As I experienced at Central States, goodbyes are extremely hard. This post will be my little goodbye to my friends and family.
Dear Mom, Dad, and Shannon - I will really miss you. I know the first few months will be hard but remember, Cinzia and Lello will take great care of me. There's no need to worry. Dad, I'll try my best to keep this blog up and running. Shannon, have a great 8th grade year. Live a little! You're top dog. Don't sweat the small stuff. Mom, Again you know I'm in safe hands with Cinzia.
Jessica, Ainsli and Matthew, I'm really going to miss you all but I am coming back. So don't get too sad. Jessica and Ainsli - You have been two of my best friends since 8th grade. Have a great sophomore year and ace the US history tests. I'll be staying in touch. Matthew - I've gotten pretty close with you this past year. I'll miss you and you better Skype me! Keep Madame updated too.
Rotarians from 6510 - I don't even know how to begin to thank each and every one of you. I've made it this far. Thank you for everything that you have done for me this past year. I've had a wonderful preparation year thanks to you!
My Church Family - Thank you for the fundraiser that has help me tremendously. I can now go on the EuroTour! I will miss you all and I know you will all be praying for me and my family. You have also given me a lot of support! Thanks!
To everyone who has supported me - Grazie Mille! (Thanks a lot) You have made this exchange a reality! My dream is coming true.
Monday, August 26, 2013
My Wonderful Year Before My Exchange - Part 2
January 2013, I had a Winter Service Event. The Inbounds, Outbounds, and a few Rotarians went on the trip. We all got together at Warren's home. We swam and had pizza. I got to meet all the Inbounds again along with the other Outbounds. We visited a Center for refugees and Immigrants. Our speaker was a Rotary Youth Exchange student too. It was amazing to hear some of the stories that the women and men told us and all that they went through. After the center, We ate at a Thai restaurant called Basil Spice. It had really great food. We all attempted to eat with chopsticks. Cayla from Indonesia and Mayu from Japan were already professionals. After lunch, we visited an international market. We all brought things from different countries. I can tell you everything that I bought was great. I brought food from France, Germany, Japan, Italy, Jamaica and Croatia. Later this month, I would receive word that my host country was Italy!
Chicago Trip!!! March 2013 - I had a great experience to go to Chicago with all of the Inbounds and Outbounds. This was one of the best weekends I've had with Rotary. I took a train up in Effingham to meet the train from Carbondale. We met up with everyone at the hotel and we were off! First we visited the famous Chicago "Bean." Next we visited the Chicago Art Museum. For dinner we went to get none other than some Chicago deep dish pizza. The next day we went to the Museum of Science and Industry, Chinatown, and a Greek restaurant. The last day we all went shopping! Before I knew it this amazing weekend was over. This is the place were I got really close to all of the Inbounds. The Inbounds and Outbounds are my family. No offense, Mom and Dad.
April 2013 I had my Outbound Orientation. This was getting us ready for everything. We learned more about home sickness, visas, and cultural difference we may experience. There were a few Inbounds there : Cayla (Indonesia), Gerardo (Mexico) , Andres (Ecuador), and Lilla (Hungary). There were the other Outbounds : Mary Ward (Japan), Mary Phillips (Japan), Brian Suarez (France), Ashlee Foster (Philippines) and myself to Italia.
July 2013 - Central States Conference- This had to be one of the best weekends of my life. I learned a lot from so many exchange students, not only the ones connected to my host country but around the world! I had many meeting that would get me ready for everything I would experience. I will always remember Brazilian music like Ai se eu Pego at 2 in the morning. I still really miss it. The soccer game Brazil vs. The World was great. Brazil won!!! * Shocker* We had dances every night with music from everywhere. I also got to swim with a few of my RYE friends. I was also lucky enough to have my birthday there. It's a very odd thing to have 1,200 people singing "Happy Birthday" to you. May I say, Best Birthday EVER! I won't ever forget it! I also got to met the president elect for Rotary International, Gary Huang from Taiwan. The last night a lot of us stayed up really late playing ping pong and talking. My Hungarian friend, Lilla and I stayed up all night! P.S. I got about 5 hours of sleep total for the entire weekend! The hardest part was last. I had to say goodbye, more like A Presto (Italian for "see you soon".) This was the last time I would see my family in a while. That morning absolutely broke my heart and yep, You guessed it I was bawling like a baby just like everyone else. There is not a a day that goes by that I wish that I would do that weekend over and over. Love you, guys.
April 2013 I had my Outbound Orientation. This was getting us ready for everything. We learned more about home sickness, visas, and cultural difference we may experience. There were a few Inbounds there : Cayla (Indonesia), Gerardo (Mexico) , Andres (Ecuador), and Lilla (Hungary). There were the other Outbounds : Mary Ward (Japan), Mary Phillips (Japan), Brian Suarez (France), Ashlee Foster (Philippines) and myself to Italia.
July 2013 - Central States Conference- This had to be one of the best weekends of my life. I learned a lot from so many exchange students, not only the ones connected to my host country but around the world! I had many meeting that would get me ready for everything I would experience. I will always remember Brazilian music like Ai se eu Pego at 2 in the morning. I still really miss it. The soccer game Brazil vs. The World was great. Brazil won!!! * Shocker* We had dances every night with music from everywhere. I also got to swim with a few of my RYE friends. I was also lucky enough to have my birthday there. It's a very odd thing to have 1,200 people singing "Happy Birthday" to you. May I say, Best Birthday EVER! I won't ever forget it! I also got to met the president elect for Rotary International, Gary Huang from Taiwan. The last night a lot of us stayed up really late playing ping pong and talking. My Hungarian friend, Lilla and I stayed up all night! P.S. I got about 5 hours of sleep total for the entire weekend! The hardest part was last. I had to say goodbye, more like A Presto (Italian for "see you soon".) This was the last time I would see my family in a while. That morning absolutely broke my heart and yep, You guessed it I was bawling like a baby just like everyone else. There is not a a day that goes by that I wish that I would do that weekend over and over. Love you, guys.
Monday, August 19, 2013
My Wonderful Year Before My Exchange - Part 1
This past year has gone faster than I thought it would go and has been extremely enjoyable. I have done many things with Rotary this past year. I told my parents that I was interested about Rotary Youth Exchange in May 2012. Of course, as any parents would be, they were fairly shocked. As a child I had expressed an interest in other cultures. They told me that I had their permission to go. Little did I know that the road ahead of me would take a lot more of me than I had planned, but in the end I know that it is totally worth it.
In July 2012, I attended RYLA. RYLA is leadership weekend which is by Rotary. I enjoyed everything there. I learned more about youth exchange. I also met other rebounds and rotexs. I talked with a few Rotarians and Steve Jackson, the chairman for RYE (Rotary Youth Exchange) for 6510, about exchange and at first I was told that I was too young. However, this didn't discourage me at all. I made a good friend there. Her name is Ashlee. We had talked about youth exchange and she told me she was interested too. I was very happy I wouldn't be alone. We both ended up going though the entire process. Now, She's an outbound like me going to the Philippines.
In September 2012, My parents, my sister and myself got in the van to make the three hour drive to make it to an informational meeting in Carbondale on Wednesday, a school night. I met Rich Lunan, Mike Wieland and Warren Schenewerk. These awesome people have literally been with me the entire way. I also met three students and their families there. Two of the three would go the next step, the interview. I did receive a lot of information that night. By the way, we got home at midnight.
In October 2012, I had my interview to become a Rotary Youth Exchange student. I had read that this was a nerve-wracking time for most people going through Rotary. Yes, I was a bit nervous after hearing what others had said. Once I got to Carbondale, I met Ed True, (another awesome Rotarian) and Emma and Gerardo, (Rotary youth exchange students on their exchange in the USA : France and Mexico). The interview was split up into four areas, : Knowledge of Rotary, Country Preference, Application, and Rebound Questions. It was the big moment now, they were going to interview me. I went to Rotary knowledge and all of my nervousness seemed to melt away. In the end I was crossing my fingers I would be chosen to go. A few weeks later, I got the call that I was chosen as a primary candidate. I would be going. I was very excited.
December 2012 - There was an international dinner with Rotarians, Parents, Rebounds, Rotexs, and the nine Inbounds in 6510. The dinner had American food and food from the countries the inbounds were from. The people in the first picture are myself, Ashlee Foster, (my RYLA buddy), Mary Phillips, Brian Suarez, Nancy Paul (past RYE chairman), Eli Scherer (rebound) and District 6510 governor elect, Mike Nowobilski, along with their families.
In July 2012, I attended RYLA. RYLA is leadership weekend which is by Rotary. I enjoyed everything there. I learned more about youth exchange. I also met other rebounds and rotexs. I talked with a few Rotarians and Steve Jackson, the chairman for RYE (Rotary Youth Exchange) for 6510, about exchange and at first I was told that I was too young. However, this didn't discourage me at all. I made a good friend there. Her name is Ashlee. We had talked about youth exchange and she told me she was interested too. I was very happy I wouldn't be alone. We both ended up going though the entire process. Now, She's an outbound like me going to the Philippines.
In September 2012, My parents, my sister and myself got in the van to make the three hour drive to make it to an informational meeting in Carbondale on Wednesday, a school night. I met Rich Lunan, Mike Wieland and Warren Schenewerk. These awesome people have literally been with me the entire way. I also met three students and their families there. Two of the three would go the next step, the interview. I did receive a lot of information that night. By the way, we got home at midnight.
In October 2012, I had my interview to become a Rotary Youth Exchange student. I had read that this was a nerve-wracking time for most people going through Rotary. Yes, I was a bit nervous after hearing what others had said. Once I got to Carbondale, I met Ed True, (another awesome Rotarian) and Emma and Gerardo, (Rotary youth exchange students on their exchange in the USA : France and Mexico). The interview was split up into four areas, : Knowledge of Rotary, Country Preference, Application, and Rebound Questions. It was the big moment now, they were going to interview me. I went to Rotary knowledge and all of my nervousness seemed to melt away. In the end I was crossing my fingers I would be chosen to go. A few weeks later, I got the call that I was chosen as a primary candidate. I would be going. I was very excited.
December 2012 - There was an international dinner with Rotarians, Parents, Rebounds, Rotexs, and the nine Inbounds in 6510. The dinner had American food and food from the countries the inbounds were from. The people in the first picture are myself, Ashlee Foster, (my RYLA buddy), Mary Phillips, Brian Suarez, Nancy Paul (past RYE chairman), Eli Scherer (rebound) and District 6510 governor elect, Mike Nowobilski, along with their families.
The Inbounds were Arttu Linden (Finland), Geraldo Juaristi (Mexico), Andres Quintero (Ecuador), Emma Pauchet (France), Anna Aberto (Germany), Beatriz (Bia) Rodrigues Lourencao (Brazil), Mayu Morita (Japan), Cayla Callista (Indonesia), and Lilla Toth (Hungary). Here are the inbounds along with their host families.
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