I know this is my third blog post today...but I feel like ranting a little bit. And I guess my Exchange Blog would be a good place to do it.
I KNOW its only the end of March; and Im not supposed to find out until May. But...It makes it hard to wait when the other two Outbounds in your club already know their host cities and families!!!
Hailey; the Short-Term Outbound student in my club is going to Columbia; so of course Short-Term students know their families way sooner than the Long-Terms. But; I wasn't expecting Meghan to find out her first Indian host family so soon! Im SO excited for them both! They will have an AMAZING time in Columbia and India!
However; I wish I could share the excitement with them and know who my first host family and city is as well. I know it is well worth the wait; and I should probably stop checking my email so much to see if theres any information about my host family or district. Because I know there wont be anything. Not for awhile...Waiting is the worst part. And its hard to wait when the other two students in the club already know the information ive been waiting for.
I know its worth the wait; and that waiting is good. But waiting is a very long and hard process. But, it will come eventually! I just have to learn to stop checking my email for it and stop obsessing over it!
At least I know my departure date; and in the meantime thats good enough for me! :D
Thursday, March 21, 2013
ACT Prepping
Let me tell ya...the days and weeks between waiting for your exchange are probably the most boring weeks you will ever have so far in your life.
My life consists of an on-going cycle: Sleeping; Going to School; ACT Prep; Tutoring; Homework and Studying; Eating. And REPEAT.
The last semester of school before an exchange is full of school work; and waiting and waiting and waiting. These past few weeks have been nothing but school work for me. Which I guess is good because it gets my mind off of a bunch of other stuff; including waiting for my host city and district.
For a Rotary exchange student; It is suggested that you take your SAT/ACT before your exchange. They suggest this for a lot of different reasons; but it is mainly because then you can get it out of the way BEFORE your exchange so you wont have to stress about taking it your senior year. Another reason they try and have you take it before you leave on exchange is because hopefully your English wont be as good when you arrive home; and so your score will be a lot lower than it would have been if you took it before you leave prior to your exchange.
I decided to contact a learning center and recently been doing ACT prep there three times a week for a two hour session each visit. I went into the center on Monday to take a previous ACT test that they dont use anymore; just to see where I was with my score and skills they test you on in the test. Last night I went back to receive my score and see how I did before I started getting my tutoring help for prepping for the ACT.
Today however; I went to my first ACT prep session! My English tutor gave me a few different ACT prepping books; and gave me some resources and homework to do over Spring Break which will help me with the English portion of the ACT test. Which isn't that big of a deal I guess.
Since I am taking the test a year earlier than the kids in my grade; I really want to get the best score I can before I leave for Finland. I really suggest doing this if you know ANYONE who is looking into exchange.
Your SAT/ACT scores are super important and its really awesome if you can take it before you leave; and if you can take a prep class or even just study alone to ensure that you can get your goal score before you leave. It will definitely be beneficial for you and take A LOT of stress off of you for your senior year of high school when you arrive home.
I have 10 official weeks until I take the test in June! I just hope I can get a good enough score where I wont have to retake it my senior year.
My life consists of an on-going cycle: Sleeping; Going to School; ACT Prep; Tutoring; Homework and Studying; Eating. And REPEAT.
The last semester of school before an exchange is full of school work; and waiting and waiting and waiting. These past few weeks have been nothing but school work for me. Which I guess is good because it gets my mind off of a bunch of other stuff; including waiting for my host city and district.
For a Rotary exchange student; It is suggested that you take your SAT/ACT before your exchange. They suggest this for a lot of different reasons; but it is mainly because then you can get it out of the way BEFORE your exchange so you wont have to stress about taking it your senior year. Another reason they try and have you take it before you leave on exchange is because hopefully your English wont be as good when you arrive home; and so your score will be a lot lower than it would have been if you took it before you leave prior to your exchange.
I decided to contact a learning center and recently been doing ACT prep there three times a week for a two hour session each visit. I went into the center on Monday to take a previous ACT test that they dont use anymore; just to see where I was with my score and skills they test you on in the test. Last night I went back to receive my score and see how I did before I started getting my tutoring help for prepping for the ACT.
Today however; I went to my first ACT prep session! My English tutor gave me a few different ACT prepping books; and gave me some resources and homework to do over Spring Break which will help me with the English portion of the ACT test. Which isn't that big of a deal I guess.
Since I am taking the test a year earlier than the kids in my grade; I really want to get the best score I can before I leave for Finland. I really suggest doing this if you know ANYONE who is looking into exchange.
Your SAT/ACT scores are super important and its really awesome if you can take it before you leave; and if you can take a prep class or even just study alone to ensure that you can get your goal score before you leave. It will definitely be beneficial for you and take A LOT of stress off of you for your senior year of high school when you arrive home.
I have 10 official weeks until I take the test in June! I just hope I can get a good enough score where I wont have to retake it my senior year.
My departure date/Waiting
I found out the other day when I am officially leaving on my exchange! 164 days from now, on August 3erd I will be officially leaving for FINLAND!
Oh geez...I am so excited. It feels so far away; and yet I know it will be right around the corner. Recently on facebook, a few other Outbound Exchangers that are going to Finland for the 2013-2014 year have added me on facebook. At first I thought it was a little weird and I didnt want to add them back. (I just find it odd adding people who I dont know on facebook. I never do it!)
But; at that point I decided to accept their request on facebook; and we got to talking and its been really really fun! I think its good to get to know other kids who are in your same situation. Its hard for your friends at school to understand what you are going through; and they dont share the same excitement as you do. Its hard for them to be in your shoes.
By talking to a few of the other kids; I got a chance to actually see how excited they are as well. Its fun to get over excited about Finland with other kids who are going there from other places!
However; I am a little jealous of some of the other kids in my district. They are already finding out their districts; and the other Outbound student going to India from my Rotary club just got an email from her first host family. It makes me jealous because I want to know where I am going and who is hosting me!!!
I guess I need to learn how to be patient. And in the end its worth waiting to find out all of the exciting stuff about my Host District and town and Host Family. Plus; im SURE there are other kids in my district in my situation as well.
But at least I have my departure date!
August 3erd here I come! :D
Oh geez...I am so excited. It feels so far away; and yet I know it will be right around the corner. Recently on facebook, a few other Outbound Exchangers that are going to Finland for the 2013-2014 year have added me on facebook. At first I thought it was a little weird and I didnt want to add them back. (I just find it odd adding people who I dont know on facebook. I never do it!)
But; at that point I decided to accept their request on facebook; and we got to talking and its been really really fun! I think its good to get to know other kids who are in your same situation. Its hard for your friends at school to understand what you are going through; and they dont share the same excitement as you do. Its hard for them to be in your shoes.
By talking to a few of the other kids; I got a chance to actually see how excited they are as well. Its fun to get over excited about Finland with other kids who are going there from other places!
However; I am a little jealous of some of the other kids in my district. They are already finding out their districts; and the other Outbound student going to India from my Rotary club just got an email from her first host family. It makes me jealous because I want to know where I am going and who is hosting me!!!
I guess I need to learn how to be patient. And in the end its worth waiting to find out all of the exciting stuff about my Host District and town and Host Family. Plus; im SURE there are other kids in my district in my situation as well.
But at least I have my departure date!
August 3erd here I come! :D
Friday, March 1, 2013
Travel Agency!
Hei; hyvää iltaa!
These past few weeks ive been trying to teach myself a little Finnish. I know a few basics like animals, colors; days of the week and basic conversation. Im not sure how much this will help me to be honest...but you gotta start somewhere!
I recently registered online for a travel agency that my Rotary district works with. Its actually kinda cool though! I selected my assigned host country on my registration and after I finished the registration; I got to actually log on and look at the website. I found out that I actually have to fly down to Los Angeles to submit my documents for my visa in person to the consulate of Finland. Im actually super excited because a few other outbound exchange students are flying down to LA on the same day with the travel agency for a group appointment with the consulate. It will be fun to meet a few other kids who are going to Finland on exchange!
Another cool feature on the travel website is that it shows a little radar of how close you are from the process of departing to your host country. So far; my little online radar has barely moved and its in the beginning of the "Documentation" piece of the process. Six months until Finland! Its still really far away; but I know time will fly; and eventually my little online radar will say I am in the final step of the "Ticketing" phase at the end of the radar and I will be getting ready to pack my bags and depart to Finland.
For now though; im trying to not get TOO excited for Finland. In the mean-time im just trying to focus on school and the here and now instead of my adventures that will happen later down the road. I want to enjoy these next few months without getting TOO excited; but at the same time I still want to think and talk about Finland. So hopefully by blogging I can do a bit of both without getting myself too carried away.
So for now I guess;
Hyvää Yötä! Good Night!
These past few weeks ive been trying to teach myself a little Finnish. I know a few basics like animals, colors; days of the week and basic conversation. Im not sure how much this will help me to be honest...but you gotta start somewhere!
I recently registered online for a travel agency that my Rotary district works with. Its actually kinda cool though! I selected my assigned host country on my registration and after I finished the registration; I got to actually log on and look at the website. I found out that I actually have to fly down to Los Angeles to submit my documents for my visa in person to the consulate of Finland. Im actually super excited because a few other outbound exchange students are flying down to LA on the same day with the travel agency for a group appointment with the consulate. It will be fun to meet a few other kids who are going to Finland on exchange!
Another cool feature on the travel website is that it shows a little radar of how close you are from the process of departing to your host country. So far; my little online radar has barely moved and its in the beginning of the "Documentation" piece of the process. Six months until Finland! Its still really far away; but I know time will fly; and eventually my little online radar will say I am in the final step of the "Ticketing" phase at the end of the radar and I will be getting ready to pack my bags and depart to Finland.
For now though; im trying to not get TOO excited for Finland. In the mean-time im just trying to focus on school and the here and now instead of my adventures that will happen later down the road. I want to enjoy these next few months without getting TOO excited; but at the same time I still want to think and talk about Finland. So hopefully by blogging I can do a bit of both without getting myself too carried away.
So for now I guess;
Hyvää Yötä! Good Night!
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