Oswego Rotary Club Welcomes Back Exchange Student

by Submitted article | August 11, 2025 1:49 pm

On August 5 the Oswego Rotary Club welcomed home exchange student Nya Buckalew from her year studying abroad in Finland. Nya is a senior at Oswego High School and is the first exchange student sponsored by the Oswego Rotary Club in over a decade.
She shared her experiences and memories of this adventure with Rotarians at their weekly meeting. After learning to which country she was going, Nya began learning Finnish. She left early last August for Porvoo, Finland.
Immersed in a new culture and language and after a bit of homesickness, Nya adapted quickly. She learned Finnish with the help of her host family, new friends and a two-hour weekly language class.
Nya was able to travel with her host family during her stay including trips to Lapland and Norway. In June she, along with other Rotary exchange students, participated in a Euro bus tour visiting Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungry and Austria.
“It was a life-changing experience, and I encourage other students to become an exchange student,” Nya said and offered to share her experience with fellow classmates. Anyone interested in learning more about Rotary Youth Exchange may email [email protected].

Source URL: https://oswegocountytoday.com/community/oswego-rotary-club-welcomes-back-exchange-student/

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