As I finish up one
part of my life, I look forward to move on to the next. Last Friday I
graduated from high school and my journey will continue onward next
year in Turkey as a Rotary Youth Exchange Student.
Since middle
school, being an exchange student had been something in the back of
my head. I'd always been interested in traveling and leaning
about different cultures, but it never became reality until a few
years ago when my family decided to host an exchange student for the
first time. I at first was hesitant of letting someone into my home
and showing her the “American way of life.” What if we don't get
along? What if she doesn't like me? What if I don't like her? A
million questions went through my head at first, but as I got to know
Sana on Facebook before she came to my house, I realized how amazing
this opportunity we were both being given was going to be. Not only
was she coming to the United States to learn about my culture, but I
was also excited to learn about her culture.
Sana and I became
the best of friends the first day she arrived at my house. We took
her to Graeter's Ice Cream, and we sang, loudly, in the car on the
way home. Sana and I had a really great friendship throughout the
whole year. We had our ups and downs, but as I watched all of the
opportunities she was getting, I decided that being a foreign
exchange student would be something I would like to do, so I started
looking into it.
While looking at
my options with Rotary Youth Exchange, I decided it would be best to
start with a short term exchange then later do a long term exchange
after high school depending on how the short term went. I wasn't
really sure where I wanted to go because there were so many wonderful
options, but due to my three years of high school Spanish, I decided
Spain was a good choice for me. I filled out all my applications, and
a few months later I was matched up with a Spanish host family living
in Murcia.
I spent half of my
summer with my host sister, Adriana, in the United States, then we
traveled to Spain so we could live with her family for the other half
of the summer. My short term exchange brought me many challenges, but
I'll never forget the outrageous costume parties and sitting and
talking to my host mom at night. Even in the short month I was there,
I knew it helped me open my eyes and see the bigger picture in
situations. I was able to experience a new culture first hand and I
knew a whole year of culture and language learning was something for
me.
When I got home
from Spain, I began preparations for my long term exchange, including
arranging an early graduation. My family hosted Fiona last fall and
winter, and I was happy to learn more about Germany through her. I
eagerly filled out my long term applications, and before I knew it, I
was matched with a country, Turkey!
Since I've been
matched with Turkey, I've been trying to learn the language with
Rosetta Stone. One of my friends gave me a “Conversational
Turkish in Seven Days” book, so I've been reading that as
well. I've been studying up on Turkish culture, I actually went
to the library and checked out books, something I haven't done in
years! I've been matched with District 2440, but I still am waiting
on receiving a host family and all of my guarantee forms.
I want to thank
the gracious Rotarians who are sponsoring me and preparing me for my
exchange and also for the Rotarians and families who will host me
next year. I am most grateful for my wonderful parents for supporting
me and making all of this possible for me. I don't think I'll never
be able to tell them how much I appreciate everything they've done
for me. They're probably the best parents ever for letting me
go on exchange and have these amazing opportunities. :)
Exchange has
changed my life in so many positive ways in the past two years. I've
met so many wonderful people, and made many amazing, life long
friends. I'm so excited to be able to travel and be an exchange
student. It still amazes me that this is actually happening for me,
because if anyone told me a year ago I'd be spending 2012-13 in
Turkey, I'd have thought they were crazy. But now, I can't see it any
other way.
