Palmer reports to RCF on Columbia
RCF was one of five Rotary Clubs that sponsored Palmer, who graduated in 2024 from Knoxville Central High School, to take a trip to Boyacá, Colombia, this past school year.
“Our District 6780 provides a grant to inner-city youth here in Knox County,” explained Rotarian Bill Nichols, who has been overseeing Rotary Youth Exchange Program for years. “Five Rotary Clubs in Knox County — our club, Bearden, the Breakfast Club, the Volunteer Club and the Downtown Club — all contribute to raise funds that match the district grant.
“We select one student from Central, Fulton, Austin-East (high schools) or South-Doyle (High School),” he added. “Last year, we chose a young man named DJ Palmer, who was a student in Central High School.
“I want to thank you all (Rotarians) for continuing the support of inner-city kids who would never have an opportunity to be an exchange student (otherwise),” Nichols said.
“I grew up, just me and my mom and my little sister, for as long as I remember,” Palmer said. “I just want to say ‘thank you’ because … to be a part of such a program, to even have the idea to even give a student some money to be able to go for free and experience other people for free is really, truly a blessing for me.
“It’s done so much for me,” he added. “The program itself is a world peace program, but the exchange program, let alone, is culture and language.
“I did both of those outstandingly, and there’s nothing that I would redo if I had the chance. I also went for my personal goals to learn myself — who I am; what does that look like? What type of mindset do I want?
As a result, “I tell you that I came back with everything that I wanted to come back with — mentally, emotionally, you name it,” Palmer said. “That is because of you all for giving me this opportunity to be in this program.”
Taking his experience with him, Palmer is preparing to enroll at Alabama State University, where he will major in psychology. His career goal is to be a psychology therapist.
“It was amazing, from family, from food, friends,” Palmer said about the experience before the meeting. “Everyone (in Colombia) was welcoming. Everybody was heartfelt and warming.”
What impressed him most was the people, adding Boyacá is “more of the countryside of Colombia.”
He also was impressed with their culture of dancing and being sociable.
Yet, “I would say their biggest thing in Colombia is family,” Palmer said. “Here, we’re a little bit more individualistic, so seeing, like, a whole bunch of the families together all the time, eating all the time, it was really nice to be there.”
He also recalled the kindness displayed.
“When I didn’t know how to speak (their language), they would help me,” he said. “Even people on the street, sometimes when I just needed a little extra help, they would always be heartwarming and helpful.”
Palmer’s favorite Colombian food was papa criollas, a potato dish.
“It was amazing,” he added. “I ate them all the time, to the point I couldn’t eat them anymore.”
Looking back on his trip, Palmer said the most important thing he learned was the language.
“That’s the only way I could talk to them,” he said. “That’s the only way I could share moments with them.
“When I first got there, I knew nothing of Spanish,” Palmer said. “Now, I’m almost fluent. I have a couple of grammar things I need to work on, but now we have conversation … I have many friends.”
Farragut Rotary and the other area Rotary Clubs combining to give him that opportunity “was amazing,” he said. “They paid everything for me to be able to see the world, and that, alone, is the biggest thing for me because I am a person of God, as well, so I see that as nothing but a blessing,” Palmer said. “For Rotary to even allow me to do that is amazing. The thought of it, itself, is just amazing.”
Regarding his family in Knoxville, “my mom didn’t know what to think (about his taking the trip),” he recalled. “I remember I called her — it was a random Thursday — and I was like, ‘Mom, I just talked to this guy named Bill (Nichols), and I think I want to go be an exchange student,’ and she said, ‘What?’
“Then she said, ‘We’ll talk about it when you get home,’” he added
He met Nichols at Central, where Nichols sets up booths in the school cafeteria.
“I‘ve always wanted to travel,” Palmer said.
“The difference from me and the other students who went up there (to talk to Nichols) was I was serious about it,” he added. “I really wanted to do it.”
