No sooner had we said goodbye to our 2015-16 Youth Exchange Student, Gerardas Merliūnas from Norway, than we picked up our newest Youth Exchange Student from Finland, Martta Arstilla.
Martta landed in Canberra but unfortunately her baggage was sent somewhere else! Coming from a four day Rotary Camp in Singapore to a Canberra winter without warm clothing wasn’t ideal but fortunately our 2014-15 Swiss Exchange Student Martina Baumeler had left some warm clothing behind with Martta’s first host parents Chris and Janine.
Like every new YEP student arriving, her first week was spent getting orientated to her new life in Canberra. Bank accounts had to be opened, mobile phone, bus tickets and schooling arranged. In addition to this, she met her next host parents and attended her first meeting of the Rotary Club of Hall.
Martta started school on Wednesday and on Saturday she helped the Rotarians at the Capital Region Farmers Market. This was a great introduction to some of the club’s activities.
On Sunday she had a relaxing tour of the city she will call home for the next 12 months and had a look around Parliament House.
