Rotary’s Family to Family 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 4 weeks each way in the summer under the sponsorship of a local Rotary Club.

The objective of the Family to Family 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 4 weeks each way during the summer. Exchanges are arranged between the two families for not less than 3 weeks and not more than 4 weeks each way. 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 2013 

      Argentina 1       Australia 1      Austria               Belgium        Brazil  

      Canada             Colombia        CzechRepublic   Denmark       Ecuador

      England            Finland           France               Germany       Hungary

      Iceland              India     2        Italy                   Japan  *        Mexico

      Poland              Spain             Sweden              South Africa  Switzerland

      Taiwan              The Netherlands                       Turkey           Venezuela

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

       Minimum 8 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.