KOOWEERUP may be a long way from Iowa, USA, but 16yearold exchange student Chelsea Burk has found she feels right at home.
The Rotary Club of Kooweerup/Lang Lang welcomed Chelsea three weeks ago as part of its Youth Exchange Program, and the year 11 student is having a “fantastic time” already.
Chelsea, who is enrolled at Kooweerup Secondary College, will live with four host families throughout her oneyear stay.
Her first host parents, Rotary members Geoff and Lorraine Reeve, will accommodate Chelsea for three months before she moves on.
“They are lovely people” Chelsea said.
“It has been so much fun staying with them so far.”
Although she has been attending school only for a couple of weeks, the outgoing American is already involved in the school musical Jesus Christ Superstar and has been enjoying band practice where she plays the clarinet.
“Everyone has been so nice,” Chelsea said of her stay so far.
“I have made heaps of friends at school.”
Chelsea’s Rotary club counsellor, 41yearold John McDonell, couldn’t be happier with his involvement in the program or of the choice of student.
“My job is to chat with Chelsea if she has any problems during her stay or gets a bit homesick,” said John.
“She is a great girl.”
John, who was inspired to become a counsellor after hearing of his wife’s experience as an exchange student in Denmark, has thoroughly enjoyed his first four months in the position.
“It is a wonderful opportunity for us to show young people other cultures they normally wouldn’t get to experience,” he said.
Chelsea got her first taste of the ‘ultimate’ in Australian culture recently when she watched the Kangaroos play St Kilda and she can’t wait to experience more ‘Aussie’ pastimes before heading home.
Chelsea will also get to meet fellow Rotary exchange members from the Gippsland area next April when they will travel to Adelaide, up to Uluru and then the Daintree rainforest.
But for now, Chelsea is just getting used to the little changes that come with living in a new country like “driving on the other side of the road” and “asking for jam sandwiches instead of peanut butter”.
