The Rotary Club of St. Marys dedicated its June 22 meeting to celebrating the successful Rotary Youth Exchange year of Samir Zogbi as he prepares to return home to Argentina.
The evening began with the Argentinian National Anthem, followed by O Canada, the Four-Way Test, and a toast to Canada, Rotary, and Argentina. Joining the meeting virtually were members of Samir's family, allowing them to share in this special farewell from thousands of kilometres away.
A Year of Growth
During his presentation, Samir reflected on the many experiences that shaped his year in Canada.
One of his goals before arriving in St. Marys was to improve his English. Looking back, however, he said the exchange experience became about much more than language. He spoke about the confidence he gained, the friendships he formed, and the personal growth that came from stepping outside his comfort zone and embracing new opportunities.
Samir described highlights of his year, including winter activities, travel experiences, Rotary events, conferences with other exchange students, and the many friendships he developed along the way. He encouraged future exchange students to take initiative, try new things, meet new people, and say "yes" to new opportunities.
He also shared his plans upon returning to Argentina, including completing his final year of secondary school, obtaining his driver's licence, celebrating his 18th birthday with friends and family, and considering future studies in either law or engineering.
Evidence of Success
Following Samir's presentation, members viewed a video from his first Rotary presentation shortly after arriving in Canada. The contrast between that presentation and his farewell remarks highlighted the remarkable progress he made over the past ten months.
Mark Oliver noted that Samir had achieved excellent academic results during his year at St. Marys DCVI, including earning the highest mathematics mark in his class.
Reflections from Host Families
Representatives from each of Samir's host families shared memories and stories from their time together.
The Dunbar family spoke about welcoming Samir into their home shortly after their daughter had departed on exchange. They reflected on how quickly he became part of the family and shared a humorous story involving the family cat, "Boots," whom Samir accidentally renamed "Poops" for several months.
Bernie and Marg shared memories of celebrating Christmas and New Year's together, teaching and learning family traditions, and spending many hours playing games around the dining room table. They spoke warmly about Samir's respectfulness, adaptability, and genuine character.
Bruce and Nancy highlighted Samir's enthusiasm, appetite, curiosity, and talent for engineering solutions, recalling how he transformed a temporary desk arrangement into something resembling a suspension bridge using shoelaces and ingenuity. They also spoke about learning more about Argentina through their conversations with him and expressed confidence in his future success.
A common theme throughout the evening was the ease with which Samir became part of each family and the lasting friendships created through the Youth Exchange experience.
Greetings from Argentina
One of the highlights of the evening was the opportunity for members to hear directly from Samir's parents in Argentina.
They expressed heartfelt thanks to the Rotary Club of St. Marys, the host families, and the many Rotarians who helped make Samir's exchange year possible. They spoke about the positive impact the experience had on their son and invited members to visit Argentina in the future.
Recognizing a Successful Exchange
Mark Oliver thanked the host families and club members whose support helped make the year a success. He noted that Rotary Youth Exchange depends on the generosity of host families and the involvement of an entire Rotary club.
Samir was presented with a Rotary Club of St. Marys banner along with a unique piece of St. Marys history—a commemorative slate tile that once formed part of the roof of the St. Marys Town Hall.
In his remarks, Mark praised Samir's resilience, perseverance, kindness, and willingness to embrace new experiences. He reminded Samir that St. Marys would always be a second home and that he would always be welcome here.
As the evening concluded, members gathered for photographs and shared their best wishes for the future. While Samir's exchange year has come to an end, the friendships, memories, and connections created through Rotary Youth Exchange will continue for many years to come.
The Rotary Club of St. Marys thanks Samir for sharing his year with us and wishes him every success as he returns home to Argentina.
