Today is April 23, 2018:
I feel like I need to start every post off with, "Today is _________", just so I can keep all of my thoughts organized in chronological order. Today I left school early so I could help my mom with some chores around the house, raking the leaves and cleaning out her car.
- This past weekend was quite memorable ALTHOUGH, I did not have time to make a blog post over the weekend , I thought it was good to make one now! So i'll just give you a summary of what us exchange students did this last weekend.
-I woke up on Friday morning at 7 am, just because I was so excited to see everyone again. It was such beautiful weather in Fort Wayne and down in Indianapolis. I left at 8 am to go and pick up Grace, who is an exchange student going to Italy. Then after I picked her up we both went and picked up Ava, who is also an exchange student going to Brazil. The carpool to Indy was fantastic. We sang songs that we all completely forgot about. We arrived to Connor Prairie around 11 ish, a little later than anticipated because of a car accident that closed the roads. There we had lunch and was split up into 6 groups, where we all participated in a Service above Self volunteer activity. WE PICKED GARLIC MUSTARD PLANTS FOR 3 HOURS. The other exchange students, the ones not from America, absolutely loved picking the weed. We had so many bags of weeds, it wasn't funny. My group, Group #2, basically just had social hour. BUT, in those 3 hours, I had connected with students I have never met before, better than ever.
After the service project, we were able to walk around Connor Prairie, which is basically a larger version of the Fort Wayne Fort, with a lot more re-enactors. An hour later we were done. We then drove to Noblesville High School, where we played volleyball, soccer, basketball, ate dinner, and slept on the gym floor. This time together really strengthened our friendships as a whole. It was very much needed. We played cards against humanity, which we barley made it through one round because of the 20 people playing! But, those little things like playing sports and cards can bring people in strange and mysterious ways.
The next morning, we all were complaining of how bad the sleeping conditions were, because quite frankly, they sucked! The ground was super hard, and the gym was ever so brisk!! But, a few minutes later, we all laughed about it and went on with our days. We had to leave by 8, because there was an important basketball game that was ready to start. Roughly 25 minutes later, we arrive at the Marriott in downtown Indianapolis. That place was absolutely stunning, and the food was pretty tasty too! At Noon us exchange students were involved in the flag ceremony, which includes carrying in flags from other countries to the podium and saying your name, district you're from, and the country you will be spending your exchange in. The conference did not have a Hungarian flag, so I decided to take up the Indiana flag, I know I know, you're so jealous of me right?!?! After the flag ceremony we ate lunch with other rotarians, and listened to speeches. One speech/presentation caught my eye in particular, and that was Barbara's (Exchange student from Brazil to Germany). Her presentation was so unique, so raw, so inspirational it made me tear up. Her presentation made me take a step back and think, wow... I'm really leaving for a year. This is actually going to happen....I'm going to be like Barbara..... It is so crazy how a few words and passion can make someone feel. I won't see our inbounds again, unless I make the effort to visit them in their countries. Just that thought alone makes my heart ache, and my eyes water. I don't want them to go. I don't want them to leave just yet, because it feels like just yesterday they have just arrived. I am forever grateful for Rotary and the friendships and relationships it has made me thus far. I am most certainly sure that over my exchange, I will have friendships and relationships that will most indubitably last me a lifetime.
Thank you Rotary.
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