I want to share with you and all Rotarians an absolutely wonderful experience with Rotary's student exchange program.Thirty one years ago our Club was very involved with the student exchange program and at that time we had a 17 year old student from Malaysia as our exchange recipient. Her name is Yeat Ling Hee and I would suggest we could not have had a better student to have shared our home.
Yeat Ling had a basic knowledge of the English language and was here to study for the H.S.C. (Year 12) schooling year. We were able to have the local high school (Rosanna East) take her in this very important study year in which she succeeded in achieving her certificate.
At the time our daughter, 16 and our son 13, were also attending the same school which made settling in so much easier for our overseas guest.
As with each of the six hosting families (all members of our Club and with children of similar ages) we were all disappointed when it was time for Yeat Ling to move to the next family. Yeat Ling took no time to adjust to the different traditions of the two countries and very soon was using 'ockerisms' like 'Mate' and 'Buddy' etc, but always showed respect for her host parents by addressing them as 'Mum and Dad'.
She was very sorry to leave our country when the time came for her to return to Malaysia, as were all her host families. Two years later Yeat Ling was back in Australia to do her economics and accounting degree at Deakin University, near Geelong.
For the past 31 years each of the host families have enjoyed receiving a beautiful Christmas card with a long letter bringing us all up to date with her family's activities plus reports about the business she and her husband Sam have in Malaysia.
Two weeks ago my wife answered the phone and this familiar voice said "Hi Mum, I am here in Melbourne for six days and I want to see all my families". I am sure you can imagine the excitement and I had to quickly update her with the phone numbers of the hosts as some addresses had changed. Needless to say we were all so pleased for each of us to have Yeat Ling and Sam for a meal at our various homes.
On the business side, Yeat Ling and Sam have a very successful business specialising in food supplements where they have agencies and distributors in Africa and the Middle East. Their aim is to educate people in these Third World countries to feed themselves with more nutritous food. Sam also conducts training camps with these people so they can be educated in various ways of living a better lifestyle. As the business is rapidly expanding, they now have 75 employees and agencies. They have also built a new factory in Malaysia (180,000 sq.ft.) and she wants her host families to go to Malaysia for the official opening.
Yeat Ling has three children (two boys & a girl) who she wanted to have schooled in Australia, but they are studying in the UK as this is more convenient for their travelling.
I do hope you find this letter as a wonderful example of the student exchange program and that it may be a motivation for Rotary clubs to participate in future exchanges.
Upon leaving our home on Sunday evening, Yeat Ling handed me an envelope to present to our Club in appreciation of what Rotary has done for her. The envelope contained a substantial donation to Rotary.
Yours in Rotary,
Ian Richards
Past President
Rotary Club of Rosanna
25th May 2010
Email: bridr@bigpond.net.au
