Friendship Exchange: South Africa

Dear Tamara,
 
Include a Rotary Friendship Exchange to South Africa
in your vacation plans for 2018!!
 
Applications are currently being accepted for a
Rotary Friendship Exchange to South Africa from May 7 to 18, 2018
 Currently we are looking for 10 Rotarians
(in any combination of individuals and couples)
for this exchange.
 
  The exchange is to South Africa - District 9370
that encompasses the eastern and south-eastern part of South Africa and is centered in the city of Durban, Kwa Zulu Natal.
 
This Friendship Exchange will involve 12 nights including one pre-exchange night in hotel then 12 days/nights with different host Rotary families (3-4 nights each approximately). There is usually a maximum of 5-6 host families per host Rotary club.  Programming includes Rotary activities, touring local points of interest and visiting tourist attractions.
 
for more information on the RFE program.
The exchange is dependent on a minimum number of interested participants.
 
Some additional facts:
· Participants must pay all costs except the billeting provided by Rotarians in South Africa.
· On this exchange most local transportation is provided by the hosts at nominal cost to us.
· Travel to South Africa is booked individually (not as a group) so your plans can include pre- and/or post-Exchange travel.
· Arrival and departure cities will be confirmed by Outbound Coordinator at first meeting.
· Must be prepared to complete the full exchange ie. arrival on May 6, 2018 and commencement of the Exchange on May 7, 2018.  The last night at the host families will be May 18 but the departure will be on May 19, 2018.
 · The Rotarian must be part of the traveling group.
· The group will participate in pre-exchange planning meetings with a district coordinator.
· This is a District to District Exchange and while participation in hosting an inbound exchange would be appreciated, it is not a requirement (but does help in assessing successful candidates if we are oversubscribed).
 
CRITERIA:
      Must be a Rotarian in good standing.
      Participants must be team players as the group will travel together for the duration of the exchange.
      Must be a good ambassador for Rotary and Canada.
      Must be in reasonable physical condition as the exchange will involve tourism activities that may require some moderate walking.
 
An application (an example application is attached as well for reference), should be submitted promptly as we expect this exchange will be a popular one!  Extensive Rotary experience is not a requirement but may be a factor in selecting the team if the Exchange is oversubscribed by the deadline (RFE involvement ie. Hosting is heavily weighted).  So please complete ALL questions on the application, in detail, as it may be the difference of whether you are chosen or not. Deadline for applications and RECEIPT OF DEPOSIT CHEQUE will be November 15, 2017.
Applications should be submitted to:
 
Margie Hansma
6 Austin Drive
Red Deer, AB
T4R 2T9
 
 
The application must include a non-refundable* deposit of $300 per individual or $600 per couple payable to: Rotary District 5360.  This deposit is to hold your spot on this trip and $250** will be returned at the completion of travel.  All cheques will be held and not cashed until you are chosen as one of the applicants.  Please email us the time of mailing so we can ensure we receive all applications sent to us.
 
*The non-refundable nature of this deposit will ONLY come into play if the applicant backs out of the trip before the time of travel without exceptional circumstances.  This is to ensure continuity of the size of the group that will be received by our hosts.
**$50 of the $300 will be a levy by the District Friendship Exchange to be used for the sole purpose of promoting and facilitating future exchanges in District 5360.  The remaining $250 will be refunded to the participants upon their return from the exchange abroad or participants may also use their collective funds against group expenses.  A further explanation of this will be provided by the outbound coordinator (Gerry Darichuk) at your first group meeting.
 
Questions should be addressed to:
 
margie.hansma@gmail.com or 403-872-1555

Yours in Rotary,
 
Margie Hansma
RFE Chairman
District 5360