What hasn’t been popping in my life right now! My host sister, Leshka Ramos Fernandez, contacted me through email on Saturday 3/21/15. I found out from her that I have a little 3 year old brother and I will live in Arequipa, Peru with them. After a thorough stalking on Facebook I concluded that my country girl, I’d rather smell like horses and wear mud then a dress approach to life will soon be challenged. Oh well. That’s what an exchange is all about.
My family found out today that they will be replacing me with a fifteen year old Italian boy named Cesare Barbera. He sounds perfect for this family. He loves basketball (1st bonus), he is the same age as Andrew, and he is a meat and potatos kind of guy (he and my dad will get along just fine). I am almost as excited for them as they are. Like me, Cesare will have 3 families throughout his exchange year, so that being said my family will host him over the Christmas trimester. At least, that is the plan as of now. Now, with everything there is a possibility of a change so please don’t be surprised if things change.
Over the past few months I have a lot of similar questions from a verity of people so take this blog as my attempt to answer the questions of people that haven’t had the opportunity to ask me these questions.
What is Rotary?
Let’s just say Rotary is awesome! Rotary, its self is a service organization that is made up of clubs in towns and cities. The clubs organize community service projects and give monetary donations to Rotary to further the world wide project that rotary is focusing on. Right now rotary is eradicating polio from the face of the earth, they have one country left to go. Rotary also allows leaders in our community network.
Rotary youth exchange is just a small part of how rotary gives back to the world. The youth exchange motto is, “peace through understanding,” which, from what I have heard from other exchange students is so true because how could you ever go to war with Nabila my friend from Indonesia?
When will I be leaving?
Mid July to early August range. They try to rout exchange students that are traveling to the same regions into the same flights. That way I can meet people that are going through the same experiences as me and give me a little more confidence that I am on the right plane when I see the other exchange students.
How long is the exchange?
10-12 months depending on each exchange student’s visa. I have no idea about mine and I probably won’t know for a while… for most rotary exchange students its 10 months. Believe me when I know I’ll update my blog so you will know too.
Are you nervous?
Maybe, but not really. I’m going to miss my horse. Oh, and friends and family, I’ll miss them too. I’m not nervous about me going I’m more concerned about life in Indiana that is still going on without me. My cousin will have her baby right after I leave, Andrew will take my spot at the dinner table, Esther will wear my clothes. It’s the life that I was a part of that I will be missing. But I guess that’s all part of the experience. Life doesn’t revolve around me as much as I wish it would.
Do you ever get to come home?
Nope. If I come home I stay home. Meaning, I can’t go back. I talked to my parents about this one because that means that if there is a death or a crisis what situation or circumstance would be best for me to come home. Let me tell ya’, the lines are so blurred and gray. I hope I never have to make that decision.
How does “hosting” work?
Rotary is all volunteers. This has pros and cons but the pros rally outweigh the cons. The con is working with volunteers means that sometimes progress is slow. People have their own lives they have to deal with the exchange program is one more job to get done. The pro is the people that run this genuinely want to do what they are doing. Everyone has a different reason but all of them love it. This leads me into hosting. Host families just like all the rest are volunteers. This means that they WANT an exchange student they aren’t just doing it for the money. Rotary isn’t a walk in the park either. Each family member goes through a background check and is interviewed. The home is inspected and they must fill out an application. If you aren’t committed and you don’t absolutely want to than you won’t make it through all the procedures.
Will I still be going to school?
Absolutely. Since I will have finished all my classes here in America I won’t have to come back and finish high school but while I’m in Peru I will be attending a high school so I can learn and make friends.
How will others contact me while I’m away?
Well… here is where things get touchy. Many exchange students complain about people back home begging for their attention to much. Remember it’s not that I don’t love you, it that I’m trying to immerse myself into another different culture and in order to do that I can’t spend all my time making everyone at home happy. That’s what the blog it for! Friends and family get to see what I’m doing and read about my experiences. Now, it’s not like just because I go to a different country it means that I fall off the face of the earth. I’ll still keep my social media so that one way to directly contact me, another popular choice is skype so those of you that don’t have a skype account my want to look into one if you want to see my shinning face.
If anyone has any more questions don’t hesitate to ask! There is a comments section in the blog I would love to respond to or contact me whatever way you know how and I will feed your curiosity the t-bone of its choice. That is, if I know the answer….
My family found out today that they will be replacing me with a fifteen year old Italian boy named Cesare Barbera. He sounds perfect for this family. He loves basketball (1st bonus), he is the same age as Andrew, and he is a meat and potatos kind of guy (he and my dad will get along just fine). I am almost as excited for them as they are. Like me, Cesare will have 3 families throughout his exchange year, so that being said my family will host him over the Christmas trimester. At least, that is the plan as of now. Now, with everything there is a possibility of a change so please don’t be surprised if things change.
Over the past few months I have a lot of similar questions from a verity of people so take this blog as my attempt to answer the questions of people that haven’t had the opportunity to ask me these questions.
What is Rotary?
Let’s just say Rotary is awesome! Rotary, its self is a service organization that is made up of clubs in towns and cities. The clubs organize community service projects and give monetary donations to Rotary to further the world wide project that rotary is focusing on. Right now rotary is eradicating polio from the face of the earth, they have one country left to go. Rotary also allows leaders in our community network.
Rotary youth exchange is just a small part of how rotary gives back to the world. The youth exchange motto is, “peace through understanding,” which, from what I have heard from other exchange students is so true because how could you ever go to war with Nabila my friend from Indonesia?
When will I be leaving?
Mid July to early August range. They try to rout exchange students that are traveling to the same regions into the same flights. That way I can meet people that are going through the same experiences as me and give me a little more confidence that I am on the right plane when I see the other exchange students.
How long is the exchange?
10-12 months depending on each exchange student’s visa. I have no idea about mine and I probably won’t know for a while… for most rotary exchange students its 10 months. Believe me when I know I’ll update my blog so you will know too.
Are you nervous?
Maybe, but not really. I’m going to miss my horse. Oh, and friends and family, I’ll miss them too. I’m not nervous about me going I’m more concerned about life in Indiana that is still going on without me. My cousin will have her baby right after I leave, Andrew will take my spot at the dinner table, Esther will wear my clothes. It’s the life that I was a part of that I will be missing. But I guess that’s all part of the experience. Life doesn’t revolve around me as much as I wish it would.
Do you ever get to come home?
Nope. If I come home I stay home. Meaning, I can’t go back. I talked to my parents about this one because that means that if there is a death or a crisis what situation or circumstance would be best for me to come home. Let me tell ya’, the lines are so blurred and gray. I hope I never have to make that decision.
How does “hosting” work?
Rotary is all volunteers. This has pros and cons but the pros rally outweigh the cons. The con is working with volunteers means that sometimes progress is slow. People have their own lives they have to deal with the exchange program is one more job to get done. The pro is the people that run this genuinely want to do what they are doing. Everyone has a different reason but all of them love it. This leads me into hosting. Host families just like all the rest are volunteers. This means that they WANT an exchange student they aren’t just doing it for the money. Rotary isn’t a walk in the park either. Each family member goes through a background check and is interviewed. The home is inspected and they must fill out an application. If you aren’t committed and you don’t absolutely want to than you won’t make it through all the procedures.
Will I still be going to school?
Absolutely. Since I will have finished all my classes here in America I won’t have to come back and finish high school but while I’m in Peru I will be attending a high school so I can learn and make friends.
How will others contact me while I’m away?
Well… here is where things get touchy. Many exchange students complain about people back home begging for their attention to much. Remember it’s not that I don’t love you, it that I’m trying to immerse myself into another different culture and in order to do that I can’t spend all my time making everyone at home happy. That’s what the blog it for! Friends and family get to see what I’m doing and read about my experiences. Now, it’s not like just because I go to a different country it means that I fall off the face of the earth. I’ll still keep my social media so that one way to directly contact me, another popular choice is skype so those of you that don’t have a skype account my want to look into one if you want to see my shinning face.
If anyone has any more questions don’t hesitate to ask! There is a comments section in the blog I would love to respond to or contact me whatever way you know how and I will feed your curiosity the t-bone of its choice. That is, if I know the answer….