I talked to the delegates after they left Zone 1 and I was so inspired to hear that Zone 1 was more then just a host to these girls. Zone 1 was like a family to our international guests! I heard nothing but great things about how the girls were welcomed with open arms, and they bonded with not only their host from Junior Farmers but also parents, siblings and friends. The girls said they spent the day with either their host family or touring Renfrew County, but when it came to the evenings it was really special because each night they would all be together having a home cooked meal at a different host family each night.
The delegates stayed two weeks with Renfrew, but made their way down to Carleton for the Redneck games which they thought was so much fun, and were glad to see some familiar faces from Leadership Camp, and Ottawa for Canada Day where the girls really got into the true Canadian spirit! Canada Day in Ottawa was quiet the show with performances from Kiesza and Gord Bamford and of course a giant fireworks display! Some of the delegates stayed on Parliament Hill all day and others decided to wander the city with their host to visit some of the local pubs and restaurants.
Renfrew kept the delegates busy where they held a dance where they taught the delegates how to square dance. They went whitewater rafting, visited various farms including a Beef farm, a Jersey farm, and a Hemp farm. They challenged Dundas and Carleton County to a friendly game of lazer tag and finished the week off with a long drive to North Simcoe County to teach them how to play baseball at the Wasaga Beach Baseball Tournament.
When Beatrice was asked what her highlights from the last two weeks were she said the sales barn, crazy horse, Canada Day, milking with Laura Lee, and the whole Renfrew crew. She was very excited to tell me “those people are awesome!!
Carolin’s highlights were Canada Day and the Maxville show.
Gillian’s highlights were whitewater rafting, Canada Day in Ottawa, Dwight Forester’s Beef Farm, Doug and Trudy Desjardins Beef and Crop Farm and the ball tournament!
Meredith Mulligan said the whole club had a blast over the two weeks they got to spend with the girls and hope to see them again before they head home!
Following the two weeks in Zone 1 was break week! The girls all went their separate ways this year with Lisa staying with her host Jamie Schultz in Renfrew, Christina staying in Renfrew with her host Laura Lee Cartman, Gillian flew to Nova Scotia to spend time with a family friend and Beatrice and Carolin came back to the small town of Moorefield just minutes away from their first host to visit a German friend of Carolin’s.
I would like to thank Jamie Schultz, Meredith Mulligan and Laura Lee Cartman for hosting our delegates for two weeks in Zone 1! I would also like to thank any other members who spent the day or week with the delegates!! You can learn so much from hosting a delegate! There is still plenty of opportunity to host this year by hosting one of the Welsh or Belgium delegates in November!! Contact me at cip@jfao.on.ca for hosting opportunities or to discover how you can have a unique travel experience through JFAO!
Jen van der Meulen is the Executive Director of Community and International Programs. Contact her at cip@jfao.on.ca and follow the adventures of incoming and outgoing delegates at @JFAOtraveller.
