Another amazing weekend....

This is a little late, but 2 weeks ago I spent another weekend up in Canada with my Rotary family. We all drove up individually with our families. I went with both my parents; Jack, our exchange student from Ecuador; and a very nice lady from the Wenatchee rotary. It was a long trip, but fun especially when we were trying to find the conference center in the dark! 

I found out I'm going to district 2440 in Turkey, and I'm guessing that means I'm going to Izmir, which is a large town on the coast (population 3 million!!!) It's getting more and more real for me. Just today I had someone say that I'm so lucky I get a year to be away from everything, because she is going to college next year. I could not start to imagine what it would be like going to college next year (it scares me every time I try.)

I mentioned my Rotary family. It's weird because we have only seen each other twice and yet it feels like a family to me. All the outbounds, inbounds, and rebounds have changed my perspective on life and what I want to be in it. I can honestly say they are the best people I have ever met!

Here's to my last few months in America!

Monica

Reality

This past weekend I was privileged to compete at the State Career Development Conference (SCDC) for DECA club. I spent 3 days in Bellevue competing in the Business Services Marketing category. I didn't place or anything like that, but it was a lot of fun (well aside from the fact that I was super sick).

With the Revelstoke trip and the SCDC trip, my sense of reality has really been switched around. I keep looking at the way I saw things before Canada, and the way I see them now is so different. It's really creepy. I had this sense that Quincy was my life support and I never wanted to leave. I always thought no matter where I went, I'd always love this place. Now though, I feel like getting away as soon as possible. I see now that there is so much more out in the world and I want to be a part of it. Before SCSD, I said I'd never live in a city. Well, I am having to eat my words because I think I might actually like it. I am ready to graduate right now to just get on with the next part of my life. I don't mean to say Quincy's not great. It is still my home and every time I look at the Columbia Basin, I feel safe and secure. 

I think this is God's way of showing me that I'm supposed to go on my exchange. I think He has had this planned for me for a while and everything I've done has been leading up to this. It is the best feeling to know that He is in TOTAL control over this chaos that is my life. There is a weird feeling that says this is the reality God has in mind for me. That helps because there is so much chaos with graduation, school, dance, drama, and everything in my life right now. I watch my classmates scramble to finish scholarships for college and getting college tuition paid, and I think that while they are in college next year, I will be in Turkey. I'm very excited, but I am also nervous. I have no idea what my reality will be over in a new country. My sense of reality has already changed so much in two months; how much will it change in a year?

Very confused, but very excited!

Monica

Photos

Well it's taken me a while, but I am finally putting up some pictures from Revelstoke.

The welcoming sign which was pretty awesome

Unites States, Rotary, Canada

Icicles

They were huge

The first of many lessons meaning you will just have to adjust to your country

And if your not flexible, learn to be

You make your own decisions, decide wisely

Remember your rotary smile

I cannot get over how much snow there was

This was the best weekend I've ever had, and now, 3 weeks later, I'm realizing how much it has changed my perspective of the world. It's changed in a good way, because I'm realizing there is so much more outside of Quincy. I'm just going to see what else is in store for me on my journey.

Monica

Things Revelstoke has taught me

So this past weekend, I spent an amazing 2 days up in Revelstoke, Canada, and I have learned some eye-opening things:

1. Snow can actually get at least 10 feet high!

2. Yes,  you can get people from that many different countries in one room.

3. EXCHANGE STUDENTS ARE THE COOLEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD!!

4. If you stay up until 5:30 in the morning, you will become super hyper, then crash the next day.

5. Tubing in the snow is crazy fun, even when you end up face-first in the snow.

6. The 12 hour bus trip goes very fast if you have someone to talk to,

7. You feel like you've know the people around you for months, even though you just met.

8. People from Turkey are the best! (Melike)

9. You start to tear up as people begin to leave on Sunday morning.

10. You find that you have so much in common with people you have never met.

So that just about sums up that weekend. I find that I think about what we all did up there and wish I could have spent more time in that environment. I have never had this kind of experience before, but I feel so blessed to have it now. :)

Monica