Lisa van Someren has never been on a plane but that is all about to change.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
In January, the Kirkstall teenager will undertake a 20-hour flight to Woodstock, Canada.
Woodstock will be the 15-year-old’s home for 12 months as part of a Rotary club student exchange program.
Her year 10 studies will be a world away from where she is just completing year nine at Hawkesdale P12 College.
Despite such an upheaval, Lisa can’t wait to take on this new challenge.
“I am so excited, I can’t wait,” Lisa said.
“I decided to be an exchange student because I just wanted to do something different. I want to meet new people and have an adventure. One thing I am really looking forward to is making new friendships.
“I have never been overseas so I am really looking forward to getting on the plane.”
Lisa is keen to take in all the cultural aspects that Canada has to offer.
This includes having a go at the national sport, ice hockey.
“It looks like such a fun sport, I can’t wait to try it,” she said. “I can ice-skate so that’s a good start.”
The opportunity to be part of the student exchange has come about thanks to Port Fairy Rotary Club.
The club’s youth director and former president John Clue has been driving this project.
“This is our first time taking part in the exchange program,” Mr Clue said.
“I thought it would be a good thing for the club to be involved in. The club needs to keep looking at adding diversity to what we do.
“This is a fantastic program to be involved in.
“Lisa will be an outbound student. It is our role to work with her and prepare her for what it will be like living in another country for 12 months. She will get on the plane in Melbourne in 30 degrees and when she gets off in Woodstock it will most likely by minus 25.
“There will be plenty of differences to what it is like living here.”
Mr Clue said Lisa had impressed Rotary club members from the very first contact she had with the club.
He said Lisa has shown great initiative in her quest to become an exchange student.
“Lisa applied so we rang her mother to have a chat about it with her,” Mr Clue said.
“Her mum got a surprise. She didn’t know anything about it because Lisa had done the application off her own back.
“It was a great sign that it wasn’t someone else who was pushing her to be involved, she really wanted to do this herself.”
