It was a busy night on Monday night for The Rotary Club of Stanthorpe as members said farewell to Aleena Wilson, youth exchange student from International Falls, Minnesota, USA and on the same evening welcomed a new club member, Harry Liaubon.
Aleena, who has been attending Stanthorpe State High School since arriving in August, returns home to International Falls on the Canadian/American border tomorrow after what she says has been a year of firsts for her.
Aside from getting up close and personal with lots of Australian native animals, visiting the Great Barrier Reef and working with farm animals, Aleena said some of the highlights of her Australian adventure had been her stays with her host families and getting to know the Stanthorpe Rotarians.
She also got to see first-hand the wrath of Mother Nature in the January floods in Stanthorpe and Northern NSW.
As she heads home a little reluctantly, the bubbly Year 12 student said she hoped to return to Australia in the future.
Her immediate plans include catching up with her friends and family and taking a holiday with her parents before embarking on her final year of high school study and then university.
Aleena urged students to think about the Rotary Youth Exchange Program, saying she has had a fantastic year that she will never forget.
“I have made wonderful friends for life and have had some amazing experiences. Everyone should consider YEP, it is terrific,” she said.
So tomorrow, with an Aussie Akubra on her head and a Drizabone over her arm, Aleena will say farewell to Australia.
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