Shilo Christiansen -- Japan (Home Club: Cobleskill)

March 10, 2014

Host Rotary Club: 7190

Sponsor Rotary Club: 2560

Current Host Family: Nishiyama

Counselor Name: Nishiyama-san

A lot of things have changed since I moved into my new host family on the first of March... I absolutely love my new host family, they are my favorite I’ve ever had. I make dinner with my host father and we joke around a lot, which is something I’ve never done with any of my host families before. I also talk to my host mom for a couple hours after dinner finishes because she is just so interesting! They’ve had exchange students before so they understand me so much better than the others and are patient with me when there are misunderstandings. 

A month long spring break just began a couple days ago. School has been going well, except that it’s really boring. My teachers have been giving me some Japanese work to do, which I am thankful for because my Japanese lessons are too easy and I haven’t felt challenged since I came here. So I’m busily working on my spring break homework!

It’s my seventh month hear, which is really strange. I leave Japan in mid-July—I only have four more months left! The reality is so odd, and it hasn’t even sunk in yet. I can’t imagine saying goodbye to my Japanese friends, my counselor, and my other rotary exchange friends. I don’t like to think about it, so right now I’m living in the moment. 

My birthday past and it was easily one of the best birthdays I have ever had! My class surprised me by pretending that they forgot my birthday, then at the very end of the day they brought out cake. Then my old class, the ones who graduated, took me out to a meat restaurant. Which is really ironic since I was a vegetarian for five years, but here in Japan, my reputation is all about how much meat I eat haha. At the meat restaurant, we had a special table and ate until I had a food baby. Then with my exchange student friends I had another party. It was a really great week and I felt so loved by everyone. 

 I’m really excited because the end of March/ early April is the time of cherry blossoms. I will be sure to include lots and lots of photos! This has been a really great month and I’m looking forward to the next report because I’m going to be doing a lot of really cool things this month, and I will be sure to send photos!

Anthony Vandyke -- Ecuador (Home Club: Salem)

February 27, 2014

  Well I just made the six month mark and I’ve been having a great time here.  In a way it seems like I’ve only been here a couple months but also like I could have been living here my whole life.  The new family I’m staying with is just as nice and welcoming as the last and I consider myself lucky for that.  Last week my father came to visit on short notice and we both went to spend a short week with my biological family living a few hours from where I go to school.  Now that I know quite a bit of Spanish and have adjusted to the culture here it was very nice to see them and especially nice to communicate and get to know them better and more personally.  I was able to translate for my father so he could ask them questions and know his family better too. I would have to say that going to visit them was one of the highlights of my year.

The Rotary here also has another trip planned for us, this time to the Galapagos Islands which should be a wonderful time from what I’ve heard from past exchange students and others who have been there.  Also this weekend is a huge festival called Carnival in my city which should also be a lot of fun.  I’ve made great friends here like I’ve know them my whole life, they take me around and show me what there is to do in this relatively small city.  Although I can communicate fairly well I still struggle with the language as a whole with the numerous conjugations and difficult pronunciation, but I’ll get there I still have four months till I have to go home.  I’m sure the next four months will be even better than the first six.

Lucy Holecek -- Belgium (Home club: Albany)

February 27, 2014

And yet another month has passed.  The time is going by so fast and I know now it's just going to go faster.  Tomorrow will be the day I have only exactly fourth months to go, but I will live it to the fullest.  I love it here in Belgium, it may have been hard, but in the end it was all worth it.  It doesn't stop being hard till it's over, but it does get easier as time goes on.  Since the last time I wrote a report my French was good, but it keeps improving and it makes me so happy.  I can understand jokes and even make them with my school friends.  Sometimes I even catch myself thinking in French.  I have become to adore learning a new language to the point I may even go to school to learn more.  My school friends are lovely I rarely feel alone when I am with them and they always include me in the conversation.  In the next few months I am going on many trips, but the one I am most excited for is the one with my school.  I am so excited to get to be with my school friends for a week and be with no one who can speak english.  I mean yeah English is my first language, but I want to be able to take in as much French as possible. 

 I hope everyone is having a great experience in their host countries as well. 

 

Best of wishes to every one!