Christine Grimard
Northern News Services
Published Wednesday, September 12, 2007

YELLOWKNIFE - Coming from one of the world's hottest climates to one of the world's coldest, this year should be an interesting one for exchange student Clarissa Veloso.

Clarissa Veloso came to Yellowknife this year from Belo Horizonte, Brazil, for a year of Canadian life. With temperatures never dropping below 15 C in her hometown, this year will be Veloso's first time seeing snow. - Christine Grimard/NNSL photo

"I can say that I'm afraid of the winter," said Veloso, who comes from Belo Horizonte, Brazil. "I've never seen the snow."

Veloso, 17, will soon need to confront her fears as she lives a year in Yellowknife, attending St. Patrick high school. She is here as part of the Rotary Youth Exchange Program, a program that sends approximately 10,000 students around the world annually, giving them a chance to try something new.

While in Yellowknife, Veloso is looking forward to seeing the Northern lights and dog sledding, but isn't sure yet if she wants to get on a snowmobile.

"It must be great riding one of them," said Veloso, who was amazed the first time she saw one parked in a driveway. "I've seen them in movies, but never in my city. It sounds funny for you, you've grown up here and seen them. For me it's something totally different."

A Ski-Doo would be pretty useless in Belo Horizonte, where temperatures don't drop below 15 C, even in the dead of winter. So far our fall temperatures are the coldest Veloso has ever felt. With the snow, however, comes some advantages. Veloso is hoping to make it out to Jasper, Alta., this winter to try skiing for the first time.

Through the Rotary Club, Veloso will travel to various cities in Canada for conferences with other exchange students.

"The amazing thing about this program is you go to learn about cultures, but you also tell people about your culture," she said. "It's an exchange, you really exchange things."

Susan Huvenaars, a co-ordinator at St. Patrick high school and member of the Rotary club, will be Veloso's councillor throughout the year. Having hosted two exchange students, Huvenaars said the experience is great exposure for the student coming in, and for students from Yellowknife.

"Their eyes are opened to the world, they get a totally different experience in life" said Huvenaars. "It really shows them there's more than just Yellowknife out there."

Veloso will live with four host families during her stay, moving every three months. Huvenaars said that switching families will give Veloso exposure to different lifestyles.

The Rotary Club has had exchange students in the last few years from Brazil, Australia, and Switzerland. Huvenaars said the club tries to either send a student out, or get a student to Yellowknife every year.