I sent in my visa application yesterday and also booked my plane tickets. The plan is to leave out of DFW at night on august 21st and fly all night and arrive in Santiago around 8ish on august 22!
Something so simple like buying a plane ticket can really send me into a phase of excitement that probably only my fellow exchange students and Rotex(students who have already exchanged) can fully understand. Preparing for such an important year of my life can bring many different struggles, and roadblocks, which are already testing my faith and how strong I truly am. Even now I'm beginning to see things differently, and think about and explore things that I have never thought of before...which is essentially what an exchange student does! The emotional things I'm srtuggling with will help me grow and be the best person I can be, not only as an ambassador for the United States, but as an ambassador for Christ.
Aside from my exchange, on Saturday I will be traveling to Ensenada, Mexico to share the love of Jesus to orphaned and abandoned children at an orphange called "City of Children" and also doing benevolent work and work projects in the surrounding areas that are in extreme poverty. I covet prayers as me and many members of my church family travel out of the country next week. I hope to practice my spanish and gain confidence speaking to people who I know will be patient with this "gringa" trying to speak spanish! :)
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Thursday, June 23, 2011
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me...
Hola amigos! so I decided to join many of my exchange student friends in creating a blog about my exchange year, not only while I am in Chile, but as I prepare to go on such an awesome adventure.
BACKGROUND INFO:
About 6 months ago I filled out an application to become a Rotary Youth Exchange student. I have always wanted to be an exchange student but i could never find the right program. I wanted a country that spoke spanish. Well now here I am, six months later, going to Chile!
http://www.rotary.org/en/studentsandyouth/youthprograms/rotaryyouthexchange/pages/ridefault.aspx
I am so excited about going on my exchange. I will be staying in Santiago, the capital of Chile. I will leave sometime at the end of August of 2011 and return sometime in late May or early June of 2012. I have been emailing my host sister, Camila, every so often and she seems very nice, and just recently I received an email from my host mom, Myriam. The family seems so nice and I can't wait to meet them all.
My emotions about going abroad are like a roller coaster, one day I'm so super excited to get on the plane, and then the next day I'm so scared and my head is screaming "what the heck are you thinking going to a country that you have never been to before, where you wont know the language, and living with people whom you have only met via email...your crazy!" When you think about it though, the whole idea IS crazy, however, that is also why I am doing it. God doesn't call us to be scared, he calls us to step out in faith and lean on him for guidance. I believe this exchange year will not only benefit me in the future, but it will also help me grow spiritually as well and really test my faith. I know this is such a great opportunity and I can not wait to go. There is A LOTtof preparation and "fine tuning" that still needs to be done before I can leave in August.
TO DO:
BACKGROUND INFO:
About 6 months ago I filled out an application to become a Rotary Youth Exchange student. I have always wanted to be an exchange student but i could never find the right program. I wanted a country that spoke spanish. Well now here I am, six months later, going to Chile!
http://www.rotary.org/en/studentsandyouth/youthprograms/rotaryyouthexchange/pages/ridefault.aspx
I am so excited about going on my exchange. I will be staying in Santiago, the capital of Chile. I will leave sometime at the end of August of 2011 and return sometime in late May or early June of 2012. I have been emailing my host sister, Camila, every so often and she seems very nice, and just recently I received an email from my host mom, Myriam. The family seems so nice and I can't wait to meet them all.
My emotions about going abroad are like a roller coaster, one day I'm so super excited to get on the plane, and then the next day I'm so scared and my head is screaming "what the heck are you thinking going to a country that you have never been to before, where you wont know the language, and living with people whom you have only met via email...your crazy!" When you think about it though, the whole idea IS crazy, however, that is also why I am doing it. God doesn't call us to be scared, he calls us to step out in faith and lean on him for guidance. I believe this exchange year will not only benefit me in the future, but it will also help me grow spiritually as well and really test my faith. I know this is such a great opportunity and I can not wait to go. There is A LOTtof preparation and "fine tuning" that still needs to be done before I can leave in August.
TO DO:
- apply for visa
- make trading pins for jacket
- gifts for host families
- what to pack?
- buy plane tickets
- go to consulate to get visa
and the list keeps going.......ahh! but it will be so worth it!
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