Rotary Friendship Exchange

ROTARY INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT 7570, USA
GENERAL BACKGROUND INFORMATION

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

  • The RFE program gives Rotarians and their spouse/partner the opportunity to experience other cultures firsthand by participating in reciprocal visits with Rotarians and their families in other districts throughout the world.
  • By staying with Rotarians in their home and being escorted by Rotarians, there is significant cost reduction, a more secure stay and often access to sights and activities not available on self-vacations and tours.
  • A RFE provides Rotarians with the opportunity to form personal contacts and long-lasting friendships while exploring the world.
  • This Rotary International program, introduced in 1984, aims to advance international understanding among Rotarians.
  • The RFE also occasionally participates in reciprocal visits with districts within the United States.

TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS AND DOCUMENTATION

  • All travel arrangements to and from the host location are the responsibilities of the traveler although the RFE Committee may provide recommendations.
  • The traveler is responsible for securing all necessary travel documentation such as passports, visas, and other travel documents required by the country visited.
  • Travel insurance is the option of the individual traveler.
  • These expectations and exchange expectations will be communicated to participants before a RFE begins.

EXPENSES

  • The RFE program is funded entirely by the program participants, at no expense to Rotary International or the District 7570.
  • RFE participants are responsible for their own travel expenses to the host location (transportation, lodging and meals), as well as personal purchases (e.g., souvenirs, snacks, toiletries, etc.).
  • Once at the hosting location, the hosts provide housing in their homes, some meals, and some sightseeing opportunities.
  • Other expenses like local transportation, meals at restaurants, entrance costs to attractions, etc. vary widely. Most of these expenses are the traveler’s responsibility, but are sometimes provided by the hosting families and/or the hosting Rotary district.
  • These expense expectations are generally known before the RFE begins.

CHARACTERISTICS OF ROTARY FRIENDSHIP EXCHANGES COORDINATED BY D7570

  • District 7570 participates in the RFE program on a team basis. A team size is mutually agreed upon by discussion between the RFE committee of both D7570 and the hosting district. A RFE team size is usually 5 to 6 units, where a unit is defined as a couple or a male or female traveling alone.
  • Most of the D7570 RFE’s last approximately 2 weeks. The traveler can expect to be hosted by 3 or 4 Rotarian families, each for about several days/nights, before transitioning to their next host. The host families are usually located in different areas of the hosting district to provide a better overview of the district’s geography, industry and interesting unique aspects of their region.
  • Participation in the program is voluntary. It is the expectation that individuals participating in an outbound RFE also participate in hosting inbound RFE Rotarians.
  • An application, on the D7570 RFE website, is required to be submitted for consideration during the travel team selection process.
  • The expectations of the team member are to represent our District 7570 in a gracious manner, be a respectful house guest, share the good work our district members accomplish and return excited to share the incredible successes and opportunities witnessed during the RFE. While visiting a club, the team may be asked to briefly introduce themselves and share a bit of their experience.
  • The expenses incurred during any given RFE vary widely. It has been our committee’s experience that beyond the cost of travel expenses (transportation, lodging and meals) to the host location, other incurred expenses may range in the vicinity of $250.00 to $500.00 per travelling individual. This is of course highly dependent on the hosting country’s geographic location, admission to attractions, the monetary exchange rate and the spending habits of the individual traveler. It’s always recommended that the traveler primarily use an internationally enabled charge card for most transactions and carry only a limited amount of local currency for unexpected cash-only purchases.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

  • You may contact the D7570 RFE Committee Chair Burt Duren, [email protected] for more information or answers to specific questions.