Valley visit

By Elise Franco

Rotary exchange program gives Swedish reps a taste of area life

“I went to Washington, D.C., and New York, and it was more of a tourist thing. This time you get into the American life, and we are really enjoying ourselves.”

Johan Tonell, Swedish Rotary representative

A group of Swedish Rotary representatives spending five weeks in Ohio made a week-long stop in the Mahoning Valley, getting a glimpse of American life here.

The five arrived Monday and spent the week getting to know the area with members of local Rotary clubs.

Michael Cafaro, Austintown Rotary Club president, said Rotary District 6650 participates in the program each year, sending a group of its own to other countries.

Cafaro said the Swedish representatives of Rotary are between the ages of 25 and 40 and work in various fields.

“The Rotary sets up places to take them so they can learn how things are done in our country,” he said.

On Tuesday, the group stopped by Watson Elementary, on Idaho Road in Austintown, for a look at education in the U.S.

Principal James Carchedi took the Rotarians on a tour of the building and visited several classrooms so they could interact with students.

They all agreed that schools in the U.S. are similar to schools in Sweden.

“The 180-day school year is the same thing in Sweden, actually,” Linda Fasten, 30, said. “Exactly the same.”

Fasten, who works as a business controller, said one major difference is the lunch program.

“In Sweden we get free meals, so really no one packs their lunch,” she said. “I knew it was like this, but it was interesting to actually see it.”

Fasten said the types of food Swedish children eat in school are different.

“We always get a lot of veggies and salad,” she said. “And we don’t have the cartons of milk. We take our glasses up, and they fill them.”

Johan Tonell, 32, who works as an engineer, said this trip was not his first to the U.S., but the experience was different the second time around.

Tonell said he was about 16 during his first trip to the country.

“I went to Washington, D.C., and New York, and it was more of a tourist thing,” he said. “This time you get into the American life, and we are really enjoying ourselves.”

The group also spent time in Canfield, Boardman and Youngstown and will finish the week in Poland on Saturday.

“We are all really amazed at the nice and warm people who have made it as nice as possible,” Fasten said. “The host families have really opened their homes to us.”

Raquel Pacheco, Canfield Rotary team leader, said Fasten, Tonell, Linda Paulsson, 31, who is a police officer, and Annika Nilsson, 31, who owns a fitness center, were able to apply for the program because they were non-Rotary members. The team was led by Swedish Rotary member Jan Eriksson.

Fasten, who has also been to the U.S. before, said she was happy she applied and was accepted into the program.

“It’s such a great opportunity,” she said. “It’s always hard to imagine what it’s going to be like until you get here.”

efranco@vindy.com