THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, July 28, 1994 TAG: 9407260141
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JOAN C. STANUS, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Short : 48 lines
Ralf Dubach is spending a month in Hampton Roads, jumping starting his career as an economist.
``I want to meet people all over the world. . . to have relationships for a long time,'' explained Dubach, 19. The tall blond from Switzerland is one of 30 teenagers from 30 foreign countries attending the International Youth Exchange Camp sponsored by District 24 of Lions International.
``Meeting people is most important to me. . . I want to be an economist with my own business. This is how to start.''
For 13 years, the local Lions clubs have been bringing teens like Dubach to Hampton Roads for four weeks during the summer to build relationships and get a dose of American way of life, explained Carl Kinsky, a teacher at Churchland High School who coordinates the camp for the Lions. For two weeks, the teens live with host families in the area; the remaining two weeks they stay in the Virginia Wesleyan College dormitories.
This year during their July stay, the teens from such countries as Luxembourg, Norway, Turkey and Germany have gone on fishing trips in the Chesapeake Bay, spent a few days touring the sights of Washington, worked with mentally and physically handicapped children at the Portsmouth-based Holiday House and tackled an obstacle course at Northwest River Park.
During a recent Sunday night ``coffeehouse,'' the teens got an informal lesson in American politics from former U.S. Rep. G. William Whitehurst, who's a faculty member at Old Dominion University.
Their questions ranged from U.S. military spending during the Cold War and the future of military bases to the financing of political campaigns.
``We try to schedule leadership building activities as well as activities that allow these kids to get to really know Americans and each other,'' said Kinsky, a retired major in the Marine Corps. ``It's really a great experience for these kids as well as the families they stay with in the area.''
Lions groups all over the world sponsor similar camps, he added. ``I heard about it, and I asked to come,'' the Swiss teen said. ``I really wanted to see America. Everything has been interesting to me.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by JOAN STANUS
G. William Whitehurst talks with students during a "coffeehouse".
by CNB