As they gathered together for the first time, 66 students from Florida and Grand Bahama, who make up the RYE-Florida outbound class of 2010-11, started to create friendships and develop the bonds that will grow from the shared experiences they will enjoy.

In 6-8 months, these teens will depart for 29 different countries around the globe, and will be learning to speak 21 different languages. Among the destinations are four countries that have not previously hosted RYE-Florida students: Paraguay, Peru, the Netherlands, and Greenland!

This first Outbound Orientation was held at Lake Yale Baptist Conference Center, just outside of Leesburg, FL, on a mostly sunny but unusually cold January weekend. The light precipitation that was falling Saturday morning might even have qualified as "freezing rain." But the chill in the air could not compete with the energy and excitement among the new outbounds, as they participated in a series of interactive breakout sessions, pooled their talents to create very entertaining skits, and learned many aspects of the Rotary Youth Exchange program and what will be expected of them in the months to come.

Over the next few months, each new outbound will be expected to work hard on acquiring some level of skill in the language of the host country, along with an understanding of that country that goes far beyond recognizing the flag and finding it on a map. They will work with Rotary counselors, current inbound students, and Rotex in preparing for their exchanges, and will come together again in the spring in district workshops, and one last time in June, back at Lake Yale, for our final statewide orientation weekend.

RYE-Florida congratulates all the new outbound students, from whom we expect a lot, and in whom we place our confidence as they move forward into the world.