The Pagosa Springs Rotary Club is currently hosting Aron Engelsz, high school sophomore, from Szodliget, Hungary, who arrived in Pagosa Springs at the end of August.
Szodliget is the greater metropolitan area of Budapest, on the eastern bank of the Danube River. The small town boasts a peaceful riverside atmosphere, natural beauty and traditional Hungarian lifestyle. The proximity to the historic European city of Budapest is beneficial as this breathtaking European capital is where grand historic architecture, the scenic Danube River, thermal baths, vibrant cafes and rich culture come together in an enchanting blend of old-world elegance and modern charm.
Szodliget’s father is a health and safety officer for a pharmaceutical company, his mother works in home design and he has an older sister completing high school.
At Pagosa Springs High School, Szodliget is enrolled in typical American classes including U.S. and world history, English and math. He has filled his schedule with other classes that have a personal interest like biomedical science, intro to business and drones.
Szodliget’s outdoor interests include snow skiing and scuba diving. He is very anxious to become a regular at Wolf Creek Ski Area and skied on opening day with his host family. Dave and Stewart Bellina and their son Noah, a junior, and sister Camellia, a freshman, are Szodliget’s first host family.
Last school year, Wennei Chan, from Taiwan, was hosted by the following families: the Bellinas, Carole and Dave Nasralla and their daughter Anja, and Cindi and Scott Galabota and their daughter Corinna. Everyone had wonderful exchange experiences and made close family connections.
This year, Marcy Barnas is an outbound Rotary exchange student spending her year in Japan, in the Kyoto/Nara district, in the western region of the country surrounded by scenic mountains southwest of Tokyo.
The Rotary exchange program is always interested in talking with students that are interested in the outbound program and families that are interested in hosting a student. Anyone who is interested in learning more about this opportunity should contact Rotarians Lisa Scott, (970) 749-4268, lisascott5680@icloud.com; Ronnie Doctor, (920) 946-6367; or Granton Bartz, (970) 946-2827.
The Rotary Clubs in Pagosa Springs have participated in the International Youth Exchange Program since 1991. Students apply for this opportunity through the local Rotary Club and are interviewed and selected by committees in each country. Once a student is placed, they spend 10 months in that community, attending high school, and live with two or three different families during their time abroad. This way, they experience different family environments and meet a wider variety of people.
Rotary clubs in Pagosa Springs include the noon club, which meets Thursdays at noon at Coyote Moon, and the evening club meets the first and third Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. at Ramon’s. Rotary is always accepting new members and invites anyone who would like to explore the opportunity to make contact with any community Rotarian or the names listed above.
Rotary International is an international service organization whose purpose is to bring together dedicated individuals to exchange ideas, build relationships, take action and help build goodwill and peace in the world. There are approximately 1.2 million members serving communities through more than 36,000 Rotary Clubs in more than 200 countries worldwide.
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