District 2640 Student Exchange Program

A Program of Rotary International
The purpose of the Rotary Youth Exchange Program (Y.E.P.) is to help carry out thefourth "Object of Rotary" which is: the advancement of international understanding,goodwill and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional people united
in the ideal of service.
The Youth Exchange Program in District 2640 is organized and conducted by the District
Youth Exchange Committee (Y.E.C.) appointed by the District governor. The District
chairman is responsible for the program and reports to the District governor. The Districtcommittee arranges for the many of the activities in which you, as an exchange student,will participate.
Each exchange student is assigned to a host Rotary club, your host club will have a clubchairman who is directly responsible for the supervising your activities. He or she will
make arrangements for your several host families. Your host families are responsible foryour physical, spiritual and moral welfare and for your school and social activities. You
must be willing to accept their advice and respect their authority.
If you have any problems, talk them over with your club chairman. If satisfactory
solutions to your problems cannot be found, any members of District committee, or theDistrict chairman, will be glad to try to help you. Based on many years of experience, thecommittee has established the following guidelines for all inbound students.

1. General Information① This is an 11 minimum or 12 month maximum program and we expect you to live up
to this: not to leave earlier, nor later. Graduation ceremony, college preparations, summer
employment are not considered valid reasons.
② There are certain Rotary club and/or District functions during the year which you must
attend unless excused by the District chairman for an important reason.
③ You will be requested to speak about your country to community groups, schoolgroups, church groups, etc. This is part of your experience as an exchange student and you
will be expected to do this with the approval of your club chairman and your host family.

④ If your natural parents or other relatives and friends plan on visiting you during yourstay here, please tell them to make it only during your last month here.
⑤ If you have relatives or friends here, we will try to make arrangements for you to visit
them during your year here or at the time of your departure.
⑥ When you go out, don't forget your alien registration card, address and telephone
numbers of your host family.
⑦ You should not have more than three hundred dollars at any time. Your host Rotaryclub will give you an allowance of 10,000 yen each month which should be sufficient topay for most of your personal needs. If you don't receive this allowance, contact yourclub chairman. Money which you brought from home should be placed in a bankaccount for safe keeping. If you wish to purchase more expensive items such as cameras,
radios, clothing, etc. Your host parents will be glad to help and advise.
⑧ You will be assigned to a Rotary host club and the counselor of that club will be incharge of you at all times.

2. Japanese school life
① You will be expected to attend school regularly unless excused for an important event
such as a Rotary meeting or an activity for exchange students sponsored by the District
committee. You will probably find our schools much different from those at home, but
most teachers will try to help you and school officials will try to schedule subject and classwhich will be of interest to you. As you become more proficient in Japanese, Your
schedule will be adjusted to enable you to get the greatest possible benefit from the time
you spend in school.
② You must learn to speak and write Japanese. If you know only a little Japanese when
you arrive, you will have to make a special effort to learn our language. The sooner you
learn to understand and speak Japanese the sooner you will be able to participate in ourway of living and enjoy all benefit of being an exchange student.
③ Choose your friends carefully and wisely, you will have many social opportunities andmeet many Japanese boys and girls. Perhaps some of those you meet may not be the kindof boys and girls your host parents would want you to invite to your home. Your hostparents will be glad to help and guide you in the selection of your friends and you should
be willing to accept their advice.
④ You are expected to participate in a sports club, such as judo, kendo or basketball andsign up for a musical instrument club or to sign in a choir. These extra curricular activities
will enrich your cultural experience and help you to make more friends and to learn
Japanese.

⑤ Japanese high schools have a sight seeing group which travels to and visits historicalplaces once or twice a year. You are expected to participate.

3. Japanese home life
① Exchange students are expected to become a member of their host family, not a guest,
you will be expected to conform to the rules your host parents establish. Your host parents
will treat you as they treat their own children. Japanese families do not have servants andJapanese boys and girls have duties and responsibilities in their homes. You must bewilling to accept your share of these duties and responsibilities. We suggest that you
address your host parents as "Okaasan" and "Otoosan" which is normal in most Japanesefamilies.
② You will be expected to live like a typical Japanese boy or girl. You must learn toconform to Japanese standards in clothing and grooming. Your host parents will help andadvise you and you must be willing to accept their counsel as to what is appropriate for theoccasion.
③ You may be hosted by more than one and less than four families.
④ Use of the telephone, facsimile, telegraph or e-mail in your host family's home will bewith their permission only. You may not use the telephone, fax or e-mail without theirpermission.
⑤ It is up to you adjust to your host families but do not expect them to adjust to you.
⑥ You must understand that it will not always be possible for your host family to takeyou to every party or activity to which you are invited. Your host family will want you toparticipate in as many activities as possible but you must accept their decision if they tell
you it is not possible to attend a particular event.

4. Prohibited matters and important rules① You are not to develop a romantic attachment with one individual. That is, you are notallowed to "go steady." You should have many friends. Limiting yourself to one boy or girlfriend limits your involvement in our social life and your range of activities. We want andexpect you to have friends of the opposite sex but becoming too involved with one
individual can only mean trouble and unhappiness. The District committee will enforce
this rule by sending you home if necessary.
② You will not be permitted to leave the general area of your host club unlessaccompanied by members of your host family or by a Rotarian. If your school or someother responsible group in your town sponsors a trip for students you must securepermission from your club chairman receives written permission from your parents athome and the trip meet with the approval of your club chairman and your host parents.
③ You are not allowed to drive any kind of motorized vehicle or boat while you are here.
④ It is illegal for anyone under the age of 20 years to purchase, possess or drink any
alcoholic beverage in Japan. It is illegal in Japan to possess or use drugs like pot, heroin,cocaine, fantasy and ecstasy, etc.
⑤ Smoking is prohibited by law in Japan while you are a high school student. Don't
smoke. Any students violating this rules will be sent home immediately.
Finally, you must understand that failure to assume the responsibilities of an exchange
student, failure to observe these rules, failure to cooperate with your host family andfailure to simply be a good exchange student will result in disciplinary action by theDistrict chairman, who has final authority to send you home if in his judgement: this is forthe good of the exchange program.