#pre-exchange

[mariainswitzerland-blog]

Update

29 June 2017 My visa application is submitted and I've just confirmed my flights! I'll leave the United States on August 9th and arrive in Switzerland on August 10th. Only 41 days left! 🇨🇭

[mariainswitzerland-blog]

Lenzburg!

21 May 2017

Today, I finally received an email from my first host family! I will join a family of 6, including my host mom, host dad, 2 host sisters, and 2 host brothers. My oldest host sister is on exchange to the United States this year, and my oldest host brother will be going to the United States this next year. They also have a cat, which I’m excited about because I have never had one before. Apparently, the older ones can all speak English, which makes me a little apprehensive because I really want to learn German/Swiss German while I am there. All of them seem very sweet, and I can’t wait to meet them!

They live in Lenzburg, which is a really small town between Basel and Zurich. It has this amazing castle, and it seems to be fairly rural. I will be going to school with my oldest host sister. It looks really quaint and beautiful, and I cannot wait to see it in person! It will be a big change going from a relatively large city in the US, but I’m really excited for the new experience!

[mariainswitzerland-blog]

District Orientation #2

4 May 2017

Today I had the privilege of attending our second district orientation, which was conveniently the day before the APUSH exam. Still, it was really awesome to see everyone again, and learn more about exchange!

The topic this time was culture shock and reverse culture shock. Rotarians presented on the general cycle of how adaptation in a new country works, as well as strategies about how to navigate it. Furthermore, they discussed the relativism of culture - that cultures aren’t necessarily good or bad, just different. The importance of learning the language was reemphasized, and the night was over.

There were also a number of exchange students that spoke, including ones from France and Chile, as well as a Rotex to the Netherlands. They commented a lot about their experiences regarding culture shock. Also, one of the girls from France gave one of her Rotary speeches, which was very well done and gave me a good idea of where I should start with mine. Unfortunately, because of the impending APUSH test, I wasn’t able to stay long to talk with people afterwards.

Finally, we received some pins, shirts (not blazers yet), and turned in our research assignments. I finished mine nearly a month ago, so it was great reading through it again. I’m so excited for what this next year has in store - with it’s highs, lows, and everything in between!

[naomi-in-italy-blog]

Palermo!

May 1, 2017

Today, I received an email from my first host family! As I haven’t received my guarantee form yet, it came as a huge surprise. The message was short, but really sweet. It introduced the members of my host family (a father, mother, two sisters that I probably won’t be able to meet, and a younger brother), who all seem really nice. I’m so excited to get to know them more in the upcoming months!

In addition, the email mentioned the city I’ll be living in next year - Palermo! It’s the fifth largest metropolitan area in Italy, located on the north coast of Sicily. After just a quick Google search, it looks so wonderful and I can’t wait to explore it more. The sheer amount of history there is slightly overwhelming (it being founded over a millennia before the United States), but the mix of cultures is so fascinating!

My Italian is coming along, albeit slower because of speaking Spanish again on a regular basis for school. I am loving the language so far (although as always adverbs and verb conjugations are killer), but it’s kind of hard to believe I’ll only be using this musical language a year from now. Apparently most people on Sicily don’t speak much English, so I am feeling really motivated to learn more Italian before I go. It’s all so new and foreign, but I guess that’s what exchange is about!

Ciao a tutti e a presto!

[naomi-in-italy-blog]

District Orientation #1

March 4, 2017 A week ago, I went to my first Rotary orientation, and it was pretty great. Exchange feels so much more real now, and I still can't believe that it is really happening! It's so surreal that a year ago I was wishing I was in this situation, and now I'm actually here! The orientation was at a local high school, and started at 9:00 AM. My sister and I signed in, and picked up the schedule for the day, a notice about our next orientation (in early May), the homework assignment due at said orientation (which is waaay longer than I expected, but seems super interesting), and these really spiffy, professional-looking name badges. Before the start of the orientation, I signed the last of the forms needed for the application and turned in the last hard copies needed, so my application is officially complete! The orientation itself wasn't too interesting. It lasted about four hours, and it was more for the parents, in my opinion. The presenters covered basic information about Rotary, expectations for students while abroad, rules, insurance, travel, and abuse education. I didn't really learn anything new, but I think my parents are slowly warming up to the idea of exchange, which makes me really excited. The best thing about the orientation was the people. My district currently has 7 long term inbounds, 19 short term outbounds, and 4 long term outbounds. During the break in the middle, I was able to talk to this really nice Rotex from Chile, who was able to give me a lot of insight as to what exchange in general is like. I also chatted with one of the short term outbounds who is also going to Italy, who is also incredibly nice. I feel like the community and support provided by Rotary before leaving on exchange is extremely valuable, and has made me even more excited to leave. The orientation was, if not super educational, extremely interesting and fun, and I cannot wait for the next one (although it is the night before the APUSH exam, which isn't ideal). Exchange is such a great opportunity, and I can't wait to pursue it more!

[mariainswitzerland-blog]

District Orientation #1

4 March 2017

Today was my first district orientation and my first Rotary event after being accepted into the program, and it was amazing. It was a much-needed outlet for all of the excitement that I feel obligated to hide when I’m around my friends from my school or my church. Furthermore, it was a huge relief to turn in the hard copies of my application - everything is finally in!

In terms of information aimed only at the students, I had already heard most of what was presented. It mainly had to do with rules, expectations, tips, and how to deal with problems or abuse; which are all available online if you do some minor digging. If anything, I firmly believe that this particular orientation was more valuable for my parents. The majority of the time was spent discussing things like health insurance, outlining the travel procedures, and generally showing how Rotary will ensure an Outbound’s safety while abroad. I’m not saying that this wasn’t relevant to me (it was all very, very important) - it just helped my parents become more at ease with the program. In total, it probably lasted about 3 and a half hours, but both short- and long-term Outbounds (and their parents) were in the same room the entire time.

The highlight of the orientation was being able to meet and talk with the amazing Outbounds, Inbounds, and Rotex in my district. Each shared a little about their exchange and some tips in front of the group, and I was able to chat with a Rotex (to Chile) and one of the Inbounds from France! It was so motivating and interesting to hear about both of their experiences!

The last kind of significant happening was that I received my Research Assignment, which I really haven’t seen discussed a lot. It was so much more than I expected (4 pages of questions?!) and is due at my next orientation in May.

In short, the orientation was great! My only regret was that I was so scatterbrained because I had to make it to my Solo Ensemble competition right afterwards. This is such an amazing opportunity that Rotary is able to provide, and I am so grateful to all of the lovely Rotarians in my district! Can it be August yet?

[ryejapan]

7/12/16

Everything is kind of a mess right now. Yesterday I posted so confidently but now I am unsure of my departure date.

I was initially told to leave between the 23rd and the 25th, but now my host dad and counselor think the 17th would be best.

My correspondent, who is much higher up, is the one who suggested the 23rd-25th though so there might be a specific reason why he suggested this.

I know this isn’t a huge problem at all and it will be solved, but I’m lowkey freaking out about this. I just wanna know when I’m going and that whatever date it is works well for my counselor and host family, since they are the ones that will directly be dealing with me.

I also don’t to step on any foots before I even begin my exchange.

Ugh!

[ryejapan]

A long-due update

2:36 PM 7/11/2016

Hi guys!

It has been a while. A loooooong while.

There’s not an excuse for my absence really, except for that up until this past weekend there has been next to no progress, so there wasn’t anything to update y’all on.

This weekend though, suddenly everything came together.

It was the central states conference, which was a blast, but that will get its own post. I have lots to tell from that and lots of photos to share.

But outside of central states, I got so much information.

I learned that I will be going to school at Naga highschool in Iwade, which means I will be in Wakayama rather than Osaka!

There was a girl at central states who is currently an inbound here, but she actually goes to my school. There was also a rebound who went to my school. Between the two of them, I learned so much about it.

I also heard from my first host family, which just consists of a Rotarian who seems so so nice and his wife. They also have a daughter, but she lives in Tokyo.

My guarantee form is finally ready and about to be handed to the consulate, so I should get my Visa and flight information within a couple weeks.

I was told that I will be expected in Japan between the 23rd and 25th of August, so the plan now is to leave on the 23rd. My host dad did mention the 17th though, so that might be a possibility as well.

With all this information, it’s all really coming together. I could not be more excited. I’ve set up a countdown on my phone, and if things go according to plan I am leaving in 1 month and 12 days.

I need to pack and I need to study, but I feel so ready to go despite this. I want to be there now.

On the topic of studying, I feel my Japanese is starting to pick up again. I plateaued for a few months, since I was so busy I couldn’t study hardly at all and was not getting the language down. But now more than ever I feel motivated to just study, study, study.

Anyway, like I said before I’ll be writing another post about Central States, but now I have to go unpack, clean, and study. Expect that post latr tonight