memorized conversations

There are few conversations I actually memorize...and these would be some of them:

Conversation 1:

Person: "Hey! Arent you going to be an exchange student next year?!"

Me: "Why, yes I am!"

Person: "So, where are you going?"

Me: "Im not sure yet. I wont find out until February!"

Person: "Oh, well let me know when you find out!"

Conversation 2:

Person: "So, what are your top three countries that you want to go to?!"

Me: "Uhhh...Im not sure."

Person: "hmm...Okay then?"

I pretty much get asked where Im going on my exchange on a daily basis; even though I tell people I wont find out where im going until February. I dont mind the fact that people ask me, I really dont. I enjoy talking about my exchange so far; its just so exciting!

I guess I just feel lame when people ask me what my top three countries are, and I cant give them a response! Im just so excited that im even going at this point! Sure, there's countries that I would like to go to; but in the end im just happy going ANYWHERE. So, its honestly really hard to tell people what my first choice and second choice, and so on...because Im really happy just going anywhere.

On a good note though, I guess I should mention some of the countries that have been on my mind.

Oddly, Finland has been in the back of my mind. Except I always think, "Whats in Finland?!" But then I look at the pictures, and eveything is just so beautiful and green! I know that learning Finnish would be very hard, and it would probably take me a long time to get used to the language. Another country that has been on my mind is Denmark. Strangly, A LOT of people have been trying to convince me to go to Denmark! Sure, most of the country is flat; but the language is really cool from what I looked into. Taiwan has also been in the back of my mind. It would just be totally another culture and everything would be different! Learning Chinese would be different, thats for sure. Of course, a lot of people have been trying to convince me to go back to France and even look into Germany. Which, Ive been trying to keep my mind open to; except I want to go somewhere different that I havent known before. I want to go somewhere on exchange to somewhere ive never set foot on; a place completely foreign to me. However, I would be just as happy if I were sent there too. Because my life would be different anywhere I go.

I guess my mind is pretty scattered all over the place! I decided that I wanted to be as open minded about where I was going as possible. There is no one country that I want to go to. To me, youre going on exchange for the wrong reason if there is only one country you want to go to. But, thats not to say you cant have preferences! Its just that personally I would love go to anywhere. (and Im sure ive noted that A LOT in this post)

So, for now, I guess Ill try to word my conversations differently in a way that wont sound so...unexcited. I am excited out of my mind! I just dont have a clear view of where I want to go.

Maybe in these next few weeks and days I can think of something better to say to answer everyone's questions. :)

The Very Beginning

Well, to start I guess I should introduce myself. My name is Jennifer; and I am currently a Sophomore living in Oregon. I was recently accepted into the Rotary Youth Exchange Program! So, What exactly does this mean? Well, it means that for my whole Junior year of High School I will be living in a Foreign Country with host families and attending a local high school school as an exchange student!

I thought that for my first post I would explain exactly what the Rotary Organization is. Rotary is a non-profit International Organization. The main objective of Rotary is service in the community, as well as around the world. Their Long and Short term exchange programs are only a small portion of what Rotary does. Its a really cool organization!

I decided to start this blog off early BEFORE all the craziness of finding my host country, my future host families, and the whole new adventure of being an exchange student. My reason for starting so early is because I want to record my entire experience: the process of BECOMING an exchange student, to BEING an exchange student, all the way until the very end of my journey.

To be honest, Ive ALWAYS had a plan that I was going to become an exchange student since Middle School! Crazy, I know! Ive always loved the idea of traveling. It was the plan in my mind to apply for this exchange, all up until a week before the application was due for Rotary! I had second thoughts about the application and told my parents that I wasnt going to turn it in. Thinking back, Im not sure why I had second thoughts. I think I was just afraid that my dream of applying to become an exchange student was finally a reality. I do know however, that if I didnt turn that application in, I know I would have regreted it for years to come; because I would have never known what could have been.

To quickly sum up the first process:

I turned in the application, and was selected for an interview. I recieved a time-slot to show up at my local rotary club's Youth Exchange Officer's office for an interview. There were four members from the Rotary Club in the room I was interviewed in. (And to tell you the truth I was absolutly terrified!) After awhile, it wasnt scary and I wasnt afraid anymore after the first few questions. When the interview was done, they called my parents and I back into the room, and announced that they were making a decision for the Long-Term Exchange candidate for the club that night, and that I would receve a call in the days to come.

That Saturday, I recieved the call. I picked up the phone and the first thing I hear is, "Is your passport good for the next two years?" To tell you the truth, I didnt think I would be getting the exchange! I just stood in my bedroom, too stunned to reply. I probably sounded completly confused during the whole phone converstaion! I just wasnt sure what to think! I was SO excited and Mind Blown that I was the long-term exchange student chosen to go! I was completly frazzled!

Fast forward, here I am today! I am now an outbound exchange student! The next process is an at-home interview with my district, making me one step closer to finding out my Host Country, and meeting the rest of the Outbound students in the district.

So for now I guess, I get to enjoy this unknown rollercoaster I got myself into!