Junior Jeff Wagner has spent the previous year attending high school in Birigui, Brazil, and will be returning back home to his family on July 2.
He joined many other students from around the world to attend a school to help him learn a new language and take in the international experience. Through the Rotary International Exchange program, he has lived with two different families, as he will never forget this experience.
According to the Rotary International website, students who are selected to participate in this program are “willing to try new things” and “demonstrate leadership in their school and community.” Upon his selection, Rotary International knew Wagner was the perfect fit for this type of experience because of his high grades and involvement in many different types of clubs and activities.
On August 10, 2013, Wagner left his hometown, along with his father, with two main goals: to become fluent in Portuguese and to make new friends from all around the world. In a new type of atmosphere, Wagner really did not know what to expect coming into the trip. However, it did not take long for him to settle into the Brazilian culture and to attain his goals.
“I had the opportunity to learn another way to live,” stated Wagner. “Nothing can be cooler than that.”
While in Birigui, Wagner developed a friendship with a girl from Finland. The two hung out and spent a lot of time together in school, which was a neat experience for Wagner because he wondered how many times he would ever interact with a student from Finland for a long period of time.
“My experience in Brazil is a dream. Everyday there is something new to learn about the culture or a new word that I never knew,” stated Wagner. He is now fluent in Portuguese and says he is now even dreaming in the language, a feat that Wagner is proud he accomplished.
His favorite moment came on his first day of school in Birigui, when he was talking about his personal life back home. Instead of saying that his dad sells bread for a living, he misspoke, stating that he sells a [vulgar word] for a living. Wagner said that the two words sound very similar, and it was a comical experience for him.
Wagner plans on taking one more year of high school than his fellow graduates because he was only learning a language while attending school in Brazil. He claimed that he is not “losing” a year because of how much he learned in Brazil.
Overall, he enjoyed living the life of a Brazilian, while meeting new friends and “family” and becoming fluent in a new language. “I consider [the two host families] to be family, if not by blood, by heart,” stated Wagner.
After participating in this beneficial program, Wagner wants Rotary International to open up to more LHS students and to get the word out about the organization. He noted that the experience is too much fun and the learning experience offers too much for students to not take advantage of the program.
