Guidelines for Your Country Presentation (OB)

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Presentation to Host Club

Your host Rotary clubs and possibly your high school class in your host country will ask you to give a presentation. You should have a fully-prepared 15-minute talk about:

  • Yourself
  • Your hometown
  • Your region (industries, agriculture, cities, landmarks, traditions)
  • Your sponsor Rotary club
  • Your family
  • Your home
  • Activities and hobbies you enjoy
  • Sports or arts you participate in
  • What you would like to do while in the host country. (This is a great opportunity to indicate what you would like to do or see. For example, in France, do you want to go to Paris? Normandy? Fishing? Learn how to cook?)

You should bring a PowerPoint presentation or similar and have it ready before departure. You may be presenting this in another language later in your exchange, so you should have more pictures and fewer words. Some clubs will ask you to give your talk in English early on, and then again (with additions, such as what you have done or learned while on exchange) in your host language.

Topic to Include

  • Outline your life in the US 
  • Personal – family, pets, house
  • School – subjects, sports, extra-curricular, structure of your day
  • Leisure – hobbies, interests, vacation destinations
  • City highlights – interesting features of your community
    • Famous people
    • What do visitors want to do when they come to your area?
    • Go there before you leave!
  • Cultural or economic significance – something your area is known for
    • Manufacturing or industry
    • Arts, architecture
    • Cuisine
    • Diversity
  • Your sponsoring Rotary Club
    • Composition
      • Number of members
      • Men, women
      • Role in District
    • Service projects
    • Fundraisers

Organize Your Thoughts

  • List topics you want to include. 
    • Ask yourself “What would I want to know about?”
  • Outline a few items from each topic
    • Choose items you know well
    • Choose items you like.
  • Write a note card about each topic
    • Just the main points – not a word for word speech
    • Speak from your experiences
    • Stories enrich the understanding
    • Best speeches convey emotion or passion about your subject

Practice 

  • Talk about how you felt when you found out which country you were going to.
    • Immediate reaction of you and your family
    • Who did you tell and why?
    • Research you did next
    • What was your biggest fear?
  • Prepare Your Visuals
  • Consider creating a short and long version in Power Point
    • Include photos for interest
    • Get photos from your local Rotary Club
    • Depict lifestyle, events that can be described
  • Verify that similar technology exists at your destination
    • Videos are nice – but be careful of the technology
    • Video formats are not standard worldwide
    • Send a video or DVD to your host family to see if they can read it
    • DON’T let the video tell your story
  • Get Your Audience Involved
    • Best speakers are memorable because the audience participated and had fun
    • Teach a phrase or a song
    • Prepare a favorite food or snack
    • Ask for questions -It’s OK if you don’t know the answer
  • Have Fun
    • Try something different
    • Wear a costume
    • Play native music or your favorite song
    • Teach your favorite dance
    • Smile – Make it Natural!

*Consult with your host club’s exchange officer for guidance on what is acceptable in their culture

  • Other Speaking Details
    • Breathe
    • Let go of the podium
    • DO speak into the microphone
    • Speak slowly. Enunciate distinctly
    • Get assistance with translation if you do not speak the language well.
    • Speak so the person in the back of the room can hear you
    • Look around the room at different people
  • Practice BEFORE you go
    • Give your presentation to your HOME Rotary Club before you leave – or to a smaller group of Rotarians or other exchange students
    • Ask for ways to improve your presentation
    • Be willing and ready to accept advice
  • Your Impact
    • Youth Exchange presentations enhance Rotary Clubs and Rotarians
    • Your Message promotes World Peace
    • Your Message encourages the club to continue to support exchange
    • Your expression of Thanks is remembered

Consider also putting together a good-quality photo album to show host families and other people you visit,  such as for dinner and weekend outings. Photo albums are good conversation starters, and your selections should be well thought out, keeping in mind what might be of interest to people in your host country