The Process (Part Two)

          Olá a todos! I hope you've had a good April; I know I have! In my last post I started to talk a little bit about the process of becoming an exchange student. Okay, now where was I?

          Well, once you decide you want to do exchange the next step is finding a program that interests you. Lots of schools have information nights where you can learn about different programs and what they have to offer. My dad and I went to the informational night at my school when I was a freshman, and decided that Rotary Youth Exchange (RYE) and AFS would be the best options for what I was looking for--a year-long study abroad program in a foreign country.

          In september, shortly after starting my freshman year, RYE had their own information night. The club members talked to us about their program and how to apply, and we signed up for an email list so we could stay updated.

          In October I had my first interview with the local club, which I passed. Then lots of paperwork ensued, as well as a three-page letter about myself, and letters from both of my parents. My paper application was sent off to the district head to review, where upon approval would sent to my host country and family. We also received a list of available countries, and I picked 5 first, second, and third choices to write down on the selection form. In December I had another interview in Victoria, BC which is the central meeting place for our whole rotary district. This interview was mostly to get an idea of which country would be the best fit for me. They told me it would be another three weeks before I found out what country I was going to, but they were super speedy and so I ended finding out less than a week later. The club's Latin American country contact officer called to personally tell me that I would be going to District 4550 Bahia, Brazil! Once you find out what country you're going to the real fun begins!

          But this post is getting awfully long isn't it? I think I'll leave you with a cliffhanger. Oh the suspense! Stay tuned though, I'll try to finish the story soon, I promise!

*An exchange student is called an intercambista in Portuguese.

The Process (Part One)

          Hey everyone! So you all know that I’ll be going abroad as an exchange student to Bahia, Brazil, but what you probably don’t not know, is exactly how I got to this point. The process of becoming an exchange student varies from one exchange program to the next, so I can only speak for Rotary Youth Exchange, which is the program I’m with. But no matter what program you go with, the first step in becoming an exchange student is realizing that you want to be one.
          I’ve been traveling with my parents since I was pretty darn little. If you want to get all technical with it, the first time I was in an airplane was when I was two months old, when my parents went on their honeymoon to Hawaii and took little-baby-me with them (weirdly enough, I don’t really remember much from that trip :P). Since then I’ve been to Europe and Latin America! Over the years I’ve discovered a serious love of travel, and I try to jump on every opportunity I get for doing so. Traveling was always a family occasion for me though, and I had never really considered venturing out into the greater world on my own before college. So what changed, you might ask? Well, when I was in middle school, I had an art teacher and a spanish teacher who would take a small group of 8th and 9th grade students to a foreign country for two weeks each summer after middle-school graduation. Two weeks without my parents in Costa Rica, and the travel-seed was forever planted in the heart of yours truly. Sure, two weeks might not be all that long, but really, it gave me a chance to learn more about myself as an individual, and it showed me that mentally and socially I was much more independent than I had ever considered myself to be before.
          So I think that for me that trip was inspiration. Explaining the rest is going to take a more than just one post, so I think I'll divide it into smaller sections. Here is where I'll leave you hanging! Inspiration. What does that mean to different people? Everyone finds their inspiration in different places, and mine just happened to be in Costa Rica. I guess my point is just that sometimes trying new things, pushing yourself to strive for something different, just might end up showing you something about yourself that you hadn't known was there before. Inspiration can be found when you least expect it, and it can lead you to some amazing people, realizations, and experiences that you'll never forget. Try something new, even just taste a new food! The little things are just as important, and you never know what doors and adventures you'll find!

*Want to say hi? Hello is olá, Hi is oi, and if you're picking up the telephone you might just say alô!