Heyyy guys, I had my local PDO yesterday and it was very interesting.It was all AFS oriented and we went over all the rules, a cultural iceburg and some general cultural differences. So there were 8 outbound exchange students,4 for the year and 4 for summer programs. There was a girl from Yellow Springs going to France for the year (we'll see each other in NYC!), another girl going to Spain for the year (i didn't talk to her at all, but i guess she'll be in NYC too), a girl to Argentina for a year, a girl to Argentina for a summer (who admitted she left out the fact that she was vegitarian so she could get accepted to Argentina, which was confusing?), a boy to Chile for a summer, a girl to France for the summer and another girl going to Spain for summer(both really didn't talk much at all) and I was the only one to Italy.
All in all it was very informational and there were returnees 2 who went to Italy for a year, but stangely I didn't talk to them at all, I got Mike's email and the Other girl's blog which I've checked out. The only returnee I really talked to was Frankie (who was awesome and I just really liked him) who went to France for a year and he is now a student at UC. There were also exchange students who were in my chapter this year from other countries, Hungary, Spain, Italy (I didn't talk to her though), New Zealand (with cool leggings from Black milk), Ghana, and a country that starts with a B that I can't pronounce. I really liked the exchange students especially the kids for New Zealand, Ghana and that one country that starts with a B.
After the morning session we ate Subway which Frankie sat with me, and then the parents left then we went back to Orientation around 2:15 which was a little boring because I was the only kid really participating in the activities almost everyone else was just quiet, which is weird because I know when I go on exchange I can't just stay to myself and be quiet I gotta be very open, which they even told us at orientation, so I am a little concerned for them, moreso the girl going to Spain for a year because she literally said nothing the whole entire time????
We had a whole sex, drug and rock and roll talk. Basically they said that AFS' only rule against sex is if you get pregnant or if you get someone pregnant. Drugs was to tell us we can't do drugs, and the only medicine we could bring was prescribed medicine. They even told us that in surrounding districts that AFS inbound students here doing exchange in the US were being sent home for smoking weed. So they said if you AFS finds out that you are driving, hitchhiking, or doing drugs then you get sent home within the next 8 hours. SO DON'T DO ANYTHING STUPID! Then we talked about smoking and how to drink responsibly especially since in Europe the legal ages are like so much younger. I am 17 and will turn 18 in Italy. So I can already legally smoke, drink beer and wine in Italy. This doesn't really scare me because I am a responsible person, but I think Spain and Argentina's drinking ages are 18. Either way, they stated if you have "the pit" or gut feeling about someone, or if you don't trust them then don't drink with them.
For the last hour we did this Sinbad activity and this story was called something like Abigail Alligator Story, and after that activity people take things and think to much into it. I also realized people have lower standards as far as morals go. So I just totally drained after the activity, and then it was time for us to go! Thank you Jesus, I literally got up super early got lost on the way to UC and did an orientation that lasted all day. I was too tired to really do anything, so now I am done with Orientations until September when I am officially an exchange student. But I am glad all of the first steps are done but in no way am I relieved by all of the stuff I have to do this summer. Summer schools, SAT,ACT, Visa application in Detroit, and packing stresses. I really hope that I get my host family soon and my travel info so I can book my flight to NYC and get all of that out of the way. Oh also there is end of the year exams for school! Yay!!! My summer is going to be so funnnnn.....ha. Well I haven't done Rosetta Stone since Wednesday so I will do more of that and studying.
I'll update you when I get updated~ Shayla
No comments:
Post a Comment