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4 The Canadian Statesman, Bowmanville, December 5,1990 Section Two A Year of Dreams for Rotary Exchange Student Students Help Environment During Lunch by Lorna Miller "I had a dream year, with no worries or problems," says Ginette Purdy. "Coming "Coming home was strange. I felt like I was here for a visit and I would be going home to Belgium again." Ginette Purdy, the Bowmanville Bowmanville Rotary Club exchange exchange student for 1989-90, visited the club last week to talk about her year in Belgium. Belgium. Ginette was a bright, pretty, small-town Ontario teenage student when she boarded the plane last year. She returned a lovely young lady with a patina of sophistication sophistication ana a newly-forged backbone of steely self- confidence. Her first host family, Renee Renee and Josette Herckens, welcomed her with open arms and after only two. weeks or so of adjustment, Ginette had settled into the Belgian rhythm of life. But it wasn't easy and there were some things which were hard to adjust to. Things like long hours of school and more long hours of studying, combined with the lateness of the hours Which were allowed when the group did go out. "The school day begins at 8:30 and lasts until five," she says. "Students there don't get together every day to listen to records or talk, like we do after school. They spend long hours every night and weekends studying. studying. Every two weeks or so, 15 or 16 of us would get together together and go out to a party or a disco until two or three in the morning." Ginette also says that teenagers in Europe don't use the phone as often there, because each call is charged and permission has to be obtained obtained before using the phone. Because students do not have after-school or weekend weekend jobs, they are "more dependent" dependent" upon their parents for spending money and schooling expenses even through university. She also believes that European students students have more respect for their parents, too. "T had a lot of disagreements disagreements with my host families about this. But I was used to having my independence. I had a job here, so I could buy things for myself. They (the students) get every cent from their parents, and are less independent," she says. There was also less snacking between meals in Belgium. "We had a sweet breakfast -- chocolate and sweet .buns and coffee. Lunch was substantial and after school there would be "le goûter", a taste of something something sweet again to hold us until supper which was later in the evening and lasted for two hours." One thing Ginette found to her liking were the genuine genuine Belgian waffles filled with fruit and cinnamon or chocolate-covered. "I didn't know Belgian waffles existed existed until I went to Belgium. They are delicious. People eat them over there like we eat doughnuts here. They are so good. I had one nearly every day and you could buy them for 45 cents each," Ginette Ginette says. Belgium, with its mixed citizenry of Flemish, German German and French, its ancient and beautiful architecture and its diminutive size, was also an acquired taste. And, some of it was hard to swallow. swallow. Ginette's second host family, Eric and Francine Heirtz, used to drive 20 minutes minutes into Holland to pick up Chinese food. Side trips to Germany and France were a mere hours away and Ginette Ginette rode the fastest train in Europe to Paris. She also visited Germany, Venice, Holland and England during her year's stay. She convinced convinced Francine (the wife of her second host) to travel to London with her. It was a trip Francine had long dreamt of, but her husband ACCIDENT OR TRAFFIC TICKET? CALL Let a former Police Officer be your voice In court. No Cost Consultation Low Cost Representation 22436-7194® 249 KING ST. E. (Across from the Oshawa Provincial Court) discouraged her from going. She was afraid to travel alone because of her lack of English. Ginette offered to be her interpreter and the two ladies made the trip together. together. "I was happy to help Francine fulfill a dream that would probably never have come true without me," she says. To her dismay, and amusement, she discovered that not all Europeans know that much about Canada and there are still myths and misunderstandings about this country to dispel. "It was hard to convince people people that Canada was as large as it is and that we had skyscrapers and modern housing. They thought that I lived in a log cabin. When I showed them pictures of Toronto, Toronto, they thought it was New York because they had seen New York in the movies. movies. They had no idea where Toronto was. They think that Canada is just Montreal and that Montreal is attached to the United States," she recalls. She also found that, although the broadcasted news had an international international flavour, it was slanted to the view of the countries featured. "During the Meech Lake talks and the Oka confronta tion, we heard only the Quebec Quebec side of the issues. People used to ask me why we were so cruel to Quebeckers. And, after listening to the news and the people, I began to Ginette Purdy, a student, returned home after a vear in Belgium. Rotary to Bi International exchange owmanville this summer think like that myself. It wasn't until I came home that I began to get a clear picture of what happened on Doth sides of these issues," Ginette admits. Ginette also found a new image for herself, that of the "La Canadienne," a name attached attached to her during her stay. "I could get away with more than my Belgian friends because I was just visiting for a year. I overcame overcame my fear of what people might say about me and just enjoyed myself." Her third host family had more to do with this attitude than Ginette Ginette herself. However, all these experiences, experiences, good and bad, nave left their mark on this new, independent, and tougher Ginette and she is a better person for having experienced experienced them. She knows now that she can get what she wants out of life and is ready to tackle, anything without fear of failure. failure. "My family has never said "no" to anything I want to do since I have returned. I picked out my university courses on my own and am pretty free to come and go as I please," she says. These are strong words from a young lady. But, Ginette Ginette is no rebel. She still holds down her part-time job Business : 623-0677 : =Resource ===== Centre Accounting - Bookkeeping - Income Tax Returns Incorporations - Security and File Searches Resumes - Reports - Letters Collection Service - Computer Training Temporary Employment Placement G.S.T. Advisory - Information - Planning 191 Church Street, Bowmanville, Ont. L1C ITS at Carter's Bakery and goes out with her friends. It is her attitude, rather than her actions, which underscore her new-found freedom. She is more adaptable to inevitable inevitable change in her life. Her family, more precious precious to her now since she realizes that she is capable of managing her own life, have a new respect for her and she for them. It has been a year which marked her growth from childhood into young adulthood in a few short months. Ginette Purdy thanks the Bowmanville Rotary Club for this wonderful year which has changed her so greatly; for she understands, that because of it, she is a better person. Keith Billett introduced Ginette and Neale McLean thanked her when she addressed addressed the Bowmanville Rotary Club last Thursday, December 27. Frank Smith, winner of last month's Trip of the Month, was on hand to pick up his travel voucher and draw this month's winner, Dave Waters, of Whitby. Guests of Rotary were from Oshawa and Cobourg. The three vice presidential presidential candidates, Joe Pinto, Vince Fletcher, and Jim Harris gave their campaign speeches at last week's meeting. These students from Mrs. Eames' grade 1/2 class received prizes for havin least disposable garbage in their lunches during the month of November. Stu ig the dents from the winning classroom brought, on average, three re-usable containers m their lunch each day. And each student at the school is bringing an average of two containers in his or her lunch. In the above photo, Judy Hurvid, a representative of the Port Granby/Newcastle Environment Committee, presents prizes to representatives representatives of the winning class. From left are: Becky Adams, Pamela Hurvid and George Rylance. Miss Forrest's grade 3/4 class was the runner-up. The winners received received books for the class library and an audio tape as well as buttons and pencils bearing the message: "The Future is Ours." The second-place class receivged the "Canadian Junior Green Guide." MERVYN B. KELLY Barrister and Solicitor Serving Bowmanville and area residents since 1968. REAL ESTATE - COURT - WILLS ESTATES - MORTGAGES INCORPORATIONS - FAMILY LAW 41 Temperance St., Bowmanville Bus.: 623-4444 Res.:623-9161 A ■«•ilete# ti pitL-v "KRACO" lf=_9PJ Carpentry & Contracting I»*®* • Custom Homes • Renovating • Additions • Bams • Designing • Drafting • Permits • Finishing "30 Years Experience" Box 401, Newcastle 987-5400 Affordable Dream Vacations! 1 Free Vacation Planning Services ■ Discount Cruises ■ Airline Tickets ■ Charter Vacations • Honeymoon Packages ■ Hotel and Car Reservations PERSONAL AND CORPORATE TRAVEL SERVICES 68 King St. E. (Veltrl Complex) Bowmanville 623-6600 0 Travel Agents International We're with you all the way. Over 300 Agencies in North America Reg. 2758550 JO-ELEN SPORTSWEAR & GIFTS Suppliers to Teams, Schools and Clubs Corporate Gift Packages 43 King St. W., Bowmanville, Ont. (416) 623-8161 J. Wayne Aasen For all your Home Improvement Needs •Doors • Windows • Siding • Fascia • Eavestroimhing mol'. 47 King St. W., Bowmanville Telephone 623-0444 Quality Body Work Quality Painting FREE ESTIMATES ON BOTH INSURANCE AND NON-INSURANCE WORK Open 5 Days a Week Monday through Friday COWAN PONTIAC -- BUICK LTD. BOWMANVILLE - ONT 166 King Street East Telephone 623-3396 CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING DOWNTOWN - Tomorrow (Thursday, December 6), marks the kick-off to special Christmas events in downtown Bowmanville. Bowmanville. The first of these is the lighting of the downtown Christmas tree which is slated for 7 o'clock tomorrow evening in the Town Hall square. This event will be accompanied by the music of the Bowmanville Senior Public School Band as well as community carol singing. singing. Many of the downtown merchants will be serving refreshments and hosting other special events in connection connection with Family Shopping Night. Stores will be open until nine p.m. And from now until Christmas, the downtown shops will be open between nine a.m. and nine p.m. weekdays and until five p.m. Saturday. Starting this Saturday, Santa will be holding court in his own sleigh at the four corners of Bowmanville. He will be available for photos and consultation between 10 a.m. and noon ana from two p.m. to four p.m. And, don't forget to complete your Passport to a Downtown Christmas. If you get all the spaces stamped, you can enter the draw for a Panasonic camcorder. 'i CLARKE MUSEUM BAZAAR - You'll find holiday treats and goodies available just in time for Christmas Christmas at this 'Saturday's Clarke Museum Christmas bake sale. This event runs from noon to five p.m. at the museum. Donations of baked goods would be welcome welcome and they can be dropped off between 10 a.m. and five p.m. on Friday, December 7, or on the morning of the sale. Clarke Museum is on Old Kirby School Road, Hwy 35/115 in the hamlet of Kirby. THE FOURTH MONKEY - A threé-act comedy by Eric Nicol entitled 'The Fourth Monkey" is being featured featured at the Bowmanville High School Auditorium December December 4, 5, 6, and 7. Curtain time is eight p.m. The play is presented by the students of BHS. SENIORS MEET - The Bowmanville Senior Citizens' Citizens' Club will be meeting at the Lions Centre on Tuesday, December 11, for their Christmas dinner. A musical program will follow. This meeting will commence commence at 5:30 p.m. and anyone requiring bus pickup is welcome to call Keitha Alldread at 623-5800 to make the necessary arrangements. EDWARDIAN CHRISTMAS - The Bowmanville Museum invites everyone to an Edwardian Christmas which will be held Saturday, December 8 and Sunday, December 9, from two p.m. to four p.m. You'll see the museum decked out in all its Christmas finery for this occasion. Refreshments will be served and admission is free of charge. UNITED WAY STILL NEEDS HELP - The United Way of Oshawa/Whitby/Newcastle has fallen $200,000 short of its objective. But there's still the strong possibility possibility that a concerted effort by all of us can push the fund-raising over the top. That's why the campaign is remaining in operation throughout December and local local drop-off points have been announced. In Bowmanville, Bowmanville, you can leave your donation at the Community Care office on King St. W. Don't forget that your one donation helps 40 worthwhile agencies in the municipalities municipalities of Oshawa, Whitby, and Newcastle. QUILT DISPLAY CONTINUES - The exhibition of quilts by Judith Tinkl continues at the Visual Arts Centre in Bowmanville until December 15. The show will be open during the regular hours of the Visual Arts Centre. And don't forget the upcoming Winter's Harvest Show of Arts and Crafts at the Visual Arts Centre. EXECUTIVE OF PORT DARLINGTON ASSOC. - The following is a list of persons elected to the new executive executive of the Port Darlington Community Association. Association. President is Gordon White; Vice President, David David Ashcroft; Secretary, Mavis Carlton; Treasurer Rose Wynn; and Directors Kim and Barry Twilt, Don Gulliver, Joan Van Meer, Jean Morrow, and John Fox. CALLING ALL PC USERS -- The next meeting of the Durham PC Users' Club will be at seven p.m„ in the staff lounge on the second floor of Durham College, College, Simcoe St. N., Oshawa. It is open to all interested interested and a "bug" session is a regular feature of the meeting. meeting. Demonstrations are often given and everyone is welcome. For further details, please call Bernie at 655-4156. TOY AND FOOD DRIVE -- Your local independent insurance brokers are holding a Christmas Toy and Food Drive this year. You are asked to drop off non- perishable food items or an unwrapped toy in one of the following participating offices: Hamilton Insurance Insurance Service, Orono; Matthews and Associates, Newcastle Newcastle Village; Blyleven Stoter Insurance, Hwy 2 W., Bowmanville; Petley-Hare Limited, Bowmanville; James Insurance Broker Ltd., Bowmanville; and Trea- cy and Harvey Insurance, Bowmanville. Your generous generous support will help all families in our community enjoy this Christmas season. Proceeds will be distributed distributed through the local Salvation Army prior to Christmas. Christmas. SEPARATE SCHOOL TEACHERS RAISE FUNDS FOR UNITED WAY Approximately 200 teachers from the Peterborough, Victoria, Northumberland Northumberland and Newcastle Separate School Board took part in a volleyball tournament on Friday, November 16, and raised $420 for United Way. Tournament organizers organizers Martin Bumie, Principal of St. Stephen's Elementary School in Bowmanville and Tim Bumie, a teacher at St. Peter's School, said that the event not only brings together school board staff but also raises money for a worthwhile organization. United Way representatives will formally receive the donation on Tuesday, December 11. LIVING NATIVITY - St. Paul's United Church will be presenting its "Living Nativity" this year on December December 21 and 22. The outdoor service features an enactment enactment of the birth of Jesus and includes live animals animals and a participatory carol sing. The whole family' is invited to take a short break from their busy holiday holiday schedule and use this presentation as an opportunity opportunity to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas. The program will begin at 7:30 p.m. on both evenings and lasts until about eight p.m. SNOW SHOVELLING FOR SENIORS - Community Community Care may be able to assist seniors and disabled persons persons needing someone to help shovel snow from their sidewalk. You can call Community Care at 623-2261 if you need their help. Community Care will try to arrange arrange for a youth volunteer or someone willing to assist. assist. They charge $4 per hour for snow shovelling. Community Care also notes that they need volunteers who can work in this area. Please call the above phone number if you can give some time to assist in this way. A Town by-law requires that all sidewalks are to be cleaned following a snowfall. SAFE DRIVING ON HWY. 401 - A few weeks ago, the Newcastle Lioness Club organized a seminar for women who drive alone on major highways. Information Information was offered on how to deal witn breakdowns as well as how to avoid trouble in the first place. For those of you who could not make it to this seminar, it will be repeated on Tuesday, December 11, in the Bowmanville Libraiy. It will be offered between the hours of 7:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. Constable Smith, of the Ontario Provincial Police, will be conducting the program. program. LIBRARY CHRISTMAS PROGRAMS -- An hour of animated and live-action Christmas film fun for children children aged 3 to 10 is being offered Friday, December 14, at the Bowmanville Library. It will run from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Also at the Bowmanville Library is a Christmas storytime. You're invited to join 45 minutes minutes of Yuletide songs, stories, and magic which will be offered from 4 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. No registration is required for either of these events. THE RICKARDS OF SHAW'S - An interesting book about the history of the Rickard family is being previewed this Sunday, December 9. It's entitled 'The Rickards of Shaw's" and it deals with not only the history history of the Rickards in Darlington Township but also with many of the old families of the area. One section deals with the history of Shaw's School and the people of the Shaw's community, especially in the 1920s. The book will be previewed at the home of Garnet and Annabels Annabels Rickard from 2 p.m, to 5 p.m, this Sunday. They're located on Ilwy. 2 in Shaw s (RR 4 Bowmanville). Bowmanville). Persons who have ordered a copy of the book can pick it up at that time. For insurance call (623) 3621 Dirk Brinkman - Agent 374 Scugog Street STATE FARM. INSURANCE Like a good-neighbour State Farm, is there, Stato Farm Insurance Companies Canadian HoadOlflcos: Scarborough, Ontario imeim Re-create an Atmosphere • Gingerbread • Tin Ceilings - 21 styles • Plaster Medallions, Cornice Brackets and Mouldings • Repro Hardware • Exterior Screen Doors, Lights and Signs Plus many more high quality architectural products. Visit our showroom at 24 King St. E., Bowmanville 623-5808 Olde Tyme Fish & Chips 136 King St. E. Bowmanville 623-1781 Mon. - Thurs. 11 a.m--7 p.m. Friday -11 am--9 p.m. Saturday -11 am.--7 p.m. IVe take pride in serving quality Fish and Chips. BRINK'S EXCAVATING R.R. #2 Newcastle, L0A1H0 * Trenching * Gravel & Top Soil * Grading & Levelling * Septic Installations * Back Filling * General Excavating * Dump Truck Service (416) 987-4995 * DIVISION OF 711121 ONTARIO INC Siding. Soffits, Fascia, Capping Roofing, Doors, Windows, Trough No job too big or too small Telephone 434-7994 Bowmanville, Ont. 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