Ray goes to Argentina

by Sharlene Irete

People Editor

Ray Kaffer will be heading to Argentina by Sept. 1 to learn the country's culture, play some soccer and satisfy his travel bug.

The 18-year-old 2008 graduate of Douglas High School was chosen to be a foreign exchange student after being the top candidate in the Rotary International Youth Exchange Program.

He said his main reason for wanting to go to Argentina for the year-long visit is to learn the language.

"The main reason is to become fluent in Spanish " to get experience and become fluent," he said. "A big part of the program is a cultural exchange. I want to learn to dance, play soccer and work hard on Spanish.

"I'll be on a student visa so I'll be taking classes. I want to meet the people and learn about the culture and the country. I'm interested in Doctors Without Borders so I need to learn Spanish.

"My travel bug started after I lived in Mexico in the summer between eighth and ninth grade and I've been traveling since. My family and I went to Akumal, which is an hour south of Cancun, to work with an ecological conservation group. I worked with endangered sea turtles and collected nests. We worked with the community on clean water and reef preservation. I was the most life-changing thing for me."

Kaffer will be staying with up to three families during his year in Argentina.

"In my first host family I'll have an older brother," said Kaffer whose family is dad Dan Kaffer, mom Dianne Jennings and sister Selena, 15.

"My family is the best I could hope for," he said. "I am what I am because of them. I love them and I'm going to miss them. They are very important."

Kaffer went to district interviews and orientation with other students nominated for the foreign exchange program.

John Hamer, of the Rotary's outbound foreign exchange student committee, said Kaffer was the most highly qualified of the young people who applied for the youth exchange program.

"I've been part of the program for 25 years and Ray was one of the best applicants I've seen," said Hamer. "He comes from a great family with lots of parental support.

"We're looking for people to promote world understanding, looking for someone to represent our country and region.

"We're proud of Ray. He's bright, outgoing, adventurous and an all-around good guy," said Hamer.

Kaffer said he thought he was chosen by Rotary because of his sincerity.

"I think they knew my intentions are pure," he said. "This is truly what I want to do. A lot of lessons come back to always acting from integrity and truth.

"My deepest gratitude goes to Rotary because it's a fantastic experience and I haven't even left yet. Rotary is doing great things, like fighting polio. Things I'd like to be involved in. I want to go to medical school to be a surgeon. I like medicine and like helping people get better," said Kaffer. "I know I'll give back someday."