Un avant-goût du monde

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Let’s not start from the beginning.

Yesterday, all the exchange students; past, future, and present “volunteered” to help out with setting up for the big fundraiser. I found myself hauling boxes and cartloads of funny-smelling knickknacks around, helping people setting up amazing booths (one was entirely made of wood!) and trying to direct people around using possibly the most unhelpful map ever printed. With me, there were about 20 other students, more than half of them bi- if not multi-lingual. Rewind— Here’s basically how I got to this point:

  1. My highschool funds a full scholarship for four students to travel abroad.
  2. They get to spend their junior year of high school abroad in either Aalen, Germany; Salzgitter, Germany; Madrid, Spain; or Toulouse, France.
  3. The exchange is direct in terms of student-to-student, one leaves my hometown and one comes to my hometown, but it isn’t family-to-family, meaning it isn’t a “swap”.
  4. After a long application and interviewing process, I was lucky enough to have been selected to spend an entire school year in Toulouse, France next year (see map). I leave around the end of August and will return sometime in June or July.
  5. Said fundraiser provides the major funding for our travels— a very big deal.

The one question I have gotten the most is “Are you excited?”

  • Out loud- Yes. Of course.
  • Inside-Wait. I’m terrified, why would anyone in their right mind agree to this!

I have swings like I’m bipolar. Excitement-fear-excitement-fear-excitement fear-etc.

But back to reality, yesterday was really interesting. It still amazes me how “at home” the exchange students seemed. Having a home, not only away from home, but in an entirely different country must be truly amazing. Also, most – if not all the kids spoke more than two languages, which I, being my uncultured American self, found jaw-dropping.

Also, I made my first “global friend” yesterday. She’s from Spain (why anyone would want to come HERE from Madrid is crazy to me.) But her English-great; her accent-charming. She was beyond friendly and I quickly found myself joking with her.

I go back today to help with the real event. I hope I get some time to talk to the other kids a little more. I’m actually quite excited.

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