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Our Exchange Student - Rodrigo Araya-Donoso

The most powerful force in the promotion of international understanding and peace is exposure to different cultures. The world becomes a smaller, friendlier place when we learn that all people — regardless of nationality — desire the same basic things: a safe, comfortable environment that allows for a rich and satisfying life for our children and ourselves. Rotary’s Youth Exchange provides thousands of young people with the opportunity to meet people from other lands and to experience their cultures. This plants the seeds for a lifetime of international understanding.

Rodrigo Araya-Donoso, “Rodri” as he likes to be called, comes to us all the way from Rancagua, Chile, an important cultural and industrial hub of that country, just an hour south of Santiago. Only 17, Rodrigo is an avid music fan, playing his electric guitar in a band with his friends, who practice together as often as possible. He considers himself an intelligent, sociable person, and at home he is the Class President, as well as a member of his school’s Student Senate. Rodrigo is very close with his sister, who is 14 and a freshman at his school.

Rodrigo is planning on following in his parent’s footsteps to become an esteemed member of the medical field. Though he is undecided if he wants to become a dentist like his mother and father, he is sure that he wants to serve his community as a professional, like his parents, both of whom provide health services to low income families in Rancagua.

In pursuit of his future professional goals, Rodrigo spends a lot of time studying, particularly in the fields of mathematics, biology, chemistry, languages and communication, English specifically, and music. He estimates spending 38 hours a week studying! To unwind, Rodrigo spends most of his free time relaxing as much as possible, listening to music, writing songs with his friends, or spending time on his computer.

His goals while in America include working on improving his English skills to better learn from our culture, and to make many new friends. Over the course of the coming year, Rodrigo will be staying with several Rotary families, each looking to make their homes a comforting and welcoming environment while Rodri is so far from home.