencer has been riding in Vermont for six years.

President Holmes said he was particularly pleased to see non-Rotarians and host families of exchange students at the dinner, enjoying Rotarian hospitality and learning a bit about Rotarian programs. "

By Chris Costanzo