Number 56: After Matriculating in 2006, Maya aspired to go on Rotary Exchange for her ‘gap year’. After successfully passing a battery of tests and interviews she was accepted and together with her friend Julia Kaplan were given host families in Argentina – the Country they chose.

While Maya was in Cordoba, Argentina we hosted a Grade 11 Rotary  Exchange learner from Argentina. He went to Milnerton High School and we, (Sheryl especially), acted ‘in loco parentis’, for example attending Parent/Teacher Association meetings. He played tennis and soccer at school, and squash with Ray. However he did not easily meet friends nor learn English and left South Africa early, in September, because his grades were dropping and his parents wanted him to return to school in Cordoba to prepare for Matric the following year.

Maya in the meantime integrated well. Only Spanish was spoken in her environment which she picked up quickly. She attended University in Cordoba instead of school! Being a particularly sociable person, she made many friends while there and, all these years later, still keeps in close touch with some of them.

In June 2007 Yair visited Maya in Argentina and was robbed of his daypack at the Buenos Aires bus station! Passports, (South African and Israeli), cell phone, money and address book – all stolen! When he finally arrived in Cordoba, younger sister Maya, with her better Spanish, spent much time helping Yair arrange a temporary SA passport, which postponed their travels around Argentina.

We also visited Maya, in December 2007. We met her host families (who all praised Maya!), went with her to  Shul on Friday night and also for a few days to Buenos Aires. In 2007 not many Argentinians spoke English so Maya’s command of Spanish helped tremendously. Unlike in 2020 when we saw vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Buenos Aires, in 2007 everyone it seemed ate only meat! Maya, a vegetarian, really struggled with the food. Nevertheless it was a special year for her!

This jacket shows the badges that Maya accumulated during her happy and independent  post-matric year in Cordoba, Argentina.