“A journey of discovery” is how two overseas exchange students describe their experience in Mpumalanga. Rezeda Paricsi-Nagy (13) from Hungary and Marie Maxime Dorez (17) from France are both members of the Rotary Youth Exchange.

This is a Rotary International student exchange programme for students in high school.

The pair arrived in June and left the country this week.

Marie said one of the highlights of her stay in Mpumalanga included the day she saw and touched wild animals.
“I touched a cheetah and an elephant; it was nice,” she said. Marie also expressed her love for the people of Mbombela and the weather.

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“I must say SA people love eating meat; we do not eat so much of it back home. Here it is meat for breakfast, lunch and supper,” she said. Rezeda could not stop talking about the landscape in the province.

“Hungary has flat lands. When we were driving around I saw beautiful mountains,” she said.
She is a grade eight learner at her school back home, although she was attending grade 10 classes at Curro.

According to her, she loves the way schools are designed in this country.

“We can see the sky. Where I come from, due to the freezing weather, we do not see the sky,” Rezeda said.
When asked about trying local meals, they each had their own opinions. Rezeda said she loves the taste of droëwors and cabanossi. However, Marie said she does not like droëwors, biltong and cabanossi.

They share a common view regarding mosquitoes. They both came prepared, however, and did not see much of the insects.

Wendy Prentice, a hosting parent for Rezeda, said her daughter, Tamryn, is part of the exchange programme.
Prentice said, to join the club, the first thing to do is to make sure that you belong to a Rotary club in your district.
“You fill in an application form, write a motivational letter, then the child gets interviewed by a panel. In your application you choose one to five countries.

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“You have to do a little bit of a studying up on the countries that you have chosen and what are you going to teach your exchange student. From that panel you are selected, then it goes to the South African Rotary where they try to match you up with the applicants who come from other countries,” she explained.

If anyone is interested in applying to become a Rotary exchange student, visit youthexchange.co.za or contact Judy Pott of White River Rotary Club on 082-576-2791.