Hi! My name is Graham Shults! I am a sixteen year old from Tennessee, Rotary District 6780. I am an outdoor enthusiast, kayaker, student activist, and avid traveler. I decided to do a year abroad, after receiving inspiration from my aunt and cousin, when I was in eighth grade. Near the end of my freshman year I learned about Rotary Youth Exchange through a friend of my Mom’s. I immediately got involved with my local Rotary and completed my application a month early. It was a year long process of paperwork, meetings, and applications. In February I found out I would be going to Finland for my year abroad. I was so excited, I mean how many people get to say they did a year abroad in Finland?! Following country assignments there were orientations to attend in March, April, and July. Through these orientations and social media the exchange students from 6780 (my district) and others in the Ohio-Erie multi-district quickly became some of my closest friends.

During my ten to eleven months in Finland I will be living in Espoo with two different families. I will be going to school and attending the meetings of my Rotary Host Club in Vantaa. Through Rotary I will attend a week of language and culture camp with Rotary Exchange Students from all over the world.  Later in the year we will take a trip to Lapland (Northern Finland), St. Petersburg, Russia, and near the end of my exchange a European Tour. I am very excited to embark on this amazing adventure!