Dear Exchange students class of 2009- 2010,
First of all, congratulations on your acceptance into the Rotary YEP program. In just a few months, you will embark on a journey that will forever change your life, in which you will learn quite a bit about yourself, either in a bad way or a good way. It’s all up to you.
This letter is not at all meant to sound negative, but rather to give you some insight on some things that you may not have heard of: things that I wish other exchange students would of warned me about before coming.
First off, my question to you is, why did you decide to come on this exchange? Is it actually for the learning experience, or is there another reason? One thing that is very important that you realize is, THIS IS A YEAR OUT OF YOUR LIFE!!! Sitting in your seats now, it may not seem like a very important detail, but it is. I want to make some things clear: If you signed up for the Rotary YEP program because you can’t seem to get along with your parents- that is not a good reason. If you are looking for a vacation- this is not the program for you. If you see this as a chance to drink as much as your heart desires- please leave the room. Do not embark on this journey expecting to step into paradise where everything will be perfect…because it is not. Life is life, no matter where you live it, and things are going to happen that may not result in your favor. I know personally, before coming on the exchange, I expected to never be bored, to always have something to do, and to attract so many friends I wouldn’t know what to do with myself. Well… in many cases, it is not like that. Yes, I do have a lot of friends, but there have been many nights on the weekends where I have been so bored, I have wanted to go home. Friday nights are going to come, and you are going to be sitting in your room thinking about the basketball game or the football game that you would be at had you stayed home. It all depends on you though. I love Chile, and I don’t regret coming at all. I am already looking for programs to come back.
It is very important that you make sure that you are doing this program for all the right reasons. What are you expecting to get out of living in a foreign country for an entire year? I try not to look at myself so much as a “foreign exchange student” but more as an ambassador. An ambassador for my city, my state, my parents, my church, rotary district 6650, my school…and most importantly…my country. With being an ambassador comes much MUCH responsibility and should not be taken lightly. Many people will judge the United States of America based on what they see in you. Please understand that because it is very important. There are many kids who embark on the study abroad experience for the drinking opportunities. I think that is the worst possible reason to apply. To be honest, many people in your country abroad will expect that from you. You get away from mommy and daddy and go nuts.
I felt really pressed to write this letter because of something that I witnessed yesterday. There is a girl here, who, apparently, took advantage of this opportunity for all the wrong reasons, and didn’t know what she was getting herself into. This girl decided she hated Chile from the moment she got on the plane, and has made the worse out of the trip. She goes to school and still doesn’t know any Spanish. Many of the other exchange students always avoid her, and some even made a bet that she would make it until January or February. I changed houses last Thursday, and this girl came to the house where I was, so I have come to know her quite a bit. She finally spoke up saying that she wanted to go home, but really seems unclear about her reasoning. She is a senior in high school, and just found out her school is not going to give her credit for being here in Chile. At the same time she is always talking about how much she hates Chile. Last night, my old host parents invited me to dinner, and when I arrived, two counselors were there talking to my old host parents about the girl leaving. She wants to leave on Monday….the problem is…my old host parents are going on vacation for 3 weeks..and the leave TONIGHT. It was a huge mess, and after getting things settled down, I started asking her some things. Another reason that she says she wants to go home is because she is homesick. Understandable. After contradicting herself many times, I finally just flat out asked her why she even bothered to do the exchange. She didn’t know. I asked her how her interview went and the meetings she had with rotary before coming. Well…she tells me that she lied in her interview. To keep a long story short, she is now back home, all the money and time down the drain.
Do not be dishonest with your parents, your rotary counselors, and yourself. THIS IS A YEAR OUT OF YOUR LIFE. There has been a lot of preparations put into your going to a foreign land. Remember, YOU ARE GOING TO MISS YOUR FAMILY!!
People come here expecting to forget about life at home. That is not going to happen. The girl that just went home used that as an excuse. “She did not realize how much she would miss her family.”
Once again, this letter is not meant to be negative at all, but rather to help you realize things that will most likely happen, feelings, that you will most likely feel .
I know at the time it seems like a waste of time…but PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT THE ROTARY COUNSELORS TELL YOU. The things you do in training is not to bore you and not busy work, as I even at times thought it was. I always payed attention though, and now that I am here…I am glad I did. KNOW ABOUT YOUR GOVERNMENT!!! It is very important that you can hold your own in a debate and that you know where you stand. Know about your city. I live in Canton and I am always asked about the population, economics, what is grown there, that is known there, etc. Being that Canton is so boring, there are not a lot of responses I can give. Jaja. To not know anything about your homeland is considered ignorant, because you will find that people in your countries will know a lot about their culture and they will not be afraid to show their pride.
DO YOUR BEST TO LEARN THE LANGUAGE!!!! If you come here and only hang out with other exchange students and speak only English, that will take SOOO MUCH out of you year. Also, it is really disrespectful when you sit at a table and speak your native language in the presence of people who don’t understand. Try to stay away from the computer. When you get here, you are going to want to call up your friends and family everyday. Try not to do that. Send a general email saying you are okay, and just forward it to everyone.
This is all I can think of right now, when I think of more I will send another letter. The contents of this letter are nothing more than advice based on my experience and based on what I have seen. The advice is on the table, you can take it or leave it.
Sincerely,
Nathan Williams
Santiago, Chile
From: Vic14K@aol.comDate: Thu, 29 Jan 2009 19:11:05 -0500Subject: Outbound Info from OhioTo: jennmiller_OH@hotmail.com; arianafiorita@hotmail.com; Rhodesmp@hotmail.com; erinbrugler@hotmail.com; sarah_spector@hotmail.com; andrewpadach@hotmail.com; joebobby1364@yahoo.com; clint_eriksen@yahoo.com; Snurfin2fast4u@aol.com; amcconnell27@yahoo.com; jennifer.hoffman.08@gmail.com; tsilone@yahoo.com; popeye11_7@hotmail.com; nathanwilliams1213@hotmail.com; s_levitski@hotmail.com; alexisaltier91@yahoo.com; Jonguy123@yahoo.com; cmadej09@yahoo.com; reneefusco@hotmail.com; greg_lambert08@hotmail.com; sdhhenson@yahoo.com; asnyder836@hotmail.com; xc9081@gmail.com; dalichaiyya@yahoo.com; a.benno@yahoo.com
I regret to inform you Elaina Bella has opted to return to Ohio. She is the fourth Outbound to return voluntarily this year. We've never had this many returns. How are the rest of you doing?
Several Rotary Youth Exchange students were shot Saturday night in Portland, Oregon. Two of the students were killed. It seems to be a random shooting. Eleven Rotary exchange students were at the under-21 club.The murdered students were Outbound Ashley Wilks, and Inbound Marta “Tika” Paz De Noboa from Peru. Police and local school officials have identified the five wounded exchange students as Ana Zambrano Soledispa, 18, of Ecuador; Gonzalo Vasquez Orozco, 18, of Guatemala; Trista Chang, 18, of Taiwan; Susanna DeSousa, 18 of Italy; and Anne Sophie Rialland, 16, of France.
From Chile: today at a TV Show in the morning a group of inbounds when as a part of the audience, and in a part the program the anchorwoman invite some of them to dance... you can see Ariana Fiorita and the best if all was the dance of Nathan !! Please see the web page : www.buenosdiasatodos.cl
