General News
13 July, 2025
Rotary Exchange student farewells new home
Horsham East Rotary Exchange student Theo Solengh's took part in a tree planting ceremony on Monday, June 30, before heading home to Switzerland after a 10-month stay in Horsham as an Exchange Student.
Among his top five things to do in Australia when he arrived, were surfing and more surfing.
But arriving at the inland rural city of Horsham in Victoria, his host city, appeared not to offer much in the way of surfing opportunities, however his host families made sure he had several trips to the coast to realise his dream.
"Choosing Australia to spend a year was easy," he said.
"I wanted to improve my English, get to know the people and the culture, and generally learn about Australia and surfing."
Rotarians Michael and Pam Clarke, Susan Bysouth and Mark Crafton, and Wade and Lynette Morrow were his host families, and said he quickly joined in activities in Horsham.
Theo attended Horsham College, where he made lifelong friends who signed an Australian flag for his to take back to Switzerland as a lasting memento.
"He was popular at school and did extremely well in maths and electronics; he achieved 100 percent in high-level maths," Ms Clarke said.
"He attended almost every Rotary meeting while he was here, gymnastics at Natimuk three times a week, and went riding with a group on Thursday evenings," she said.
Students aged 15-18 to spend a year abroad, attending secondary school and living with 3-4 host families. During this exchange, they gain self-awareness and learn about their host families' culture and the country's diversity.
Students have been planting trees as a marker of their time in Horsham for many years and many have returned to visit and check on their tree.