So, it sounds like we need to revise that beginning of March date- due to various complications in communication with host clubs, it sounds like I'll (probably) know where I'm going on or by orientation on April 2nd. April 2nd. I can deal with that. The question is whether I will burst from impatience while I'm "dealing"...
Heh, well. Hey, let's talk about fundraising! I've set up a "Fundraising Hall of Fame" on the sidebar, and anyone who contributes more than $5 to my fundraising efforts gets their name in the hall of fame! I have several ideas for fundraising techniques, including a widget right here on the blog that allows you to donate through paypal, and an Etsy store selling various handmade items pertaining to exchange. Look for these soon!
Until then,
-Sophia
jeudi 17 mars 2011
jeudi 17 février 2011
South America?
Hey all, this is Sophia here reporting on the outcome of my recent Canadian interview! There is good news and...interesting news. Let's start with the unequivocally good news:
I am definitely going to be and exchange student next year. That little sentence on the application that said I wasn't necessarily accepted until they told me after this interview was just, I don't know, a precaution in case I turned up obviously high or something. But I am certainly accepted.
Now the interesting news:
I am not necessarily going to France, or even to the European continent. I knew that it was possible that I wouldn't get to go to France. I had backup options if that country wasn't available. But it never crossed my mind that they may send me to the wrong continent! I could get to France (although this is extremely unlikely- most of the exchange students this year want France, and there are only two spots!), but I could just as easily end up in Japan or Brazil. They kept asking me about South America in the interview, and I just didn't know how to respond, because I simply wasn't prepared for that question. "Where do you want to go in France?", that I could deal with. Not so with "How do you feel about Brazil?"
I think it was this confusion that contributed to my feeling that the interview didn't go too well. The closing question was, "If you were sent to South America, would that be a deal breaker for you?" At the time, I wasn't able to answer, but during the drive home my mom made a very good point. I was looking at it as a "France or Brazil?" question, but really what it was was "A year in your average American high school, or a year studying in a foreign country?" A year in any foreign country is guaranteed to be better and more educational than anything I could experience where I am now. So, to answer that closing question (albeit a little late), of course I'll go to Brazil. I'll go to Japan, or Mexico, or France if you can send me there. I'm still dying to spend the year in France, and I'll be crushed if I don't get there. But I'll get over that. And I would be so deeply honored to go anywhere in this wide world that I will go anywhere I end up ready to throw myself into the experience.
Bye for now,
Sophia
P.S. Apparently we'll be hearing in early March where I'll be going, then I'll start going to orientations/getting more information about host districts, ect. in early/mid April. You readers will be among the first to know when I find out my host country, so..bye until early March!
I am definitely going to be and exchange student next year. That little sentence on the application that said I wasn't necessarily accepted until they told me after this interview was just, I don't know, a precaution in case I turned up obviously high or something. But I am certainly accepted.
Now the interesting news:
I am not necessarily going to France, or even to the European continent. I knew that it was possible that I wouldn't get to go to France. I had backup options if that country wasn't available. But it never crossed my mind that they may send me to the wrong continent! I could get to France (although this is extremely unlikely- most of the exchange students this year want France, and there are only two spots!), but I could just as easily end up in Japan or Brazil. They kept asking me about South America in the interview, and I just didn't know how to respond, because I simply wasn't prepared for that question. "Where do you want to go in France?", that I could deal with. Not so with "How do you feel about Brazil?"
I think it was this confusion that contributed to my feeling that the interview didn't go too well. The closing question was, "If you were sent to South America, would that be a deal breaker for you?" At the time, I wasn't able to answer, but during the drive home my mom made a very good point. I was looking at it as a "France or Brazil?" question, but really what it was was "A year in your average American high school, or a year studying in a foreign country?" A year in any foreign country is guaranteed to be better and more educational than anything I could experience where I am now. So, to answer that closing question (albeit a little late), of course I'll go to Brazil. I'll go to Japan, or Mexico, or France if you can send me there. I'm still dying to spend the year in France, and I'll be crushed if I don't get there. But I'll get over that. And I would be so deeply honored to go anywhere in this wide world that I will go anywhere I end up ready to throw myself into the experience.
Bye for now,
Sophia
P.S. Apparently we'll be hearing in early March where I'll be going, then I'll start going to orientations/getting more information about host districts, ect. in early/mid April. You readers will be among the first to know when I find out my host country, so..bye until early March!
jeudi 3 février 2011
Postponement and Passports
Three pieces of news!
1) Passports arrived! They are beauteous and high-tech, complete with computer chips and shiny, shiny crests and lettering.
2) All the paperwork is turned in. 18 pages, four copies, complete with colored photographs of various things and letters to host people and everything else they wanted. The first test is being able to successfully complete the extremely complex and confusing paperwork, and I think I passed!
3) The District Interview has been postponed. Postponed! To February 12th! Are they trying to make me implode from the suspense? The only comfort I have is the conversation I had with our local club student exchange representative, in which he said that it is very uncommon for students to be rejected at this stage. Whew. Keep your fingers crossed for me, though, just in case :)
Next post will probably be about the District Interview...until then, bye!
1) Passports arrived! They are beauteous and high-tech, complete with computer chips and shiny, shiny crests and lettering.
2) All the paperwork is turned in. 18 pages, four copies, complete with colored photographs of various things and letters to host people and everything else they wanted. The first test is being able to successfully complete the extremely complex and confusing paperwork, and I think I passed!
3) The District Interview has been postponed. Postponed! To February 12th! Are they trying to make me implode from the suspense? The only comfort I have is the conversation I had with our local club student exchange representative, in which he said that it is very uncommon for students to be rejected at this stage. Whew. Keep your fingers crossed for me, though, just in case :)
Next post will probably be about the District Interview...until then, bye!
dimanche 9 janvier 2011
On the Filling Out of Applications
Long time, no post! Sorry 'bout that. I've been focusing on getting the Long Term Application filled out in preparation for the district interview on the 29th, which is getting closer and closer! Such a momentous date for me. Ok, that was an obvious sentence, but it was worth it 'cause I got to use "momentous". Anyway, basically I've been wrangling with this 18 page form that has to be made into four copies and signed in blue ink and includes pictures and school reports and doctor's reports and copies of birth certificates, ect. Quite exhaustive, really, but I suppose they have to be, sending kids off to foreign countries for extended periods of time like they do.
Well, just wanted to let any readers there might be out there that I'm still here, still working towards this goal. Cross your fingers for me, dahlings, and I'll post again soon!
Well, just wanted to let any readers there might be out there that I'm still here, still working towards this goal. Cross your fingers for me, dahlings, and I'll post again soon!
jeudi 9 décembre 2010
Passports
I know I've been posting a lot, but I feel the need to write about every tiny little thing that happens with the exchange...Just skip if I start sounding self-centered, I swear I don't mean it.
Today we went as a family to our local town hall and gave them our passport applications. I'm pretty excited to get a passport, since I've never had one before. Once I get my hands on that little book, I can go anywhere! Provided I also have a plane ticket and money.
Anyway, that's my update for the day. It's interesting writing this blog, because when I look at all the things I've been recording, all the things that have been happening, it feels like this process is going really fast. But when I think about all the time and steps I have to go through to get there, the process suddenly seems soooo slooowww...Different perspectives. And I can't figure out which I want! I want to be prepared, but I also want to get there now. But that's life, I guess.
(im)patiently,
Sophia
Today we went as a family to our local town hall and gave them our passport applications. I'm pretty excited to get a passport, since I've never had one before. Once I get my hands on that little book, I can go anywhere! Provided I also have a plane ticket and money.
Anyway, that's my update for the day. It's interesting writing this blog, because when I look at all the things I've been recording, all the things that have been happening, it feels like this process is going really fast. But when I think about all the time and steps I have to go through to get there, the process suddenly seems soooo slooowww...Different perspectives. And I can't figure out which I want! I want to be prepared, but I also want to get there now. But that's life, I guess.
(im)patiently,
Sophia
mercredi 8 décembre 2010
Beauty Too Rare For Use...
Forgive me for the title of this post. I think I'm just maybe a little bit too excited about my fantastically schnazzy new banner! Yes, when you start applying quotes from Romeo & Juliet to your blogger banner, things have gone too far.
For those of you who have just started reading, before this post I didn't have a title banner for this blog, just the standard-issue text title from the blogger template. But now! I have a lovely picture to represent where I come from (Space Needle for Seattle) and a lovely picture to represent where I'm going (Eiffel Tower, for France) and a title in atrocious Google Translate-sourced French! It's supposed to mean, "My Journey To France," but I'm pretty sure Google gave me "My Journey In France". Promise, I'll fix it once I know the language.
Anyway...Just wanted to call attention to my obviously amazing (ahem) graphic design skills (it only took me several hours to make the banner). I'll probably be posting more soon...I think it's time to talk about fundraising! Bye for now...
For those of you who have just started reading, before this post I didn't have a title banner for this blog, just the standard-issue text title from the blogger template. But now! I have a lovely picture to represent where I come from (Space Needle for Seattle) and a lovely picture to represent where I'm going (Eiffel Tower, for France) and a title in atrocious Google Translate-sourced French! It's supposed to mean, "My Journey To France," but I'm pretty sure Google gave me "My Journey In France". Promise, I'll fix it once I know the language.
Anyway...Just wanted to call attention to my obviously amazing (ahem) graphic design skills (it only took me several hours to make the banner). I'll probably be posting more soon...I think it's time to talk about fundraising! Bye for now...
mardi 7 décembre 2010
Hear Ye, Hear Ye! Happy News!
Good news, readers all! A few nights ago I received a call from my local Rotary club's representative saying that they had picked me to be the Rotary exchange student!! Huzzah! Yay! Woot! So, now the next step is to go to a district interview in Canada in January. They can still reject me at that interview, but it sounds like it's not too common for that to happen. So, for all intents and purposes, I can say I'm going to Europe as an exchange student next year! Now I have to fill out this 18-page form to bring to the district interview, as well as arrange for my passport- I don't have one yet, and I need it to get to Canada for the interview, at least! Today we all (mom, dad, little sister, and I) went to get our passport pictures taken, and Thursday is when we start the process of getting actual passports.
Ever since I got that call, my life has felt pretty surreal. I've wanted this for several years now, and part of my brain is already planning, figuring out what steps I need to take, what needs to be done, what questions need to be asked, ect. But then there's this whole other part of my brain that just hasn't realized what this means yet- that me, the girl who had never been farther from home that Palo Alto, California, is going to go to live in France* for a whole year. It's taking a while to sink in, and I don't think I'll really believe it until I've arrived at the French* airport, but that doesn't stop me from being wildly happy! I feel so deeply honored. I can't stop talking about it, I'm afraid I'm becoming quite a nuisance to my friends and family. My only sorrow is that my being chosen means that many other people who wanted it just as bad won't get the chance. I wish I could bring them all with me. But I'm sure they'll make their way to wherever they want to go somehow.
Anyway...Got to go! I've got places to be, people to see, things to do, trips to Europe to plan, fundraising to do! So much to do!**
Walking on clouds,
Sophia
*France- that is, if I go to France. I'm not quite sure when I find out for sure which country I'm going to, or how I let my request be known, but France would be my first choice, and I think I would do well there. Apparently exchange students have almost no say as far as what region of their country they go to, but I think I'd be happy anywhere in France!
**!- Lots of exclamation points to write!
Ever since I got that call, my life has felt pretty surreal. I've wanted this for several years now, and part of my brain is already planning, figuring out what steps I need to take, what needs to be done, what questions need to be asked, ect. But then there's this whole other part of my brain that just hasn't realized what this means yet- that me, the girl who had never been farther from home that Palo Alto, California, is going to go to live in France* for a whole year. It's taking a while to sink in, and I don't think I'll really believe it until I've arrived at the French* airport, but that doesn't stop me from being wildly happy! I feel so deeply honored. I can't stop talking about it, I'm afraid I'm becoming quite a nuisance to my friends and family. My only sorrow is that my being chosen means that many other people who wanted it just as bad won't get the chance. I wish I could bring them all with me. But I'm sure they'll make their way to wherever they want to go somehow.
Anyway...Got to go! I've got places to be, people to see, things to do, trips to Europe to plan, fundraising to do! So much to do!**
Walking on clouds,
Sophia
*France- that is, if I go to France. I'm not quite sure when I find out for sure which country I'm going to, or how I let my request be known, but France would be my first choice, and I think I would do well there. Apparently exchange students have almost no say as far as what region of their country they go to, but I think I'd be happy anywhere in France!
**!- Lots of exclamation points to write!
mardi 30 novembre 2010
Interview and Welcome
Welcome to my youth exchange blog! For the next year or so, I will be recording first the process of getting myself to Europe for youth exchange, then when I get there you'll get to hear all about my life in France! Or whatever country I end up in. I'm hoping for France, though. So, tune in and come along for the ride! It's going to be pretty wild, but lots of fun- and even more fun if I get to share it!
The first step to getting into my exchange program of choice, Rotary Club's International Youth Exchange, is to complete a one page form about yourself and send it in to your local Rotary Club. So, after sending in my application to the people at Rotary Youth Exchange, waiting to hear back from Rotary, scheduling an interview, having that interview postponed due to snow (which barely ever happens here) and having to wait what seemed like ages for the rescheduled interview to come 'round, I have finally completed my preliminary interview with my local Rotary club! I think it went very well, if I do say so myself. There's a lot of competition this year, seven applicants (most of them my friends, unfortunately), and only one spot, but I think I have as good a chance as any. Cross your fingers for me! I'll let you know when I hear back.
The first step to getting into my exchange program of choice, Rotary Club's International Youth Exchange, is to complete a one page form about yourself and send it in to your local Rotary Club. So, after sending in my application to the people at Rotary Youth Exchange, waiting to hear back from Rotary, scheduling an interview, having that interview postponed due to snow (which barely ever happens here) and having to wait what seemed like ages for the rescheduled interview to come 'round, I have finally completed my preliminary interview with my local Rotary club! I think it went very well, if I do say so myself. There's a lot of competition this year, seven applicants (most of them my friends, unfortunately), and only one spot, but I think I have as good a chance as any. Cross your fingers for me! I'll let you know when I hear back.
Inscription à :
Articles (Atom)