I stumbled upon this on a Rotary Facebook page a few days ago and it says it all.
"About RYE:
My senior year of high school I stumbled upon the chance of a lifetime with Rotary International Youth Exchange. As soon as I realized I could go abroad for an entire year and experience true immersion I was hooked. I filled out the eighteen-page application, made my six photocopies, was interviewed, and waited patiently until I received the news that I would be going to Mexico. I would not trade my time in Veracruz, Mexico for anything in the world. It is one of the hardest things I have ever done; leaving my family, friends, and anything familiar for an entire year, learning a different language, having everything I have ever known challenged every day. It is also the most rewarding experience I have ever had. In the past six months I have managed to integrate into another culture, to understand why people think a certain way, to turn being out of my comfort zone into a new comfort. I have learned what it means to truly appreciate my family and all that I have at home. Rotarians often say, 'It’s not wrong, it’s just different', a phrase that perfectly defines living in another country. Instead of convincing me of the superiority or failings of my own country, I have been given the chance to decide what I agree with and what I would change, in the United States and the world. More confident, more accepting, and overall happier. My year as a Rotary Youth Exchange student will always be a turning point for me. It is the year I realized anything worth doing is not going to be easy and I can be anything I aspire to be." --Taylor
My senior year of high school I stumbled upon the chance of a lifetime with Rotary International Youth Exchange. As soon as I realized I could go abroad for an entire year and experience true immersion I was hooked. I filled out the eighteen-page application, made my six photocopies, was interviewed, and waited patiently until I received the news that I would be going to Mexico. I would not trade my time in Veracruz, Mexico for anything in the world. It is one of the hardest things I have ever done; leaving my family, friends, and anything familiar for an entire year, learning a different language, having everything I have ever known challenged every day. It is also the most rewarding experience I have ever had. In the past six months I have managed to integrate into another culture, to understand why people think a certain way, to turn being out of my comfort zone into a new comfort. I have learned what it means to truly appreciate my family and all that I have at home. Rotarians often say, 'It’s not wrong, it’s just different', a phrase that perfectly defines living in another country. Instead of convincing me of the superiority or failings of my own country, I have been given the chance to decide what I agree with and what I would change, in the United States and the world. More confident, more accepting, and overall happier. My year as a Rotary Youth Exchange student will always be a turning point for me. It is the year I realized anything worth doing is not going to be easy and I can be anything I aspire to be." --Taylor
No comments:
Post a Comment