Canadian Joel Dzuba credits his Rotary Youth Exchange year in Lower Saxony, Germany, with inspiring him to pursue a career in International Affairs and Policy.Birthday on a beach
One of the many stories that I do love to share, however, was when I was celebrating my 18th birthday during our year-end European Tour. All the exchange students had gathered on the beach at night to watch the stars in the little town of Portofino, Italy, and eventually, I found myself sitting back to back on a rock with a Brazilian student, a Russian student, and a Taiwanese student. In all of my life, no other moment has ever made me feel so paradoxical as that night.
On the one hand, I felt so incredibly small when I realized where I was sitting and with whom I was sitting; as I was just a boy from Ontario who suddenly found himself halfway across the world, with people who would maybe only have a one in a billion chance of meeting together in any other circumstance. And yet, on the other hand, I had never felt so large in comparison to the vastness of the world, and the borders as I had pictured them. The world suddenly felt like it had shrunk, and that there was nowhere that was out of my reach anymore.
Larger than life
If I had to try to make a metaphor that could explain the experience, I would say that it gave me a feeling of being “Larger than Life” while still humbling me with the realization of the sheer amount of opportunity that had been given to me by the kindness of others; as without everyone back home in the Rotary club supporting me, I could have only dreamed of being where I was that night.
Out of all my life experiences, I would say that my exchange year played a fundamental role in forming and shaping the person I am today. It has shaped my world view; given me the courage to break out of my shell, and has given me the experience of living in an interconnected and continually shrinking world.
It has also inspired me to seek an international career, as I am currently studying in International Affairs and Policy due to the inspiration I received from my exchange year to continue living an international lifestyle.
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