Hope Danison -- Korea (Home Club: Ballston Spa)

October 17^th, 2014

Sponsor Rotary Club: District 3661 – Busan

Current Host Family: Kim Ji Eun, Kim Keon Ung, Kim Hye In

Counselor Name: Lee Dorim (Sophie)

            I'm doing swell! I am incredibly comfortable with my first host family and in the city of Busan. I'm a little worried that it has been relatively easy to adjust to life here. My relationship with my host family is very good. Despite my limited Korean I believe we communicate well. They truly treat me like part of the family, which outside the immediate family is quite large. My host mother has 5 other siblings, all of whom I've met and enjoy the company of their families as well. I've met both grandparents on both sides of my host family as well. I feel incredibly lucky to have landed in such an excellent first host family.

            My greatest obstacle at the moment is the nagging voice in the back of my head urging me to keep everyone at home updated. On occasion I become quite distressed about all the pictures I haven't posted to Facebook, all the videos I've taken that fester in my hard drive, and the messages I haven't replied to because I'd rather not English at the moment. I feel quite guilty to be able to travel and experience so many great things while my friends in the US are beginning to forge their own paths in College and my Korean High School friends are vigorously studying at all times. But I figure I'll deal with those thoughts later.

            I attend Busan International High School, which is a prestigious boarding school here in Busan. I live in the dormitory with a Korean roommate Monday through Thursday and attend class regularly. Everyday I wake up around 6am to participate in morning exercise, for which I run around the dirt parking lot which doubles as a soccer field. Some of my classmates do this with me so we go to breakfast together at 7am. The time between finishing breakfast and 8:20am is self-study time. The foreigners are obligated to attend daily morning meeting at 8am with the school foreigner coordinator to discuss upcoming events. On normal days I proceed to follow my class schedule, listening to various teachers in one room for 50 minutes with 10 minute breaks in between. I usually study Korean on my own during this time.

            There are also some scheduled classes and activities specifically for the foreigners. On Wednesdays we do traditional Korean painting, and on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings we discuss Korean culture in an informal class called “World Issues”. Our foreigner crew consists of four Swedes- two boys and two girls who will stay here until December; and the rotary students- two other Americans (one boy and one girl) besides myself and one Swiss girl. Every Monday and Wednesday there is after school activity time during which I play the flute in the guest dormitory with some eight other students. Every Tuesday and Thursday the Rotary students are permitted to leave the school via public bus after classes end to attend Taekwondo class with the other Rotary students.

            My environment in this school is quite pleasant, but full of English. Every student, despite their refusal, is quite proficient in English and would rather practice their second language with you than listen to you struggle with yours. Furthermore the foreigners are frequently clumped together and segregated from the regular students because we are rather a distraction to their rigorous coursework. This is completely understandable and I have nothing to add to this topic. Everyday I must remind myself that I indeed have more time here in Korea to learn Korean and two months of immersion doesn't make one fluent.

            I have attended one Rotary meeting on the of September. I frequently see my Rotary counselor- about once a week because of Korean language class at Dong-A University, where she works. The Rotary crew also stays in contact using “KakaoTalk”- a popular messenger app in Korea. I have not been informed of a meeting schedule and have not been summoned since. The Rotary committee here is rather evasive and still quite mysterious to me. I will have to work on that. Even so, we exchange students have already taken a bus tour of Busan and taken a trip to Boseong. Thanks to my host family I have also gone to Seoul, Yeosu, and Jeju Island- all beautiful and exciting places I have yet to reflect on. At any rate, I still have much to do; much to think about; and much to learn. Thank you very much to my home Rotary club and all the folks supporting me in the US!

Marni Libby -- Czech Republic/Slovakia

October 9, 2014

Hosted by Rotary Club Bratislava Danube

Sponsored by the Delmar Rotary Club

Current host family: Eva Budzáková and Lubomir Budzák

I’ve been living in Nová Dedinka (a small village about 45 minutes away from Bratislava) for over a month now, and I could not be having a better time. My host parents, Eva and Lubo, are both extremely kind and caring, and I feel like I am a part of the family! My host parents have already taken me to Vienna, Hummene, Michalovce, and the Vysoké Tatry (the highest mountains in Slovakia), and I have visited more old castles than I ever thought I would see.

I’ve been attending school regularly since the second of September. Usually I get out of school around 1:45 PM or 2:45 PM, and then I either go into the city center with my friends, or I take the tram, then the trolley to the bus station, where I take a bus back to Nová Dedinka. My schoolmates are all very nice, they are mostly loud and outgoing and unafraid to speak their minds to the teachers. I’ve been told that my class is disliked by many teachers for being loud and disruptive, but I’ve found that this very fact has helped me, as they are less than shy about talking to me, and they are all very friendly. I have not been told about any activities in school outside of class, but my host mom and I are searching for an orchestra that I might be able to play violin with.

My host Rotary club is located in the Staré Mesto, or Old Town, of Bratislava, and they have meetings every Monday at 6:30 PM. Attendance is mandatory for exchange students. The last time I went was two weeks ago, as I was traveling back from the mountains last Monday, and that was also the last time that I saw my counselor, Martin Paulik, he is a very nice man. There was also a district orientation meeting two weekends ago, that was held in Otrokovice, Czech Rep, and all seventy-seven exchange students were there. It was great to meet people from all over the world, although the majority were from Mexico, Brazil, or the USA. I have not gone on any trips with Rotary yet, except for a small outing with my host club at which we went to a small village in Austria to drink burčiak (young wine) for an evening. My host Rotary club is also giving me an allowance of 65 Euros per month, which is very generous. I think I have a wonderful host club, and a great support system set up through my counselor Martin, and the head of the Youth Exchange in the club, Pavol. I know that I will always get help when I need it.

My host parents have taken me all across Slovakia now, and I really enjoy every trip we take together. I have seen modern things, such as the Andy Warhol museum in Medzilaborce (did you know his parents were born in the east of Slovakia?), and I have seen things that are hundreds of years old. Castles with old kitchens and tombs and torture chambers and medieval refrigerators that are eight meters deep. People may not know much about Slovakia, but the country is a place rich in history, potatoes, beautiful nature, and a culture all its own. I am mostly surprised at how most villages and cities in Slovakia all seem to be very small, aside from Bratislava and Košice. The demographics are very different here than what I’m used to.

I have no questions or concerns at the moment. Overall, I am having an amazing time here in Slovakia, and I am so grateful that my host club back in New York decided to give me this opportunity. 

[The picture is of Gustavo, a Brazilian exchange student, me, and my host parents, Eva and Lubo, on the top of Ostrva in the Vysoké Tatry.]

Jill Brooks -- Belgium (Home Club: Salem)

 October 14, 2014

Hello! I have been very busy here in Belgium and having a great time doing everything. I'm learning so much and I am so glad that I decided to be an exchange student here and for all rotary has done to help me!

I am very lucky to have the host family that I do; they are extremely generous and also very active- we are always doing something exciting. They have taken me to parades, pro soccer games, lots of different villages, and even the south of france for a weekend!! In two weeks during Toussaint holidays we are going to Croatia for a week. I have 7 host siblings as both of my host parents were previously married. One of them, Guillaume, who is the same age as me, is in Miami as an exchange student. The rest, except for my little 9 year old sister, are all older than me. This is also nice because they are very friendly and remind me of my own siblings back home, and also because they invite me along to do things sometimes. Having a little sister is also great because she has taught me a lot of french and never judges when I mess up!

School here is much different than what I am used to, much more so than what I expected. Everyday my host dad, who works in Charleroi, the city where I go to school, drives me to school and buys me a hot chocolate and a croissant (he has an orange juice) at the same cafe. I love this part of the day because now I know all the cafe regulars (one man has a collection of 2,000 antique watches!). After school I catch the bus home- figuring out public transportation here was intimidating at first, but now I love it! Belgium has a train or a bus to anywhere you could want to go, it is really quite miraculous after coming from a place with very little public transportation. There are much fewer resources, the teachers are quite strict and everyone must wear a uniform as it is a Catholic school: as long as you are wearing blue marine or white with no pattern, you can wear whatever you want, but they are very strict about it and I have gotten scolded several times for deviating slightly without realizing! After talking to the director of the school I have switched out of math classes and am now taking more french classes with younger grades (13 and 14 year olds mostly). This is quite helpful and also pretty fun as we are reading police mysteries! The other students at school are all very interested in me and very friendly. I have made several good friends and I am so thankful for them because I know that many other exchange students here are finding that difficult. I actually think that being one of the few people without other exchange students in my school is a blessing because it has forced me to really pursue relationships and not be hesitant to speak french. 

My french is coming along really nicely. I am very thankful for the four years I had previous to coming here. I can understand mostly everything that is said to me. Forming my own phrases is still difficult but I'm finding it easier and easier all the time and can now somewhat confidently carry on a conversation and participate. 

Monday and Wednesday evenings I usually play soccer- my host family found a local girls team for me to play on which also has three other exchange students on it. The weekends are always different- usually I am doing things with my host family or my Belgian friends, or an event with rotary. There are many here- I have already visited the Belgian parliament in Brussels and also the Wallonie parliament in Namur through rotary trips. Since Belgium is so tiny and there are over two hundred exchange students here it is fairly easy to get us all together. 

Now that I have good school friends and can understand and speak more, things are becoming easier and easier every day- I am really settling in and figuring everything out and it feels great! 

Thanks so much again for everything. I also have a blog where I have been posting things, if anyone is interested in checking it out it is http://theoutdorables.tumblr.com/- if you click on the "my things" link it is all posts about Belgium!

Allyson Block -- Ecuador (Home Club: Ballston Spa)

September 2014

Ecuador is incredible. So much has happened my first month and a half that I do not know where to begin!

I suppose I’ll start with my family; my parents are Patricia and Wilo Guerro, and I have four siblings. The oldest, Crissy, is 25, married, and has a three year old daughter, Dana Sophia. My second sister, Isabella, is seventeen and currently on a rotary exchange to France. Living at home with me is Emilo, 15, and Pablito, 10. One thing that I really love about family here is how large and intimate it is. Crissy, and my grandparents live on the same city block as us, and we often get together for family dinners or outings. They have all been so warm and welcoming, I truly feel that I am a part of the family. I have become especially close with my mother, Pati, who I call Mamá. Taking the advice of our district’s beloved former Brazilian student, Gabi, I say yes to everything- this keeps me very busy always running errands with my ma into the beautiful town center of Otavalo. Whether it’s a trip to the fruit vendors, attending a meeting of the barrios at the city’s municipal buildings, or attending a little kid’s birthday party, I feel as though it is all an enriching part of the experience (and will help me the language).

On that front, my Spanish is coming along very well. I can understand nearly everything, I just struggle producing it on my own, ie. Talking and writing. Nonetheless, I am able to communicate with ease everything that is necessary with my family. All of my exchange student friends tell me that they’re so jealous of and impressed by my language abilities. At first I was very proud… and then I realized that as Europeans the majority of them are learning Spanish as their third language (on top of their native tongue and English). And for many others Spanish is going to be their fourth language!

Yet, of course, there have been some growing pains- mostly related to the high school. I am attending the Bilingual academy of the city’s dioceses, a private Catholic school in the neighboring city of Ibarra. Although my school is very old and beautiful, it presents a logistical headache when one considers daily transportation. My “school bus” comes to my house every morning at 5:40 so I can make the more than an hour commute.

At first I had thought that my school would be very strict, and in some ways it is, but I soon realized that the largest emphasis is on aesthetics. For example, girls cannot have painted finger nails, and boys must keep their hair cut very short. If the teacher does not find their hair length satisfactory they will call them out in class and sometimes make them leave school.

We have three different uniforms: the ‘parade’ for Mondays (when we gather in the school courtyard to sing the national anthem), the ‘daily’ for Tuesday through Thursday, and a gym uniform for Fridays. For the parade uniform alone I spent $100- for we had to buy the cloth separately and then take it to a dress maker. Everything related to school is very expensive. Some of my unexpected costs included purchasing text books, and new sneakers, because I didn’t have the correct colored ones for my uniform. Additionally, I have to pay a monthly tuition fee (on top of the initial cost to matriculate) of $55...

Yet, I realize that the most important thing is that I learn the language. All of my classmates are very kind and outgoing and speaking to them is definitely helping me accomplish this goal- I am constantly being invited to out to different events. The Ecuadorian culture is so warm, the people all love their country and are eager to show it off to me so that I’ll love it too.

I haven’t been all that homesick yet- so far I’ve been trying to look at it all as a huge adventure! I would like to thank you all in my sponsoring district for making this incredible opportunity a reality!

Holley Nicolaysen -- Japan (Host Club: Corinth)

October 8, 2014

I'm doing very well, since I knew a lot about Japan already I haven't been hit with cultural shock.  My health is fine.  I normally get sick a lot in the winter because my immune system is lower than most people but thats normal.  I got a cold once since i've been here, other than that the only health problem is my lack of sleep.  Im working on going to bed earlier and earlier to counteract having to wake up so early.  Thats been helping a lot. 

I love my current host family.  My grandmother is the cutest thing in the world and my mother is really nice.  since my sister and mother shower at our grandmothers house the bathroom is all mine which is so amazingly nice!

My grandmother and I have an amazing relationship. Even tho I can't speak Japanese and she can't speak English she still talks to me in Japanese and pats my arm.  I say i'm back  in japanese everytime I go to her house and she always says welcome home in Japanese and has a smile for me.  My mother always makes me laugh because since she can't speak English a lot of our communication is done through charades.

I go to school everyday unless I miss the bus or am sick.  I walk to school in America so I'm used to waking up a lot later and going in late if I oversleep.  But here in Japan since I live so far away I have to wake up a few hours earlier and take the bus.  If I sleep in even by 10 minutes and miss the bus there is no way for me to get to school.  Theres the public bus system but I dont know how to use it yet and id rather not get lost in japan.

I am going to do cheerleading but it doesn't start for a few months.  I am currently in the cooking club every wednesday.  I also have calligraphy on wednesdays, traditional tea ceremony on fridays and traditional japanese dance on mondays. But those are all elective classes and not after school activities.  I also have a kanji class, and 2 japanese classes.  My classmates all love me and whenever i'm in the hall everyone says hello and smiles.  Im sad to say I only know a few peoples names but that doesn't mean i dont have a lot of friends.

I have lunch with the rotarians every other tuesday.  They pick me up from school at lunch time and bring me back a little after lunch.  The first tuesday of the month I am expected to give a speech in Japanese.  I just finished translating my second speech.  I have also attended an overnight Rotary orientation as well as an all day event where I had to give a small speech.  My last meeting was 3 days ago at a hotel where we have lunch. I receive 100$ a month and they also pay my 65$ phone bill.  When I get my allowance is when I give my speech, kind of like a thank you as well as to show my improvement in Japanese,

I like my counselors very much.  They have been very helpful in settling me down in Japan.  They go above and beyond.  They managed to find a weekly japanese class for me to take every tuesday and one of the rotarians has volunteered to drive me home after, saving me a lot on bus fare.  They have also introduced me to Greg, an american who's lived in Japan for 6 years.  He is very fun to talk to because he has a lot of experience being a foreigner.