Six months of living and studying in Fiji has brought Rotary District ambassadorial scholar Billy Strachan a wide range of experiences.Highlights include meeting the President of Fiji alongside the President of Rotary International, visiting pristine beaches and waterfalls on Taveuni (Fiji’s ‘Garden Island’) and chumming it up with ‘yachties’ in Savusavu – Fiji’s hidden paradise. “Then there’s the everyday,” notes Strachan. Hot and humid weather means two things — mold and insects. But when he’s not battling the effects of those, Strachan is attending the University of the South Pacific’s Graduate School of Business where he is completing a Masters in Business Administration. Being the only North American in the program means that academics are not the only form of learning he encounters. “The personal and cultural differences amongst my peers requires a large focus on people and on developing a high cultural IQ.” This, in fact, is perhaps the number one takeaway from Rotary International’s Ambassadorial Scholarship program. Every year hundreds of young post-secondary graduates are sponsored by the organization to live and study abroad. The program has been in place since 1947 and has included now-famous individuals such as Bill Moyers and Canada’s own Gov.-Gen. David Johnston. For more information on local Rotary District 5020 and the Ambassadorial Scholarship Program, visit www.clubrunner.ca/5020. — Billy Strachan