Bolivian Student Discusses Home Country at Milton Rotary Meeting

Last Wednesday’s low 50s temperature made for a very cold morning for Juan Pablo Gutiérrez Castedo. Later that morning, the movement from classroom to classroom with different students at continued to be a foreign concept for Gutiérrez Castedo.

Gutiérrez Castedo is used to the sweltering temperatures and smaller class sizes in his hometown in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. For this academic year, he is in Milton to experience those climate, educational and cultural differences through the Rotary Youth Exchange.

Gutiérrez Castedo came to Milton on August 12 and will live with different Milton families until the end of June. On Wednesday, October 26, he spoke to a group of Rotarians at about his home country and life in South America.

The handful of Rotary Club of Milton members listened as Gutiérrez Castedo expertly conveyed information about his country, his city and his culture.

He also showed photos of his Bolivian private school, which has an outdoor layout. Gutiérrez Castedo, who will graduate in 2013, explained that while his class has 90 people in it, he remains in the same classroom all day with the same classmates. He has been with the same students since 2006.

The approach to education leads to very tight relationships, as illustrated by Gutiérrez Castedo’s photos with his friends.

“I am always making jokes with my friends,” Gutiérrez Castedo said. “I am the person who is doing weird things.”

He also showed photos of his family including his three sisters.

“The most beautiful aspect of Bolivia is the people,” Gutiérrez Castedo said.

The informative presentation and well-handled question and answer period were well received by the Rotarians in attendance.

“We’ve had eight or so exchange students come here and this was the best [presentation],” said Michael Maholchic, the District 7950 Chairman for the Rotary Youth Exchange and Milton Rotary member.

The Rotary Club of Milton is currently seeking American students, between the ages of 15 and 19 in the upper third of their academic class, to participate in the Rotary Youth Exchange.

Students have the option of a yearlong experience like Gutiérrez Castedo or a short-term program, which is three weeks over the summer. Maholchic said students can chose from a long list of countries around the world.

For more infomatation on the Rotary Youth Exchange visit the Milton Rotary website. Interested students can contact Michael Maholchic at michael.maholchic@gmail.com or at 617-698-3990.