#afs exchange

[nihongrace]

any other 2020-2021 exchange students?

just got my acceptance from rotary yesterday! i’ll find out my country within the next month.

[andthesuncameout]

three more months???

exchange is getting to that weird point where you realize, shit, I have three months left. and it’s really weird. like I know that I have a family back home and this completely different life, but for the whole time I’ve been here it’s like my home back home has been this fantasy place that will take forever for me to come back to. but now that it’s actually hit me, that I have only three months, it’s like okay. I’m going home. to my family. that actually exists. and my house. and street. and just. it’s so, so weird. I don’t know if anyone else will understand this or get this, but I just had to write it down because it’s such a strange concept that’s been buzzing in my head ever since I counted down the months left.

[american-girl-in-a-belgian--blog]

Biology, Maastricht and Three weeks of updates

October 22, 2017

First things first, I’m sorry for going so long without updating. Originally, I was planing to do a two week update since that first week I missed was pretty uneventful, but I didn’t have time to update after I got back from Maastricht and I’ve been pretty preoccupied with school, other articles and the upcoming NaNoWriMo (which I’m totally going to concur this year).

Anyway, as I ready mentioned, the first week wasn’t that eventful. Monday, I didn’t have school and I still have no idea why XD. Like I’m not complaining, but it wasn’t a holiday or anything like that.

That Thursday, my brain was on vacation and I somehow managed to call Neurons “Nerfs” (aka Nerves) multiple times on my Biology test. But the worst part was probably when I wrote “hemisphere droite” instead of “Hemisphere gauche” and didn’t notice until I had already turned in the test.

Other than that, not much else happened besides the Tupperware party that we hosted. It actually wasn’t that bad, but at the same time we didn't really have dinner after which sucked (not that I was that hungry anyway). We also had diner at my host mother’s aunt’s house that Saturday where I discovered my hidden love for Potatoes and Raclette with bacon ^^.

Last week's P.E class was my first real glimpse of the fiery pits of hell since our P.E teacher decided that 5km wasn’t enough, so she made us run from the school all the way to the top of the citadel and back (which is more than 7km with half of it being up hill). I spent most of the run questioning the existence of the Runner’s high thing since it hasn’t seemed to have happened to me yet. At least I had Tuesday to recover since the bus felt like Striking again XD. 

Then of course, we have the Maastricht trip which was amazing! It felt pretty short since it was only for a weekend, but It really was a blast and it was nice to meet up with everyone again ^^. I’ll be making a post about the Maastricht trip so look out for that in the next few days!

Monday, we ran the 5km test  and I hated every second of it. Honestly, I don’t even care about the fact that I passed XD. I’m just glad to be done with it. The only problem is that I’m pretty sure I just switched one hell for another since our next unit is either dance or gym. While I’m far from a dancer, I really hope she picks dance or I’m going to end up seriously embarrassing myself with my noodle arms.

And finally, Friday I got to miss physics since I was on a guided tour around Namur with my history class. We talked about Namur’s place during both the world wars which woke up my inner history buff XD. I’m pretty sure we walked by some Stolpersteine too, so I’ll have to hunt those down again. 

At the end of the tour, they gave us some food that they ate during the world wars and while the porridge was basically slime that tasted like chalk, the potatoes tasted sour? I have no idea what they cooked it with,but if it’s not something I already hate, its definitely something I hate now.

And there you have it! 3 weeks of updates so now we’re back on track ^^

See you Sunday, 

Raychel 

(p.s I draw now)

(p.s.s. I got a 90% on the test for that french book)

(p.s.s.s I discovered that there’s this thing called “fritmap” which is a map of all the friteries in Belgium XD)

(p.s.s.s.s I love Tartiflette too)

[itsmyadventuresabroad-blog]

To go or not to go

When I was in 9th grade, I started thinking “What if I go on an exchange program?”, at the time it seemed like a million years ahead of me and I was only starting High School, nevertheless, I went to the AFS National Office in San José, asked to be given more information and well, I became a little obsessed. My original plan was to go abroad in 10th grade, little did I know I was going to end up taking a sabbatical after High School but let’s not get derailed with my silly stories.

Going on exchange is a BIG decision, actually no, it’s a MASSIVE one. You’re given the opportunity of starting a new life, in a new country, new language, new people and new surroundings but as charming as that may sound, we feel a little threatened at some point and that’s when the what ifs appear.

 What if my family won’t let me go?

What if they don’t accept me?

What if I don’t fit in?

What if… what if & what if…?

 Simple, but very powerful words.

Luckily, my family was very open towards the idea of going abroad for a year. Back in the good old’ days my grandparents had the opportunity of hosting an exchange student from the US which was already mind opening and well, of course, my mom was thrilled to have a new sister so it wasn’t such a big deal if they let me go abroad.  

 If at this point, you’re sitting in front of a computer thinking should I really go? I would say, yes! Do it! Work hard for it, even if I’m not there yet, I know it’s going to be a wonderful experience and one can learn so much from it.

That’s all I can say for now, ttyl!

[andthesuncameout]

month #1 (finally)

I’ve been here a month now. It feels kinda crazy, but awesome at the same time. Time is passing SO QUICKLY. It was only on the last Sunday that I realized, after calling my family, that that day marked the one month period. There is so much that I have done here, so much that I only dreamt of, and I’ve met so many amazing people and have seen so many amazing sights. I’m quite a shy person, but what I’ve learnt so far is that, people are awesome. They are kind, welcoming, joyful- if you put yourself out there, you never know who you might find. Reflecting on what I’ve done so far is a totally different story. I’ve picked wild berries, eaten the blueberries that grow fresh and sweet in the summer time when hiking. I’ve jumped into freezing cold fjord water on a stormy day, saying to myself ‘I AM A VIKING AND I’M NOT AFRAID!’. I’ve climbed mountains on dewy mornings, seen the sky and view stretch on for miles on end, as it feels endless as I stand from the top of the mountain. I’ve danced and played with my little host sister, watching her face light up as bubbly laughing fills the room. I’ve cuddled and petted friendly neighborhood cats in the golden hour. I’ve snuggled up in a warm bed, in a cosy room of a cabin with paper-thin log walls. I’ve made a bucket list with a friend, joking and laughing and feeling so comfortable and light. I’ve walked for kilometres, letting the soft breeze, morning sun, seagulls and crash of the waves drown out my homesickness and replace it with something kinder, something softer on myself. I’ve walked to school through forest paths and across small bridges that sit over streams. I’ve felt myself get stronger as I bike ride further each day, claiming each hill as one that I have succeeded over. I’ve run across rocks, heart thumping and feet light, stopping as my host parents and friends call me over as they find mushrooms for dinner. They teach about the food of the forest- berries not to eat, mushrooms that are dangerous, what to avoid. I’ve felt myself get warm, and walls fall further down as I sit by a bonfire, or in a chair on the deck, admiring the skyline, lit up with so many warm lights and night life vibes. I’ve found an abandoned hunting cabin high up, deep in the forests on the mountain. I’ve yelled my dismay over a video game as my friend shares my reaction. I’ve been on the back of a motorbike to her house, laughing inside, smiling on the outside as it feels so free to be on it, I’ve danced to ‘Hips Don’t Lie’ with her up to her house. I’ve met Norwegian horses, had a beautiful pony sniff and nudge against me before retreating back to the big, open field. I’ve had wind blow in my hair, sun shine on my face, and rain pelt down as I watch from inside. There is so much loudness; the yelling of my little host sister, the deep thrumming of music on Fridays in the canteen, the snorting laughter as my friend tries (and fails) to get a spider out of the room, the singing of my host parents and their joking as I join in, the rain at night, the steady loudness of the shower as I wash off salt sea-water from another jump into the fjord coast, the conversations of friends- both mine and family friends. There is so much. There is wonder- at the squirrels that scurry up trees, at foxes that bound across roads, at the sunlight as it dazzles through the leaves, at the echoing of our voices through the valley in our secluded cabin. There is so much, and so much more. Here’s to one month!

[andthesuncameout]

leaving home, and off to another

hmmmm. where to start. what are you supposed to say, feel- what do you do when you are about to leave your life for a year? I don’t know, I’m not so sure myself.  The days leading up to my departure where a blur, but filled with great and wonderful moments. I tried my best to just spend time with everyone- my family, my friends, my cats (of course!), to just enjoy this life as I got prepared to leave it. (Note to any future exchange people/babies/newbies (??): spend as much time with your friends and family as you can, because you’ll want to make good memories before you go!!) I read this advice a couple months ago, and boy did it stick in my head.

As the days leading up to my departure grew shorter, I could finally pack all of my things, after having them prepared for months on end out of excitement. I had all of my papers, my flight outfit planned, money sorted- I was ready as I could ever be, yet it still didn’t feel real. I spent the last few days with my friends, family- and the final day with just my family. we had brunch, the sun shone bright, it rained- kinda like a crazy reflection of my own emotions. my flight was scheduled as so: a 9:15pm flight from Australia, to Dubai- from Dubai, at 7:25am, was my flight to Norway. 

My family and I drove to the airport as the sun set, casting pink and orange reflections on the clouds and the slowly darkening, clear sky. I was with my mum, and my sisters, just enjoying this last time together. we arrived at the airport, checked in, had dinner together, and then it was time for me to say goodbye. usually before a flight I feel nervous and anxious- but this time, even though I was also saying goodbye- I didn’t feel nervous or sad at all. I was excited, but a lil numb at the same time. so, I said goodbye to my wonderful mum and two of my bestest friends, and left, along with so many other people. there were no other exchange students with me- I was the only one in Australia going to Norway, and everyone else was leaving on a different date. So, I got through security, through all the passport checks, and then there I was. Ready to leave, by myself, wandering until it was time to wait at the terminal to board. so many people, so many different stories- and I was about to make my own. 

Until next time! 

[andthesuncameout]

a short n small introduction

hi guys! I’ve never written on a tumblr blog, so please bear with me as I try to write about my new life. I’m an exchange student, soon to be in Norway! I leave in a couple of weeks- it’s kinda crazy to think about. so yeah, I’m 16, from Australia, and will soon be far from home. exchange is something I’ve considered before, but haven’t done until now- it feels right, exciting, but also nerve-wracking- but, I’m ready. so, for now, here’s to one year abroad! until next time! 

[american-girl-in-a-belgian--blog]

Airports, Cities and Updates

August 28th, 2017

Friday night, I officially started my Journey as an exchange student. It’s odd to think that I’ve been waiting for this moment for months and now that its here, I’m not exactly sure how I feel. Navigating JFK and KEF by myself was fairly easy. My gate at KEF happened to also be an emergency exit, so I got to watch a lot of people get confused and got to hear the alarm go off everytime someone tried to open the door. Honestly, I thought it was going to be pretty stressful, but it really wasn’t that bad. It was pretty interesting to have to get off the plane into the cold rain in order to have a shuttle take us to the terminal though. But other than that, it wasn’t bad at all. I arrived at BRU Saturday afternoon. It was pretty easy to navigate as well, but what made this part interesting was the fact that I couldn’t find the W.E.P representative for the life of me. I literally wandered for about 45 minutes before I decided to take a brake and they ended up finding me. Turns out, they had their flag set up on the opposite side of where I was blindly wandering XD I spent a good amount of time at BRU as we waited for other exchange students, but once we had enough students together we headed over to the hostel and got situated. Sunday was my first full day in Brussels. We had french classes in the morning, which is just some basics for about 3 hours, and went to Gand/Ghent in the afternoon. Gand is a really nice city so I highly recommend you visit if you ever get the chance. We got to take one of the 90 minute boat tours and that gave us sooo many picture opportunities. We also had some free time to wander around the city in small groups after the group picture we took near the river. I’ve never taken so many pictures before XD Today we had french lessons in the morning, before heading over to brussels for lunch and dinner. Lunch was pretty good, but I really wish they added more salt, but that’s probably just because Americans tend to use a lot of it. We also got to do a waffle work shop which was a lot of fun ^^. Gaufres de Bruxelles taste a lot like funnel cakes. After the Waffle workshop, we saw these two guys that were completely and totally drunk in the Grand Place/Grote Markt XD. It was kind of hard to pay attention to the tour guide while they were singing and stumbling around, but they managed to find their way out eventually. The tour was nice, we got to see some of the most famous parts of Brussels and it was quite pretty ^^. There’s so much Mannekin Pis merch though XD. Not to mention the fact that there’s so much beer here. Like the Delirium Café has over 3000 beers there. Plus, its right next to the Jeanneke pis XD. Of course, the best part of the day would have to have been the 2 hours we got to wander the city on our own. Hannah, Philip and I went into a Primark and a Zara and kinda just looked around. Philip tried on these random women’s jackets and a pair of heels and it was hilarious XD People kept trying to get us to go to their restaurants so we just kinda lied and said we had somewhere to be. As for the updating schedule, I plan to update this blog every Sunday as well as having special updates at the end of each month possibly along with a monthly recap? I dont really know yet… See you on Sunday, Raychel