new things are not so scary

A really cool thing to do when you're visiting somewhere is do something that you would do at home... but do it in the language of the plave you're visiting. For example, going to a movie. It will feel so familiar to you, the smells, the dimming of the lights, the shushing that goes around the theatre, that you won't be overstimulated by the other language. Not only that, but its a proven fact that listening to music or watching movies in another language is the best way to learn it! So there you have it. A great way to learn a language while fighting homesickness! XOXO Meghan

lets get cooking!

Ok so heres the deal. You may think that your host family doesn't want to taste your terrible cooking.... but you're wrong! unless you're cooking is more burnt than a white kid in a yo mama contest (Oooohh, burn) they'll adore it.

And whats more, it really helped me with any home sickness I had to eat a dish that I remembered from home. Next time I'll make sure to get the recipes from my parents before I go, because trust me, I'll need them!

Also, I'll try and find some recipes that are the utmost in Canadian cuisine.... (any ideas?) to bring. Because I know how much I want to know about Croatian culture, so I can only hope that they'll be as interested in canadian culture/ cuisine!

XoXo
Meghan

People my own age? ... Confusing

Sometimes, even if someone has only your best interest at heart, they don't have a great way of showing it.

Take for example, the brother of my exchange partner. He's really nice, and my age because the two are twins. He's like a brother to me... meaning that he also has the small habits that drive siblings crazy. One in particular.

To me, it feels like he thinks I can't do anything. Even if I'm doing something simple like making toast, he tells me how I should be doing it. At first this drove me insane. I thought to myself "Ok yeah I don't speak french that well, but some things are universal through all languages. I mean, I know how to sweep." I would sit there and stew for hours because he kept pointing out my faults. It didn't even occur to me to look at it from his perspective until we sat down and had a talk. Well sortof a talk. First I yelled at him a little, and he laughed at me a lot. Whether thats because I never yell, or because I looked awfully disheveled, I have no clue.

After that discussion, he explained his point of view. He didn't think I was incappable of doing things myself. The exact opposite, infact. He felt like I would need help with simple tasks because of the stress learning a new language so quickly put on me. He knew how tired I was, so he was always trying to give me advice to do thinks more quickly, giving myself more time to unwind.

I realize now that just because you take things one way does not mean they were meant that way. So this is my advice to you. Before breaking down and getting angry (Because this does you no good WHATSOEVER) try to look at something from the others perspective. And if you still can't understand, ask them to explain it. It's a lot easier to learn when you aren't constantly frustrated

XOXO
Meghan

Mini Vacation!

Is it just me, or are some of the best times you have while you're on a trip those mini day trips you take? Like this weekend for example, me and a great friend packed up and went to St. Sauver for the weekend. It was just two days, to some small little ski town we may never see again, but it was probably one of the best memories i'll have of Quebec.

Whether it be something small like the pool at the hotel where we had a great time, or something great like the mountains or the small boutiques in Centre Village, it was just a great experience. It's also exactly the reason you aren't ever supposed to say no to anything on exchange. I'm not even on my rotary exchange yet, but I realize that if I had decided not to go this weekend, I would have missed out on one of the best times ever.

This is really the kind of philosophy you should follow your whole life. Its not just something for an exchange student, something for someone on vacation.

Sometimes the best experiences start with the words
"Hey, we should....."

xoxo
Meghan

homeSICK... not actually

So today was one of those days. You wake up feeling absolutely crummy, and you don't go to school. I'm pretty used to these days, as Ihave been sick before, but today was different.

Today, all I could think about was laying in my own bed, eating the campbells chicken noodle soup that is constantly stocked in my own pantry, and being lazy in the confines of my own home. I missed my parents, I missed my dogs and most of all I missed my brother. This was the first time I'd been homesick, and I believe its directly correlated to me physical health.

The worse you feel, the more you reach for things that are comfortably familiar, and the more you realize... Oh. I'm not at home.

Well i guess that tells me a little something about how hard I will be trying to keep healthy on this exchange

XoXo
Meghan

Proud

Something has just occured to me. I did not choose to be born in Alberta, it just happened. I don't necessarily agree with everything Alberta does. In the past few weeks these have been my fall back excuses whenever someone in Quebec would make a joke about us cowboys and our oil. Today, I finally realized something. Although both these "excuses" are true, they are not at all what I should have been saying. They convey the message that I'm embarrased or ashamed to be Albertan.

I did not choose to be born in Alberta, it's true, but I'm ecstatic that I was. I couldn't be prouder of who I am, and of where I live. For everything the Alberta government does that I don't agree with, there are multiple others that make me so happy to live in Alberta.

It doesn't matter what other people think of your province, as long as you don't let their attitudes change who you are and what you think of where you live. Now that I've realized this I believe I can apply it not only to me living in Alberta, but also to me living in Canada while I'm abroad. There will be no letting people make me upset or ashamed of where I live, only my own patriotism and pride to be Canadian

xoxo
Meghan

Culture Shock

Thinking about the culture shock end of things, Im hoping that I have a head start. Right now at this moment, I'm taking part in a three month student exchange to Montreal for my french. Though its only three months, and even though the culture shock isn't be as big, I sincerly hope that my ability to cope will have been tested enough here to prepare me for Croatia.

Speaking of culture shock, do any of the other outbounds feel it right now? Everytime Rotary sets up weekends or days for us, I become so completely immersed in them and in my new friends that coming home is its own form of culture shock. I really feel like I should still be in Red Deer with everyone right now, and not halfway across the country typing my blog in a school in Montreal. (Dont worry! Im not slacking off in class, this is during my computer break!)

So if any of the people I met at the red deer weekend, outbounds, inbounds and rotexs included, are reading this, know that I had so much fun this weekend and it was because of you!

xoxo
Meghan

P.S: I'm currently planning out a job hunting spree upon my return to Alberta, writing down where to send resumes, etc. I'll keep you posted on that!

Rotary Weekend

So I'm officially back from the Rotary weekend that took place march 4th to march 6th. It was really such a great weekend, I learned so much and met all these wonderful people involved with Rotary. Some parts of the weekend were slow, but still really informative, and other parts were so much fun! I felt like I made some really strong connections with the rest of the outbounds (students going on the exchange) the inbounds (students from other countries who are on exchange in Canada) and all the Rotexs (the students who've just come back from their exchange).

The first day was really informative, and also quite fun as all the outbounds had to introduce them selves and give a little blurb in the language of their country. I can't tell you how hard the other outbounds found this task, but I can tell you something else. Croatian is NOT an easy language to find. At all. In the end I found a small little croatian/ french dictionary and blessed my lucky stars that I speak and read french. I read the words I was supposed to say over and over and over, until I couldn't even think of anything else! It was worth it, and I was able to recite them without tripping over my own tongue.

Throughout the weekend some of the Rotexs told stories that really touched me. Some of them made me excited for everything, some of them made me scared stiff, but none of them made me regret this experience. I cannot wait until I can go.

Throughout the exchange I made some friends, and found out that two of the boys I met (one an inbound, and one an outbound) will both be in Austria while Im in Croatia, meaning we may be able to see each other. It would be really nice to see people that will know exactly how I feel about the exchange, even if I don't know what that feeling will be yet!

In the end, Im so grateful to Rotary for setting up this weekend. I feel so much more prepared, Ive made friends that i will know forever hopefully, and it put my dads mind at ease. The only complaint I have about the weekend is just that. That it was only a weekend. I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of the outbounds in may, and until then I guess i'll have to plan for everything else

xoxo
Meghan

Good luck...or determination?

Sometimes in life, things will happen. I mean, of course things will happen, things happen everyday, but what Im saying is that sometimes things will happen that will change your life. You can't know how exactly they will change your life, whether its for better or worse, but I'm a strong believer in the idea that everything happens for a reason.

Being as young as I am, only sixteen, there haven't been many of these experiences. I could quite probably list them off on my two hands. They include my father marrying my Step Mother who would become a huge part of my life, deciding to take my school through the french immersion program, my amazing trip to South Africa......and as of recently being chosen as an exchange student going to Croatia by the rotary club of Downtown Lethbridge.

Now before I delve into that, I should probably start from the beggining. A close family friend of mine, who i've always thought of as my aunt, was involved in rotary for some time. She still is. I can't quite remember how young I was when she took me to meet the incoming exchange student, and I can't remember the whole experience, but I do remember being immediately drawn to the idea of participating in an exchange of my own. I've always loved languages, and always loved travel, so it was such a perfect oppurtunity.

It wasn't until it was actually time to apply for the exchange that I hesitated. Because of my french immersion schooling, I had been with the same kids since kindergarten. If any of you frenchies are reading this you have to know that I couldn't love a group of people more, and you are the reason I almost bypassed this experience. Giving up graduating with you was the hardest decision I've had to make, possibly in my life. But make the decision I did, and in went the application forms. After that, the next few months of waiting were sheer stress. I honestly don't think my shoulders relaxed until the night I got the call. I had been accepted as an outbound exchange student for 2011/2012. It helped me realize that if you get a chance to do something that is truly a once in a lifetime thing, you take it, no matter the sacrifices. Life should be full of memories, not what ifs.

That was it. I had made it. After months of filling out paper work and one very stressful interview they had picked me as an ambassador for Canada, to travel all the way to Croatia. I had never been more scared, more excited, and more proud then the moment I set down that telephone. I couldn't believe my good luck. Then I realized something. Maybe it hadn't been luck at all. Maybe it had been the determination I had, both to have this experience and to change my life.

So I'll leave you with one thought. All those times you thought you were so lucky? That 100% on a test, that great oppurtunity? Don't you dare write that off as chance. Those things were all you, because all it takes to create miracles is faith, determination, and a little bit of confidence in yourself, and the goodness of people around you

xoxo
Meghan