Country Announcements

So after much anticipation from probably everyone, February 22 finally came around.
After driving up to Brampton, and helping set some chairs and flags set up, everyone arrived, excited to find out their home for the next year, and of course excited to see everyone again.
Standing and talking to all the other exchenge kids was good and all, but all I could think about was the country that I would be going to spend the year in. Pretty soon after everyone came and sat down, the Rotarians talked a bit about the program and themselves to the parents, and the insurance guy talked a bit too. Then the first few envelopes were opened.

Now, this wasn't just standing, pulling out a page, and saying a country. This really was a lifechanging moment. (well actually I'm probably just being too dramatic, but hey, it was pretty important!)
Pretty soon, my thoughts were interupted by my name being called out by Norm, to come up to the front for my envelope. All I was thinking was "Omigod, where am I going!". Then, peeking into the edge of the page, I started to see navy blue, white, and red. Where is that? I shakily opened the page, and read it. "Congratulations Megan, The District 7080 Rotary Youth Exchange is very pleased to advise you that your home away from home for one year will be located in FRANCE ..."
France?! I could just feel a swell of excitement as I found my way back to my seat to announce my happiness to Jackie sitting next to me.
Person by person recieved their new home name and took their places again, too. After all of this was done, the group split up, Asia and South Africa in one corner, South American in another, and Europe in yet another.
I found myself talking to Eva and Clarisse from France, Hayley, a rebound from Canada to France, and all of the other Euro exchangers as well.
As much fun I was having talking to everyone, we had to leave because my sister wanted to go home :( Oh well. I'm sure all of us will be getting together soon enough.

Gettin everyone up to date :P

After pages and pages of applications, and interviews, our days as exchange students started in the little town of Bolton.
This is where we started off some amazing friendships, lots of laughs, and of course lots of interviews. We also spent the night at the house of a very nice family, Tom and Lynda. We stayed up pretty late laughing, talking, and listening to music.

The next part of our exchange lives took place up in Haliburton, at WANAKITA!

The perfect definition of this experience, as Avery put it, is international love <3 . It was 4 days of snow shoeing, cross country skiing, quinzhee building (and sleeping!) and living in the cold Canadian winter, but it was also talking to new friends for hours, hanging out in the cabins after lights out, campfires, dance parties and just being together

The days spent at Wanakita were just wonderful, and I definately won't foget anything from there soon. :)

11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Country Day!!

First post on a new blog. It's almost like the first footprint in the snow after a snowstorm, but less cold and sparkly. It is kinda hard to know what to put up on the screen, but all I know is that it's going to have to be pretty amazing, cause this is what is going to keep everyone from my chilly home, my host country and my wonderful exchange friends informed of my exciting life.

Just like probably any other exchange kid, right now I feel a mix of eveything. Happy, sad, nervous, excited...but mostly excited!

Pretty much my only worry at the moment is that what if the country I'm sent too doesn't like me..?

But still. Anywhere is exciting. I've still got a list of countries I really want to go to.
The top ones are:

1.Brazil! It's warm there, it's laid back, and it looks like it's a party all the time over there :) kidding

2.France It just seems like such a cute country, and who wouldn't want to learn french?

3.Austria Apparently it's the better Germany :P and in europe, there's eurotrip!


I'll get you guys up to date later!