No more going to France

So on Wednesday, I attended the Virginia Peninsula rotary club's meeting and I had a fantastic time! Something you learn when you talk to and have friends who are rye students is that Rotary meetings have the best food, and this meeting was nothing short of delicious. I had Salmon and caviar, salad, and a little sandwich, if you know me I hate fish the smell of it makes me gag but I put it on my plate and sat down and was hopping I wouldn't gag when I was eating it but it was really good, I enjoyed it.

Now to the title. I've been waiting since ESSEX released the 15-16 app for them to release the country list so I could print it and put down my top five country choices. Well this year they decided to drop the age limit for arrival for many countries... including France. So now you oldest you can be when you get to France is 17.5 and I'm a January baby which means I'll be 1 month and 16 days to old :/

I emailed my districts YEO (Youth Exchange Officer) yesterday asking about if this age limit is absolute and he said chances are it is but after I have my district interview he will put me in touch with people who know and could possibly change it for me. But honestly I'm not stressing it to much. I know I will go to France for university, so I'm not that upset that I can't do an exchange year in France. I'm kinda glad because now I get to set my sights on somewhere new!

I've changed my countries since I'll be too old for France and Germany, I wrote down countries that I am eligible for and I'm interested in going to (also countries that my mom approved of) and narrowed them to my top 5!

1. Finland
2. Denmark
3. Belgium
4. Iceland
5. Sweden

I'm pretty sure my only warm country up there is Belgium and maybe Denmark, but I will live!

I think I will write a post next month on tips of getting your parents on board and having them agree for you to do exchange, since it is something I know I struggled with but thankfully overcame :)

“Exchange is going from thinking, you know who you are, to having no idea who you are anymore, to being someone new.”

-Hailey

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Update!

On Wednesday September 17th I will be attending the Virginia Peninsula Rotary Club meeting! I was supposed to attend a meeting on September 10th but it rained really bad the day before so I had car troubles but no worries since I will be going to the meeting on Wednesday. I will be going there to see about sponsoring also so they can meet my mom since last year they only met my dad.

The saying "Everything happens for a reason" has been on my mind since April 10th. I've been pondering the reason why but the answer didn't come until I was ready for it, I assume. I've been butthurt that I didn't get accepted, actually still a little am, but I now know why I wasn't accept and I'm sort of glad. I was meant to go through Rotary I am destined to go through Rotary!

One of the things that make Rotary exchange students different then all the other exchange students are that every Rotary exchange student receives a blazer. Blazers are really important to us, they itself documents our exchange. They document the other Rye (Rotary youth exchange) kids we have met by the hundreds of pins that lie on our jackets, they also document whatever we put up there from out exchange. Basically our blazers mean a lot to us. Well I will be receiving mine sometime in the next 7 months and I honestly tear up. Imaging myself with my blue blazer and my suitcase and carryon in hand at the airport about to leave, makes me excited as hell but also a little terrified. I'm just ready for that moment, but I need to enjoy everyday until now til departure!

"Being a child with a good childhood is something good for everyone, but having the opportunity to be an exchange student is even better." 

Hailey


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