Rotary’s Short-Term Exchange presents opportunities for students to advance their knowledge and world understanding by allowing them to visit a different country for a limited period of time. Participating students live with host families in their selected country for three to six weeks in the summer under the sponsorship of a local Rotary Club.

The objective of the short-term exchange program is to foster world peace, international understanding and good will by extending international communication at the personal level through the exchange of students of high school age. It is our hope that these students will be able to see firsthand the problems and accomplishments of other peoples of different colors, creeds, and cultures.

The ESSEX Short-Term or Family-to Family Exchange arranges for the student’s family to host a matching Rotary applicant (between the ages of 15 and 18-1/2 years) usually for 3 to 6 weeks during the summer. Exchanges are arranged between the two families for not less than 3 weeks and not more than 6 weeks. The exchange in each country is for an equal amount of time.

During this period, the student must not have a summer job or commitments that would interfere with the obligations of hosting.

Cost of travel, ESSEX fee, Rotary District fees, Rotary insurance, clothing and personal expenses are the responsibility of the participating student and family.

Travel to a foreign country is arranged by each student’s family communicating with the other student’s family, determining dates, times and airlines to be booked for the exchange. Frequently, students who travel first accompany their host siblings on the return flight home.

The countries that partner with ESSEX for short-term exchanges change from year to year. The  following is the possible Country list for 2012 

      Argentina   1       Australia   1        Austria            Belgium        Brazil  

      Canada              CzechRepublic    Denmark          Ecuador       Finland        

      France               Germany            Iceland             India     2      Italy

      Japan  *             Mexico               Poland             Spain

      Sweden             South Africa        Switzerland      Taiwan    The Netherlands

      Turkey               UK - (England)

1 - Sends during December - February                  Hosts during July - August

              minimum 6 weeks                             ESSEX Maximum 6 weeks

2 - Sends during April - May                                 Hosts during July - August

      Minimum 8 weeks                                     ESSEX Maximum 6 weeks

All other countries sends and receives during June-July-August

Minimum 3 weeks each way

* Applications must be in the hands of the ESSEX STEP Chairman

NO LATER than December 31, 2012

The earlier an application arrives, the better chance you have of exchanging with your first choice of countries. It is also helpful for placement if you are able to host a student of either gender.