From acting in a high school play and playing on a curling team, to spotting polar bears in Churchill, a year in northern Manitoba has been an enriching experience for Colombian exchange student Valentina Santacruz Chamorro.
Santacruz, 17, was born and raised in Ipiales, a plateau city of 138,000 people located nearly 3,000 metres above sea level. A huge gothic cathedral spanning a dramatic gorge is a popular attraction, the city’s colourful Saturday markets draw sellers from nearby villages, and restaurants serving the local dish, guinea pig, abound.
With its high altitude, the Ipiales climate is spring-like all year round: the average temperature is 10 °C and there are about 235 rainy days a year.
In September 2015, Santacruz made the trek from her home city to a very different place: her home-for-a-year in Flin Flon, where she settled in with Crystal and Mark Kolt and their 17-year-old son Brandon.
Living with the musical Kolt family gave Chamorro a speedy introduction to Flin Flon’s lively arts and cultural scene.
“Before coming, I thought that in Flin Flon there aren’t many things to do and I was pretty worried that I could be bored,” Santacruz said. “But Flin Flon is a really cultural city. Every weekend there are concerts or things like that.”
While adapting to Flin Flon’s sub-zero temperatures was a challenge, Santacruz found that the warmth of its people made up for it.
“I’m surprised because people here are really good persons. Everybody asks me how I am, and people lent me clothes for the winter...everybody wants to help other people.”
Santacruz’s Rotary Exchange experience includes five trips to communities around Saskatchewan and Manitoba. In November, Santacruz visited Churchill with fellow rotary students and caught a glimpse of the region’s famous polar bears.
“Churchill was my first time with snow…I was really excited,” she recalled.
Here in Flin Flon, Santacruz has had plenty of opportunities to explore the great outdoors with friends and host families taking her snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and fishing.
She has also jumped into school life headfirst, training with the girls’ curling team at Hapnot and taking to the stage in the school’s dinner theatre performance of Willa Wonkie and the College Tour in February.
Santacruz says her first Canadian Christmas with the Kolt family was a fun experience and very different from holidays back home.
“In Colombia we have novena: this is nine days before Christmas when we gather each day in different houses and we pray. There are delicious foods and you have a great time with your family or friends. On Dec. 24, we gather with our family and open presents at midnight.”
In Winnipeg, Santacruz explored the city’s sights and museums, and learned new traditions with the Kolts: they celebrated Christmas Eve with a festive polish supper, followed by midnight mass, then opened presents together on Christmas Day.
Santacruz said she is grateful to her host families, for making her feel welcome, and for their patience and willingness to show her the local culture.
“They have made my stay here easier because this is a really good experience, but sometimes it is hard be that far from your family. They are lovely and I felt like I was home [here].”
When she leaves Flin Flon and heads off to university in Cali, Colombia next fall, Santacruz says she will take strong memories with her.
“I’m going to remember everything! The people, the streets, the school, the houses, the snow, the landscapes and the beautiful sunsets.”
Most of all, though, she will return to her home country having had a life-altering experience.
“I can see the change in me,” Santacruz said. “My parents and my friends said the same, because you’re outside your country, you’re far from your parents, your friends, your normal life. I feel the need to learn new things, learn the language, meet new people and to absorb new knowledge, because a year passes by quickly, and I feel that I won’t be able to do all the things that I want to do!”
With just a few months left, Santacruz has already made an impact on the families with whom she has stayed.
“Every time you have a Rotary student staying with you, it’s enriching on so many levels,” said Crystal Kolt. “Valentina is just a beautiful person to have in the community and it’s been a pleasure having her in our home.”
Susan and Corey Thompson, and their three children, make up Santacruz’s current host family.
“It’s been great having Tina,” Susan Thompson said. “She’s such a lovely girl, so ready and willing to experience all that Flin Flon has to offer. We’ve learned a lot about Colombia as well as a bit of Spanish! Corey and I think it’s a great way for the kids to learn about the world beyond Canada.”
As Santacruz looks forward to her remaining time in Canada, she advises other young people to take advantage of youth exchange programs.
“It is the best opportunity of your life.”
