Exchange student visits Ohakune

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 2, Issue 8, 24 July 1984, Page 3

Exchange student visits Ohakune

The Ohakune-Raetihi Rotary Club played host last week to eighteen year old Greg Polimis, a rotary exchange student from Pickering in Toronto, Canada. Greg has been in New Zealand since the 24 August last year and has been attending St Peters Catholic college in Palmerston North. He first learnt about the rotary exchange programme at Dennis O'Connor College in Whitby, Toronto where he was a student. A Brazilian attended the college for a year and was able to extol the virtues of being an exchange student. During his time in this country, Greg has entered into the spirit of New Zealand life. He was aware of New Zealand's proud sporting traditions before he left .Canada and has participated enthusiastically in sports at St Peters. Over the summer, he played cricket, for the first time in the school's third eleven as wicketkeeper.

With his solid- build, it wasn't long before the rugby coach enlisted him in the first fifteen playing as prop. Greg had not played rugby at all prior to coming here and has thoroughly enjoyed his time in the team.

He has been around the SouthT Island, particulaxly enjoying Christchurch and the Otago region but found the West Coast with its miles of native bush a little boring. He intends to revisit New Zealand as he has been unable to tour the northern part of the North Island. He was invited to Ohakune by the local Rotary Club and spent a week at Ohutu Grazing with . Gavin and Paddy Jones. Last Wednesday he addressed their monthly meeting with an informative talk on his country and the impressions of New Zealand. With it being a busy time of the year at Ohutu, Mr Jones found that an extra pair of hands on the farm proved most useful. Greg had the use of the

trail bike and helped staff with feeding out and fencing. Being a city boy, he found farm life, if only for a week, a great experience. When he leaves for home next month, Greg will leave behind him many friends with many great times to recall. His impressions of New Zealand and its people are high. In Canada, Greg will complete his college education, then he hopes to study medicine at the University of Toronto. He speaks fluent French and had heard about New Zealand from his parents and people who had visited here. Greg's parents were born in the West Indies, Mr Polimis in St Lucia and Mrs Polimis in St Vincent. His father emigrated to the United Kingdom where he studied in London before finally settling in Canada whilst his mother first visited the United States then moved to Canada also.