Youth Exchange with a Twist

Rotary Youth Exchange student Nico Papp returned home to Alta Gracia, Argentina on January 6 and settled in to his usual routine. Nineteen days later he and his mother Dina met Ralph and Barb Montesanto, Nico's last host family, at Cordoba Airport in Argentina. The Montesantos had just completed an Antarctic cruise that disembarked in Buenos Aires and felt that it was the perfect opportunity to visit Nico and his family.

After taking a walking tour of some Cordoba highlights they drove to Alta Gracia about 45 minutes away where they were hosted by Nico's mother, father and brother. Nico had told us all at the club of the big meat BBQs his dad cooked up and sure enough his dad Estaphan made a fabulous BBQ of sausage and short ribs.  Our tours of Alta Gracia included the Jesuit ranch, the Che Guevera Museum, a holy site dedicated to the Lady of Lourdes and local parks and golf courses. Back at the house we lounged away a sunny afternoon in their back yard swimming pool. After a two day visit we headed back to Cordoba Airport for the trip home. Although we were the ones able to visit the Papp family they wanted to mention their thanks to the Neibert and Reid families who also were Nico's hosts.

Being able to visit Nico and his family was a real twist on the youth exchange experience.