Regular meeting speech-The world seen through 18-year-old eyes
Speaker: Ruby Lu Xizhen
Youth exchange is an important bridge for Rotary's "international service", allowing young people to practice Rotary's mission of "serving humanity and promoting peace" through cross-cultural exchanges.
Through youth exchange, students can learn first-hand various aspects of life in a foreign country. As the concept of the world continues to expand
Ruby is an exchange student recommended by Douliu Society to Czechoslovakia in 2024-25 year. She is also the daughter of Bento, the consultant of Yunling Society
On her eighteenth birthday, Ruby flew halfway around the world and came to Slovakia, which has a strange language and a different culture. For her, this is not only a journey as an exchange student, but also a profound self-exploration.
From the initial language barrier to being able to communicate in English comfortably; from nervously standing on the stage to proudly introducing Taiwanese culture to the world; from daily companionship with her host family to establishing cross-cultural friendships, she has stepped out of her own growth trajectory step by step.
She said that the most unforgettable thing is not how many castles and scenery she saw during the journey, but the "temperature of home" that transcends language and culture, and that she can still be surrounded by love and companionship in a foreign land.
This year, she learned independence, time management, and became clearer about the direction she wanted to take. She is grateful to the Rotary Club for giving her this opportunity to bring the story of Taiwan to the world and making the world a part of her life.
For Ruby, flying to Slovakia at the age of eighteen was the most special coming-of-age ceremony.
Social friend Cindy specially invited Japanese social friend Toyohashi ROTARY2760
Toyohashi Riroータリークラブ participated in the regular meeting
Mr. Toyohashi joined the club at the age of 36. The club was established in 50 and currently has 120 members.
2025.08.14 (the 23 regular meeting)