The initial meeting was awkward.  That is, until the music started and a universally understood medium bought the six District 9940 and 12 District 9930 Rotary exchange students to a common level – language, gender, age, ethnicity and backgrounds were all merged into a mass of sometimes untuneful but always unified, singing.
 
This was to be the way of the next 18 days on the Youth Exchange South Island Tour which occurs each November when the NZ students are hard at study and preparing for their NCEA exams.  The South Island tour is historically seen as the highlight of the year for the students because they see so much of our wonderful country in a condensed timeframe as a group.  This year we joined with District 9930 and the group comprised of 19 students (10 female and 9 male) and 3 chaperones (Nolan, Helen and Hannah from D9930 and myself from D9940). 
 
I could write about the wonderful sights they saw such as the Franz Joseph Glacier, Doubtful and Milford Sounds, The Cadbury Chocolate Factory, Moeraki Boulders, snow at the Homer Tunnel, Pancake rocks at Punakaiki, seals, dolphins and little blue penguins. Or the adventure activities they did – white water rafting, bungy jumping, jetboating and skydiving, but you’ve probably heard it all before or checked out the photos on facebook
 
It is the little things from this trip that I will remember for a lifetime, especially the etiquette that developed on the tour bus, on which we spent many, many hours, often, as happens at this time of the year in-between seasons, in dismal weather conditions.  Young people do not know boredom because they either just go to sleep or think up some way to break the boredom. 
 
Sleeping on a bus is a tricky pastime.  You need to be comfortable.  Once the awkward phase of getting to know each other was over (in a nano-second!) sleeping and getting comfortable on our tour bus became an art form.  Legs were hoisted over the seat in front or across the aisle to an empty seat, bodies were slumped sometimes three deep on top of each other and personal space was a thing of the past.  It didn’t take them long to start bringing their sleeping bags and pillows on board for travel days instead of stowing them in the boot.
 
To ensure we had everyone on board for departures was I think, our biggest mission as chaperones – the numbering off system soon became obsolete due to lack of interest and the premature ageing of the students memories so as to remember their numbers. For head counts you couldn’t just look down to the end of the bus at head height, you had to look in-between seats and at floor level to where the ‘heads’ were!  In the end we did our best and didn’t lose anyone along the way so I guess we did alright.
When not sleeping or taking in the scenery, it didn’t take long for imaginations to be sparked. Who knew that rugby balls sail quite gracefully down bus aisles, bouncing on the odd arm, head or leg extending into the space.  Or that the sound of guitars, bongo drums and a strange instrument that looks like a miniature piano but works by blowing into it, could sound so melodic and in tune with the rumbling motor of the bus. 
 
The chaperones reserved their seats at the front of the bus and a large part of my day on the bus was retrieving drink bottles from under my feet and sending them overhead to the back of the bus whence they rolled from – a continual cycle!
 
Our driver was not immune either.  He became adept at ignoring cries of “Robbie, Robbie” (in a strange cross between a South American and Scottish accent), “turn the music up!”.  I think his first action when he got home was to find a pair of wire cutters and cut the wire to the speaker that was directly over his right ear.   When pleas to Robbie fell on his deaf ears the students were very proactive in finding a solution (Bluetooth speakers) to ensure that the sound level of the music was loud enough for them to sing to but not so loud as to elicit shouts from the front to “turn it down”!
 
I thought that the choice of music was going to insult my morals but found that after a number of songs had been repetitiously played, I was singing along and tapping my feet.  I also recognised a few oldies but goodies in the mix too.   I nearly fell off my seat when, just before the Homer Tunnel going into Milford it started snowing.  Next minute the dulcet tones of Bing Cosbys  ‘I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas’ started up from somewhere down the back of the bus – a very poignant moment that I will always remember.
 
I would like to thank Jerry the Chairman from District 9930 for so readily taking us under their wing and to Nolan, Hannah and Helen, my fellow chaperones, for doing so much prior to, and during the tour, to make this experience one to remember for the students. Also thanks to all those that sent messages whilst we were stuck in Wellington after the earthquake – your kind words helped us get through a very stressful time. 
 
But my greatest appreciation must go to the 19 students who I will never forget for their respectful enthusiasm, generosity of spirit, willingness to grow in front of my eyes, and humble appreciation of our wonderful world of Aotearoa. Thank you.
 
Lynne Phillips
Chair
Rotary District 9940
Youth Exchange Committee