Former Exchange Student from South Africa, Barbara Vincent, is visiting WA again to play in a squash tournament, and she came along to tell us all about her experiences since she spent time with the then Rotary Club of City Beach in 1993. Barbara was born in the town of Mossel Bay in the Eastern Cape in the mid-1970s, and having successfully applied for the Rotary Exchange, she embarked on her first trip away from South Africa. Barbara was meticulous in keeping a diary, and she was very homesick to begin with – resulting in tears and feelings of isolation. She attended school at Churchlands Senior High and later Newman College, and Barbara quickly got into the swing of things, forgetting all about the homesickness! She enjoyed a trip to various parts of Australia with other Exchange students; attended the Rotary Conference in Broome; went camel riding; and had a wonderful sail on STS Leeuwin II. She returned to SA and studied at Cape Town University but her mother said that she left part of herself in WA. Barbara moved to London and worked for BlackRock (which soon merged with Merrill Lynch), later returning to SA to set up her own business as a financial adviser. Barbara was accompanied at our meeting by former Rotarian and Host Parent Paul Puppazoni, and has had a great time catching up with lots of friends from the WA experience.
