Its official. I've been receiving at least five emails everyday for over a week! Its crazy how much you use email as an exchange student; and honestly...I use it FAR more than facebook! It makes me feel a little old. (Which isn't a bad thing.) I find myself telling people to email me all the time now!
So; whats the reason for these emails? I decided after the first outbound orientation that I should do some "homework" on the countries that my Rotary District exchanges with from the top 5 that I originally picked. I emailed some of the Country Officers to get emails from exchange students and ever since ive been emailing exchange students every single day with students who are currently on exchange from my district.
Its honestly so much fun talking with people who were in your same situation! Exchange students can talk about things that no one else would understand. Even after you JUST met or talked with them. Something just clicks; and its a really cool feeling! (Even though im not officially an exchange student yet.) Its really cool being able to talk with people who are on exchange in the countries that I am interested in and seeing what its like from someone who is actually IN that situation.
I'm not sure if other out-bounds have done the same thing I did and went out of their way to email other exchange students. I guess I just wanted to talk with other people who are currently on exchange in the countries that I want to go to or countries that I thought would be cool to go to. Personally for me: I feel like just looking at pictures of the country or their music isn't enough to make me want to go there. For me; I need to really get an inside view and maybe even hear the language to decide on where I want to go.
Currently, Germany and Finland are STILL on my mind. However, now Im just totally confused on where I want to go. I have been receiving emails from a few Country Officers who are interested in talking with me about their Countries and have even told me a few countries that I would be successful exchanging with. Except; now my ideas are all jumbled up and im literally at a loss for where I want to go.
This must be the confusion I was bound to get into after emailing so many different exchange students who all LOVE the countries that they are in. Therefore; I pretty much asked for confusing myself on where I want to go somewhere down the road.
This post turned out more as a confused rant than what I originally planned for it to be. And hopefully I worded it in a way that someone other than me can understand! Im just hopeful that before the ski trip I can try and honestly decide on a number one country that I want to go to...because right now I have no idea.
So for now I guess ill just plan on being confused about it until something pops into my head and changes my mind...
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
First Fundraiser!
I have decided that it should be time for me to officially start my first fundraiser for my exchange! I figured that I should raise money myself, because after all...it is MY exchange. :)
I spent all day yesterday making boxes of Chocolate Covered Cherries to raise part of my funds for my exchange. I decided only to start by making nine 1/2 pound boxes and then see if they're successful enough for me to continue along with the fundraiser. Surprisingly; I sold all nine boxes in ONE DAY.
Today I will be delivering the boxes of candy after school and stopping by a small shop to pick up more boxes for my candy for the other orders that I have gotten. I am hoping to make more candy in the next day or two to fill out my other orders; and im hoping to continue to get orders for my fundraiser. But hey; so far so good!
I am planning on creating an order form sheet to bring to my next Rotary meeting on Thursday to share my fundraiser with the club and see if anyone is interested. I am hoping to create a sample box or two to bring along with me to show the club members what the finished product looks like.
Over all: I guess im just really excited that everything has been so successful so far with my exchange! I am hoping to raise a lot of money myself by doing a couple different fundraisers this year in the next seven months I have before I leave on my exchange.
Im actually really excited that its only been one day of my first fundraiser and so far everything has been successful. Its crazy seeing how many people want to support me and have even donated money toward my Exchange Fundraiser.
Anyways, I should probably go deliver these boxes of chocolates and buy more boxes to fill out my orders. Ill post pictures and write more as the week progresses. :)
Today I will be delivering the boxes of candy after school and stopping by a small shop to pick up more boxes for my candy for the other orders that I have gotten. I am hoping to make more candy in the next day or two to fill out my other orders; and im hoping to continue to get orders for my fundraiser. But hey; so far so good!
I am planning on creating an order form sheet to bring to my next Rotary meeting on Thursday to share my fundraiser with the club and see if anyone is interested. I am hoping to create a sample box or two to bring along with me to show the club members what the finished product looks like.
Over all: I guess im just really excited that everything has been so successful so far with my exchange! I am hoping to raise a lot of money myself by doing a couple different fundraisers this year in the next seven months I have before I leave on my exchange.
Im actually really excited that its only been one day of my first fundraiser and so far everything has been successful. Its crazy seeing how many people want to support me and have even donated money toward my Exchange Fundraiser.
Anyways, I should probably go deliver these boxes of chocolates and buy more boxes to fill out my orders. Ill post pictures and write more as the week progresses. :)
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Welcome To The Rotary Family!
When I heard that Rotary was the best Exchange Organization, I honestly believed them...But I didnt realize how much like a family Rotary really treated you. (I feel like going off on a little rant; and If you know me, ranting is what im all about. So be prepared! )
At the Orientation this last week, I realized how much like a family my Rotary District treats each other. When we all sat down for meals at the camp, everything was served "Family Style" and it gave us a way to really bond with each-other along with all of the Country Officers. (For those of you that dont know: When you are assigned to a Country, you get a Country Officer in your district who knows a lot about the Country you are exchanging with. You email and stay in contact with them through out your exchange; and they help you out all along the way with paper-work and visas and everything.)
Thinking about it, it made me feel like we were all going to be placed into mini-families with the other kids who are going to exchanging to all of the other Countries in my district. Rotary just feels like a big family, and you know all of the Exchange Officers and District Members care about you because they all volunteer their time to this Exchange Program.
I feel like some other Exchange Organizations are like a business. (Im not trying to say all other Organizations are that way.) But to me, Rotary feels like a scholarship. You just have so many people to suport you and help you make your exchange possible and successful . You take charge for your own exchange, and you make it happen. But members from your Rotary club sponsor you and help raise money, and your Rotary District helps send you to a Country and assigns you a Country Officer who is knowledgeable about the Country you are going to and helps you through out your ENTIRE exchange! It just blows my mind how much Rotary really cares about their students and their exchange!
And this is why I always talk about my exchange! Im proud to be a Rotary Exchange student and im proud to be a part of this organization! ...Even though I do not know where I am going yet. One more month! One more month and then I will know where my adventures will take me!
At the Orientation this last week, I realized how much like a family my Rotary District treats each other. When we all sat down for meals at the camp, everything was served "Family Style" and it gave us a way to really bond with each-other along with all of the Country Officers. (For those of you that dont know: When you are assigned to a Country, you get a Country Officer in your district who knows a lot about the Country you are exchanging with. You email and stay in contact with them through out your exchange; and they help you out all along the way with paper-work and visas and everything.)
Thinking about it, it made me feel like we were all going to be placed into mini-families with the other kids who are going to exchanging to all of the other Countries in my district. Rotary just feels like a big family, and you know all of the Exchange Officers and District Members care about you because they all volunteer their time to this Exchange Program.
I feel like some other Exchange Organizations are like a business. (Im not trying to say all other Organizations are that way.) But to me, Rotary feels like a scholarship. You just have so many people to suport you and help you make your exchange possible and successful . You take charge for your own exchange, and you make it happen. But members from your Rotary club sponsor you and help raise money, and your Rotary District helps send you to a Country and assigns you a Country Officer who is knowledgeable about the Country you are going to and helps you through out your ENTIRE exchange! It just blows my mind how much Rotary really cares about their students and their exchange!
And this is why I always talk about my exchange! Im proud to be a Rotary Exchange student and im proud to be a part of this organization! ...Even though I do not know where I am going yet. One more month! One more month and then I will know where my adventures will take me!
First Exchange Orientation
All of the Rotary Exchange Outbounds from District 5100 recently had our First Orientation for our exchange! I thought I should make a post about it, since I know I havent updated for my exchange in awhile.
The three of us outbound girls from my Rotary Club all car pooled with our Club's Exchange Officer to the 4-H Club where our Orientation was. It wasnt a very long drive, but it sure seemed like a long time! It was fun to be able to talk with our Exchange Officer from our club, and I have to say that I got to know the other two short-term girls from my club pretty well during the three day orientation!
When we got there we put our stuff in the cabins and then met in the gym with everyone else. Our Exchange Officer left, and thats when we were left all on our own. I wasnt scared though, I was SUPER excited to get to know all the other kids who are in the same situation as I am!
I made friends super fast, and we all got sized for our Rotary Blazers and got our pictures for our business cards. Later that night after dinner, we got put into groups. Everyone in our numbered groups (I was in group 3) had to go around a table. I didnt know anyone in my group, and the only things on the table was a bag of big marshmallows, mini marshmallows, and a package of spaghetti.
We were told we had to make a tower out of it. Needless to say we knew we were going to win! After the practice round...we were told we had to do the ENTIRE thing without talking. We ended up smashing up the marshmallows to make a base, which turned into disaster...it was STUCK to the table, and it was ALL over our hands! In the end our "tower" ended up just being a pile of goo stuck to the table.
We lost. And we had to clean the whole mess up...and we were the last group that finished cleaning. We all became pretty good friends after that. And its ONE thing about this Orientation that ill always remember!
The next night, we had a Country Fair with a lot of the In-Bound and Re-Bound exchange students! It was SO much fun! Its crazy how after one day you can make really good friends with people from all over the world...and im super excited to see them all again next month at the ski trip when I find out my Country.
Speaking of Countries...We got to pick our 5 Countries! (Which I might change next month...) I picked Germany as my number one pick. And Switzerland, Austria, Czech Republic/ Slovakia and Finland as my second choices.
Anyways, Im sure I can go on talking about this Orientation...but I saved you the time and summed it all up as best as I could!
The three of us outbound girls from my Rotary Club all car pooled with our Club's Exchange Officer to the 4-H Club where our Orientation was. It wasnt a very long drive, but it sure seemed like a long time! It was fun to be able to talk with our Exchange Officer from our club, and I have to say that I got to know the other two short-term girls from my club pretty well during the three day orientation!
When we got there we put our stuff in the cabins and then met in the gym with everyone else. Our Exchange Officer left, and thats when we were left all on our own. I wasnt scared though, I was SUPER excited to get to know all the other kids who are in the same situation as I am!
I made friends super fast, and we all got sized for our Rotary Blazers and got our pictures for our business cards. Later that night after dinner, we got put into groups. Everyone in our numbered groups (I was in group 3) had to go around a table. I didnt know anyone in my group, and the only things on the table was a bag of big marshmallows, mini marshmallows, and a package of spaghetti.
We were told we had to make a tower out of it. Needless to say we knew we were going to win! After the practice round...we were told we had to do the ENTIRE thing without talking. We ended up smashing up the marshmallows to make a base, which turned into disaster...it was STUCK to the table, and it was ALL over our hands! In the end our "tower" ended up just being a pile of goo stuck to the table.
We lost. And we had to clean the whole mess up...and we were the last group that finished cleaning. We all became pretty good friends after that. And its ONE thing about this Orientation that ill always remember!
The next night, we had a Country Fair with a lot of the In-Bound and Re-Bound exchange students! It was SO much fun! Its crazy how after one day you can make really good friends with people from all over the world...and im super excited to see them all again next month at the ski trip when I find out my Country.
Speaking of Countries...We got to pick our 5 Countries! (Which I might change next month...) I picked Germany as my number one pick. And Switzerland, Austria, Czech Republic/ Slovakia and Finland as my second choices.
Anyways, Im sure I can go on talking about this Orientation...but I saved you the time and summed it all up as best as I could!
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