Just for fun--There you go a snapshot of what I will be seeing in like 2.5 months!
Monday, June 23, 2014
Picture Time!
Here are some pics of my city!
Just for fun--There you go a snapshot of what I will be seeing in like 2.5 months!
Just for fun--There you go a snapshot of what I will be seeing in like 2.5 months!
I HAVE NEWS!!!!
OK so with a title like that.... I need to cut to the chase... I found out my district, city, and host family. I will be staying in Liz, Austria. This is very exciting! I did not share this news earlier because there was some initial confusion.
The first news I got was that I would be in Klagenfurt. I am going to guess that none of you have ever heard of Klagenfurt; but here is some basic information about Klagenfurt. It is the 6th largest town in Austria. It is notable for really... not much.... but in the middle ages there is said to have been a dragon that tried to destroy the city. The only real store in Klagenfurt is Ikea... umm ok. All of that said... I was not that excited to go to Klagenfurt; it just did not feel right. (if you are from Klagenfurt please don't be offended) But i was just not "feeling it".And just as I was moping I got an interesting email from the inbound coordinator in Austria saying that I was going to Linz.
I was very confused about this, and quickly sent out lots of emails to every RYE contact I have. The inbound coordinator quickly got back to me and told me that I will in fact be in Linz, and that I should contact my host family, and inbound coordinator for my club. It was really exciting.
My host family, who I did email with the "help of Google translate (ok I typed out my email and put it in the translator, I was too excited to translate!) They are AWESOME!! They live as one with nature, love to read and have 3 kids. The "kids" are actually 2 boys in their 20's and a girl who will also be on exchange next year. Getting to know a little bit about my host family, seeing some pictures, and talking to tehm (one of my host brothers, my host sister and my host mother) makes me VERY EXCITED!! I feel that Linz is the right place becasue I will get to stay with this famiyl who I think is amazing (so far), and also they have more stores than just Ikea... So I am now feeling super, super pumped about my exchange and ready to go!!!!
Also to put out some of my other concerns that were recently abolished--I can get at least 3-12 months of my medicine at a time and will not have to worry about that. I will have a language camp so I will not be too lost in the language. And my town/host family are so cool; so I needn't worry. I am SO EXCITED!!!
Now I just need to shop/figure out how to make some money for my year/get converters and suitcases and all that good stuff for my year and yes a rotary blazer too.
Oh and I need to make 500 pins so yeah thats happening... ONLINE!
The first news I got was that I would be in Klagenfurt. I am going to guess that none of you have ever heard of Klagenfurt; but here is some basic information about Klagenfurt. It is the 6th largest town in Austria. It is notable for really... not much.... but in the middle ages there is said to have been a dragon that tried to destroy the city. The only real store in Klagenfurt is Ikea... umm ok. All of that said... I was not that excited to go to Klagenfurt; it just did not feel right. (if you are from Klagenfurt please don't be offended) But i was just not "feeling it".And just as I was moping I got an interesting email from the inbound coordinator in Austria saying that I was going to Linz.
I was very confused about this, and quickly sent out lots of emails to every RYE contact I have. The inbound coordinator quickly got back to me and told me that I will in fact be in Linz, and that I should contact my host family, and inbound coordinator for my club. It was really exciting.
My host family, who I did email with the "help of Google translate (ok I typed out my email and put it in the translator, I was too excited to translate!) They are AWESOME!! They live as one with nature, love to read and have 3 kids. The "kids" are actually 2 boys in their 20's and a girl who will also be on exchange next year. Getting to know a little bit about my host family, seeing some pictures, and talking to tehm (one of my host brothers, my host sister and my host mother) makes me VERY EXCITED!! I feel that Linz is the right place becasue I will get to stay with this famiyl who I think is amazing (so far), and also they have more stores than just Ikea... So I am now feeling super, super pumped about my exchange and ready to go!!!!
Also to put out some of my other concerns that were recently abolished--I can get at least 3-12 months of my medicine at a time and will not have to worry about that. I will have a language camp so I will not be too lost in the language. And my town/host family are so cool; so I needn't worry. I am SO EXCITED!!!
Now I just need to shop/figure out how to make some money for my year/get converters and suitcases and all that good stuff for my year and yes a rotary blazer too.
Oh and I need to make 500 pins so yeah thats happening... ONLINE!
Saturday, June 7, 2014
Facebook Fun
I still don't know my district, and it is killing me; however I am now on a facebook page with the "oldies" and the "newbies" who will be in Austria with me next year. For those of you who do not know some students (mostly from the southern hemisphere) come in December and stay until November, and others (like me) stay August-July. So the inbounds who are "oldies" aka already in Austria are commenting like crazy on the page. First impression they are very close. Also they are weird. In the way that is either really cool, or really weird. I am excited because all of these kids seem awesome and or really odd; either way I cant wait to meet them!
Stress and Support... AKA I am OVERWHELMED
As my high school graduation is coming up (tomorrow) I am feeling absolutely insane. I have had my open house. I have gone to many friends open houses. And as I go to more and more parties I am being hit, hard, with the reality of what I am doing. Every open-house I go to, I hear pretty much the same thing "yeah going to a four year college" "no I don't know what I will study" and also sometimes "yes I have my future planned out"... etc etc... I pretty much feel a lot of envy for all of these people.
Now before I go any farther; yes, I am VERY excited to go to Austria, but at the same time it is very weird not to be moving on to college with my peers.
Even though I feel at best conflicted now about my year on exchange I do have one very MAJOR positive. Many, many people came out to my open house last weekend, and these people are the people who are closest to me. Of all the people who came, many were surprised when I told them that I was not going to college, but instead I would be going on exchange to Austria. However unconventional my plans for next year seem to many, not one person was negative, in fact the response I received was quite the opposite.
All of these people who I love so much, and who have been there for me were totally, unconditionally supportive of me. They thought it was so exciting that I am going to Austria, they told me it will be amazing, and they laughed with me when I told them I don't speak German yet but Rosetta Stone and I are becoming "besties" during the summer. The support and love that out poured from my family, friends, and church members (aka second family) means the world to me! They have truly offered me all of the support a girl could want over the years of my life!
Here is a little background on me. I was always a quiet little kid. I didn't talk, even to people I knew. I always was shy; but I am NOT shy any more. Some people that have been through me through my various stages of awkward are my "church family" they knew me when I didn't talk, they knew me when I didn't even use the bathroom yet. These people have had plans for me. Some people that I became particularly close to both lost there husbands (which I was also very close too, I mean yes; very close like family close. Cool grandpa... ya know). Both women really almost made me cry (and yes... I am not emotional). Both of them heard me say that I was going to Austria and told me that their husbands always said "You gotta watch that Gwen you know her now, but she is really going to take off and be something" Okay now I am crying but seriously this support means so much to me because both of these men were so close to me and my family while we were in Albion, and that comment (which they never told me while alive) was just incredible and affirmed my path.
To those people, really, I am just so blessed to have all of you fabulous people in my life. Thank you so much for all of your support. Without all of your wonderful people I would most likely really be doubting my choice; but thanks to you and your support, I have no doubt.
Now before I go any farther; yes, I am VERY excited to go to Austria, but at the same time it is very weird not to be moving on to college with my peers.
Even though I feel at best conflicted now about my year on exchange I do have one very MAJOR positive. Many, many people came out to my open house last weekend, and these people are the people who are closest to me. Of all the people who came, many were surprised when I told them that I was not going to college, but instead I would be going on exchange to Austria. However unconventional my plans for next year seem to many, not one person was negative, in fact the response I received was quite the opposite.
All of these people who I love so much, and who have been there for me were totally, unconditionally supportive of me. They thought it was so exciting that I am going to Austria, they told me it will be amazing, and they laughed with me when I told them I don't speak German yet but Rosetta Stone and I are becoming "besties" during the summer. The support and love that out poured from my family, friends, and church members (aka second family) means the world to me! They have truly offered me all of the support a girl could want over the years of my life!
Here is a little background on me. I was always a quiet little kid. I didn't talk, even to people I knew. I always was shy; but I am NOT shy any more. Some people that have been through me through my various stages of awkward are my "church family" they knew me when I didn't talk, they knew me when I didn't even use the bathroom yet. These people have had plans for me. Some people that I became particularly close to both lost there husbands (which I was also very close too, I mean yes; very close like family close. Cool grandpa... ya know). Both women really almost made me cry (and yes... I am not emotional). Both of them heard me say that I was going to Austria and told me that their husbands always said "You gotta watch that Gwen you know her now, but she is really going to take off and be something" Okay now I am crying but seriously this support means so much to me because both of these men were so close to me and my family while we were in Albion, and that comment (which they never told me while alive) was just incredible and affirmed my path.
To those people, really, I am just so blessed to have all of you fabulous people in my life. Thank you so much for all of your support. Without all of your wonderful people I would most likely really be doubting my choice; but thanks to you and your support, I have no doubt.
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