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Rotary Club Prepares To Say Goodbye To Foreign Exchange Student

Cheri Krull, Rotary’s Youth Exchange chairman, left, and John Healy, club president at right, wish a fond farewell to the club’s Danish Exchange student at a recent club meeting.

The Rotary Club of Jamestown is preparing to say farewell to Joah Moholm of Denmark in just a few short weeks. Joah has lived in three Rotarian homes during the past year as a Rotary International Exchange Student.

His last meeting will be June 12 and then he will leave on a month-long sight-seeing trip around the United States with 70 other exchange students living in Rotary District 7090, an international district encompassing western New York and southern Canada.

Joah has been hosted by Elizabeth Cama and her family, Chris Anderson, and his family and lastly with the Kidder family. He lives with each family as though he was one of their children; his expenses are borne by the host family, the student’s family and a stipend given by the host Rotary Club. In addition, there have been several experiences such as trips to Canada and New York City that have been sponsored by the district.

Joah presented a program about his home country to the Rotary Club recently explaining Denmark as a kingdom about one-half the size of New York City. Denmark is known as the happiest country on earth.

Joah’s mother works in a school and his father works in a cultural center. One sister works with kids and one sister travels extensively and is presently touring Mexico. The Danes are known to be extensive travelers and Joah’s family travels a lot too. The Danes are known for their feeling of HYGGE – a feeling of good.

Denmark’s favorite foods include roast port sandwiches, liver pate, Danish pastries, smorrebrod, herring with curry sauce and toast with cheese and jam.

Christmas is celebrated on December 24 in Denmark and a special show runs constantly all day on television. Pancakes are served all day in addition to pepperkaker cookies. The featured holiday meal in every home is duck and then everyone, everywhere dances.

Copenhagan of course is the City of Fairy Tales, and the architecture is very beautiful. The city is also renowned for its beer.

Joah and his family live on a very small island of 7,000 people named Aero. It takes Joah seven hours on public transportation to get home from the airport.

Denmark is famous for LEGOS, Leg-Go means play in Danish and everyone knows the small bricks that children use to build animals and buildings. The country is also famous for Maersk the second largest shipping container company in the world. Denmark is known also for its clean energy. Windmills there generated enough energy for the entire country in 2019.

The student was quick to tell the club thank you for his wonderful year in this country, and he welcomes visitors to his country anytime.

Joah will leave the United States on July 17.

In August, the Rotary Club of Jamestown will welcome a young man from Brazil for a year and will send a female student from Jamestown to Brazil. Young people interested in participating in youth exchange should contact Cheri Krull, chairman of the club’s local Youth Exchange program, for information on how to apply. Inquiries will begin in the fall, so its important to begin gathering information soon.

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