General information for our Tours

our Tours are cultural exchanges and not only shopping, disco-visits etc.!!

Participant:

You must be sponsored by a Rotary Club - ask for the short term exchange application form !

This application form can also be downloaded from our site:

http://www.rotary.nl/yep/download/forms/

You must speak reasonably English, be generally fit and well, interested in our way of life and the history of our country, willing to participate in the daily life of a Dutch family and in sharing information about your home country.

Clothes:

Bring with you sporting shoes, rain wear, sweater and swimming suit.

Accommodation:

Generally you will be the guest in the home of a Rotarian.

Travel Expenses:

You will have to pay yourself the ticket from your home to Holland and back again and also the necessary insurance; plus some pocket money for personal expenses (we suggest ± €.10 per day).

Insurance:

You must be sufficiently insured to cover (amongst others) against illness, accidents and such like, and a third party risks/liability insurance - see also the application form. Take these insurance policy numbers with you to Holland !

With coverage from the time of your departure from home until your return home.

Application form:

Type or print the application form using CAPITAL letters please !

This form must be sent (3 original forms with photo and duly signed) as soon as possible !!

Please mention also on this application form the number of the Tour + your E-mail address and/or Fax number.

Living in a New Culture

Arriving in, and adjusting to, a new culture will be one of the more memorable phases of your exchange experience. What follow are some suggestions that can ease this transition.

Youth Exchange Program Rules

Because Rotary districts and clubs run their programs independently of Rotary International, each club or district program will have its own specific rules for you to follow. Just as you signed an agreement to abide by the Youth Exchange program rules of your sending club or district, you will be expected to follow the rules set forth by the Youth Exchange program in your hosting club or district. Although some of the program rules may seem strict (e.g. no drugs, no automobile driving), the local Youth Exchange program adopted them as the result of experience, and disregarding them can lead to your being sent home. You should discuss the rules with your Rotarian counsellor and host family shortly after your arrival so that they are clear to all.

Family Life

Your hosts are excited about your arrival, and will make every effort to welcome you into the family — but please remember that you are responsible for adapting to host family customs. Your flexibility is one of the personal qualities the selections committee at home considered in accepting you into the program, and you should be prepared to exercise it to the fullest.

Your flexibility will help you enjoy participation in household activities which you might not expect to do at home. You should be prepared to discuss the household rules with your host family. Some families do not expect much from exchange students, while others divide the tasks of bed-making, kitchen clean-up and house cleaning among various people. Your acceptance of whatever may be assigned to you will go a long way in smoothing the path to an enjoyable exchange experience for everyone involved.

Changing Families

Most Rotary exchange students are required to live with more than one host family during the tour. You will be informed of the requirements of your hosting club's program, and should be prepared to make this adjustment. Changing families offers you the opportunity to gain a more profound view of your host country's culture, while expanding your friendships and experiences.

Counselling

Most hosting Rotary clubs appoint a Rotarian who is not a member of the host family as a counselor to the exchange student. You may wish to call upon your counselor when you need guidance concerning problems that you cannot discuss with your host mother or father. Talking out your problems will help you adapt to your new life. Keeping confusion and hurt feelings inside will make your transition more difficult, while bringing them out in the open with a counselor will make them much less intimidating. Remember, your local Rotary club counselors are there to help you. There may be times when irresolvable problems arise during an exchange or when a student breaks the rules by which he or she agreed to abide. If this is the case, the hosting Rotary club may decide to send the student home early.

While this is a difficult decision for a Rotary club to reach, it is usually in the best interest of the student and the exchange program. In these instances, it is vital that students and Rotarians cooperate and that the lines of communication are kept open. The hosting and sponsoring clubs/districts, the Rotarian counselor, the host family and the student's family back home should all be kept fully informed of the circumstances surrounding an early return. The hosting Rotary club and the student's family should establish a mutually agreed upon route for the student's return home.

Getting Involved

As an exchange student, you should utilize every opportunity to become acquainted with your host community and nation through involvement in activities.
For example, you will be invited to attend Rotary club meetings, and you may in time be asked to speak to the club about your life back home.

Dutch (NL) Summer-2007 Tours

NL-1 organized by the R.C. Waddinxveen (W) and Oss (O)

from Saturday 23 June until Saturday 07 July.

Age: 18 - 20 year; so at arrival in Holland not younger than 18 and

not older than 20

Group size: max.16 participants

Waddinxveen …………………………………………………..Oss

Programme:

First week:

Theme: Water and Culture

Waddinxveen invites you in our village, situated in the “green heart” of Holland.

Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague, the three mayor cities of the

Netherlands, are easy to visit from Waddinxveen. The program will let you enjoy your stay with the host family, your fellow participants and our Rotary Club.

It will bring you knowledge of the Dutch Culture and you will learn more about

our Water Management expertise: 60% of the Netherlands is below sea level. Water also has a major impact on our economy and plays an important role in leisure time. This week you will discover the polders, the lakes and the dikes. There will be trips by boat and by the typical Dutch bike. Of course there is also time available for pleasure and to relax in and around the water.

We will visit our capital Amsterdam which offers a mix of (multi)culture, history

and future. In The Hague we will show you how our democracy works.

You will be amazed when touring in one of the biggest harbours in the world Rotterdam. At the end off the week there will be a swinging farewell-party.

Second week:

Theme: Meeting the south of Holland

Your second week hosts will transfer you by car from Waddinxveen tot Oss in the province of North-Brabant, south of the river Maas (Meuse). The population of Oss counts over 76.000 inhabitants and the total surface area is 10.442 hectares. There are a lot of large industrial companies established in the city of Oss. In the surrounding area’s of Oss forests alternate with farmlands (agriculture and cattle-breeding). Near Oss you will visit by bike some restored, picturesque little towns for example Ravenstein, Megen, Grave. We also visit the nice capital of our province: ‘s-Hertogenbosch, with a famous beautiful cathedral, narrow canals (trip by boat) and funny pubs. At the end of the week there will be a farewell-barbecue.

We will transfer you to your home departing point.

Transport - if you travel:

by air -arrival at and departure from Amsterdam/Schiphol Airport;

by train - arrival at and departure from Utrecht Central Station.

by bus - arrival at and departure from Utrecht Central Station.

Rotarians will meet you where you will arrive and bring you from where you will depart. Inform your Dutch Y.E.O.

NL-2 organized by the R.C Kerkrade (K) and Ambt-Almelo/Almelo/Vriezenveen (AV) from Saturday

30 June until Saturday 14 July.

Age: 17 - 19 year; so at arrival in Holland not younger than 17 and

not older than 19

Group size: max. 18 participants

Kerkrade……………………………………………………..…Almelo

Programme:

First week:

Theme: Culture, sports, cities, swimming.

Kerkrade is situated in the deep south of the Netherlands, in the direct neighbourhood of Germany and Belgium. We plan to organize several activities such as farmer’s golf, cave-walking, wild water kayaking in Belgium. You need rain-clothing in case of rain (quite regular in Holland), swimwear and hiking-shoes. You will visit Aachen (Germany) and Maastricht, the capital of the Province of Limburg.

Second week:

Arrival from Kerkrade in Almelo and Vriezenveen and a welcome diner, guest families and other rotarians will be present. We will visit Deventer and/or Zwolle which are old Hanze cities situated at the river IJssel. They are both cities with a strong regional function in a district which is close to the German border and relatively not so densely populated as the other parts of the Netherlands. One of these days we will sailing in Friesland, Fryslan has many lakes and an extensive network of waterways. There is also time to rest or to visit the city of Almelo and

a sportive activity, typical for the area will be organized. When you visit the Netherlands you must have seen Amsterdam often referred to as one of the most colorful cities in the world and rightly so! Where else do you find so many places of interest, famous museums, cozy pubs and fun shops and (flower) markets? We will try to show you a great many of the surprising things Amsterdam has in store for you. In the evening we will travel to Enschede the nearest university city. The members of Rotaract will take us to dinner and show us some of the student pubs. The day after begins with a free morning. In the afternoon there will be a sport event, in the evening we go to the house (garden) of a Rotarian for a fare-well party. The day to say goodbye members of the Rotary Clubs will bring you to the airport, bus- or train station.

Transport - if you travel:

by air -arrival at and departure from Amsterdam/Schiphol Airport;

by train - arrival at and departure from Utrecht Central Station.

by bus - arrival at and departure from Utrecht Central Station.

Rotarians will meet you where you will arrive and bring you from where you will depart. Inform your Dutch Y.E.O. ‘s.

NL-3 organized by the R.C. Bergh (B) and Delft-Vermeer/Delft-Koningsveld (D)

from Saturday 30 June until Saturday 14 July.

Age: 18 - 20 year; so at arrival in Holland not younger than 18 and

not older than 20

Group size: max. 18 participants

near Bergh………………………………………………………………..Delft

Programme:

First week:

Theme: People, Culture, Youth and action.

In order to realize our goals of international exchange and European integration we offer a wide range of activities. Think of local (group) sports, survival. Visits to historical and modern sites. Learn about the Dutch in a rural setting. Holland offers more than tulips, windmills and cheese. And, important, learn to know each other and meet youngsters of the Netherlands. Have a party, a special barbeque, taste food and drinks of different origin. Have fun.

Second week:

Theme: Past & Future

We would like to welcome you in the lively university city of Delft, where the past meets the future. In and around Delft you will meet Dutch youngsters in outdoor activities, learn more about the latest inventions of one of the world's leading technical universities, make your own Royal Delftware, visit the second largest flower auction in the world, have fun at a big party with specialties from all over the world and last but not least ....... explore Amsterdam!

Transport - if you travel:

by air -arrival at and departure from Amsterdam/Schiphol Airport;

by train - arrival at and departure from Utrecht Central Station.

by bus - arrival at and departure from Utrecht Central Station, but if possible arrival at Arnhem Central Station!

Rotarians will meet you where you will arrive and bring you from where you will depart. Inform your Dutch Y.E.O. ‘s.

NL-4 organized by the R.C. Bergen op Zoom/Bergen op Zoom-Noord/Bergen op Zoom-de Brabantse Wal (BZ) and Aalten-Wisch (A) from Saturday 23 June until Saturday 07 July.

Age: 17 - 19 year; so at arrival in Holland not younger than 17 and

not older than 19 and you need to be able to swim and must be interested in sailing.

Group size: max. 16 participants

Bergen op Zoom……………………………………….Aalten-Wisch

Programme:

First week:

Theme: Meet the burgundian lifestyle at the border of land and sea.

Bergen op Zoom is a historic city in a present-day surrounding, close to the beautiful city of Antwerp ( Europe’s cultural capital 2003) and the Schelde estuary.

We will organize a variety of cultural, social and sporting activities; a visit to Antwerp and the Deltaworks; have a break at the North Sea beach; a bicycle tour and a sailing day on the water; an evening stroll along the pubs of Bergen op Zoom

Friday night there will be a farewell party. We are looking forward to meet you and we are convinced you will appreciate our hospitality.

Second week:

Aalten/Wisch is situated in the rural eastern part of the Netherlands, close to where Europe’s largest river the Rhine flows from Germany into the Netherlands.

Because of this unique and strategic location, people have been living and traveling here for centuries. In the wide surroundings well kept monuments can still be seen, ranging from impressive excavations of a Roman City, castles from the middle ages to old fortified cities.

The rural area is also ideal for sporting activities.

We will offer you an interesting mix of ancient and recent history and sporting and social events.

Transport - if you travel:

by air -arrival at and departure from Amsterdam/Schiphol Airport;

by train - arrival at and departure from Utrecht Central Station.

by bus - arrival at and departure from Utrecht Central Station.

Rotarians will meet you where you will arrive and bring you from where you will depart. Inform your Dutch Y.E.O. ‘s

NL-5 organized by the R.C. Zoetermeer (Z) and Sneek (S) from Saturday 30 June until Saturday 14 July.

Age: 18 - 20 year; so at arrival in Holland not younger than 18 and

not older than 20

Group size: max. 18 participants

Zoetermeer…………………………………………………...Sneek

Programme:

First week:

Theme: living in the Randstad (cities, culture, leisure, water).

The Rotary Club Zoetermeer will be hosting you for this week!

Zoetermeer is a new town in the west of the Netherlands (Randstad).

Nearby the historical cities like Amsterdam, The Hague and Rotterdam.

The program will be a mix of outdoor activities, sightseeing and shopping. We also plan to visit the big water defences (Delta works) and an excursion to a multinational (Heineken).

At the end of this week the Rotary Club Sneek will continue the program.

Second week:

Theme: aquatic sports week on the lakes surrounding Sneek

You will be our guest in the “Watertown” Sneek (Friesland) during the second week. Sneek is the biggest “water town” of Friesland and is surrounded by many lakes. Of course you will make many trips by sailing boats during the week. In this way you will see a lot of the environment of Southwest Friesland. Perhaps there will also be the opportunity to learn wind-surfing during the week.

You are lodged by the Scouting Club of Sneek. Besides all activities there will be enough time left to relax and to make music near the camp-fire in the evenings. It would be nice if you take a music instrument with you.

This week you will be very active and you need to be able to swim and must be interested in sailing.

Transport - if you travel:

by air -arrival at and departure from Amsterdam/Schiphol Airport;

by train - arrival at and departure from Utrecht Central Station.

by bus - arrival at and departure from Utrecht Central Station.

Rotarians will meet you where you will arrive and bring you from where you will depart. Inform your Dutch Y.E.O. ‘s.