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| New Exchange Student Arrives Soon |
Editor: Larson, Kim
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Saturday, August 11, our new 2012-13 Exchange Student, Maria Fernanda Alvarez Barba, will arrive from Aguascalientes, Mexico. "Fer" (pronounced "Fair") will attend University Schools. Her first host family will be Brian and Kim Larson. She will be attending some upcoming Rotary meetings so be sure to introduce yourself to her and make her feel welcome.
Fer is the youngest of two girls. Both parents are dentists. Her home city has about 1.1 million people, so Greeley will be quite an adjustment for her. Her birthday will be just shortly after she arrives - on August 27 she will turn 17.
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She comes from a family deeply committed to service. Fer collects items for recycling to fund programs for the elderly. Her father gives free advice to college students, and her mother helps students pay for college. As a family, they have constructed a dining room for the children of an orphanage and have adapted bathrooms for the elderly in a retirement home. They also buy school supplies for needy children in their city. Fer is coming to us with a really, really big heart. She also loves going to the movies and eating tacos.
It would be very nice if each Centennial Rotarian would think of one event to include Fer in. For example, if you have an extra ticket to a sports or theatre event, or if you are taking a drive/trip into the mountains or have a cabin there. She would appreciate a quiet dinner at home getting to know you and your family. Even taking her out for ice cream on a Sunday afternoon would be great.
I have always said, "Exchange students are a lot like people." They basically like all of the same things we do. If you are doing something fun, unique, quintessentially American or you would just like to get to know a really nice young woman from a country next door to ours...then think about inviting Fer to do something with you during her year here. I promise you will enrich her year and you will probably enrich yours as well.
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Rotary Club of Greeley (Centennial)
