Rotary student returning home

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 12, Issue 538, 12 July 1994, Page 8

Rotary student returning home

Swedish Rotary exchange student Cecilia Aspeheim is homeward-bound after 12 months living in New Zealand. She leaves Thursday 28 July. The 18-year old who has been attending Ruapehu College as a sixth former, has mixed feelings about leaving. Although it will be a fond home-coming with her family in Laholm, in the south of S weden, Cecilia said she is already missing the many friends she has made during her stay. The past 12 months have been a valuable growth experience for the teenager who said she has seen more of New Zealand than her native country. One of the highlights of her stay was a recent trip to the South Island with a group of fellow exchange students. During the two week visit the group travelled extensively, which proved expen•sive but was an unequalled opportunity to see some of this country 's unsurpassed scenery. She also had the opportunity to see many of the attractions of the North Island with host parents, Neil and Margaret McLean. Of those places visited, the East Coast proved to be one of Cecilia' s favourites. Another memorable experience was Cecilia' s participation in the recent secondary schools' Smokefree Stage Challenge, in which Ruapehu College was placed fourth in the regional heat. A treasured piece of her luggage is a taped copy of the school's stage performance. An ovemight stay under canvas on Army land at Waiouru is also a special memory. The experience involved total immersion in army life, that included marching, map reading and learning basic navigational skills. At the top of a lengthy list of things that will be missed, Cecilia listed New Zealand food. The wide-open spaces and rolling hills of the Waimarino are there also. Cecilia can look forward to another two years' schooling upon her return to Sweden. along with endless correspondence with her many Kiwi friends. Her New Zealand experience has also widened her horizons to include further in the future.