Cyrielle Guillaume, aka CC, Story About Being an Exchange Student
Did you know: «The only source of knowledge is experience» Albert Einstein
The beginning of an adventure.
Everything started with a discussion with my sister. We were talking about our travels in Europe. She made me understand that just visiting a country wasn't enough for me. I needed more. I wanted to learn more about these people I saw in these foreign countries. How is it different ?
I wanted to know the habits and the customs from a another country.
The best way to learn about this was to live with them. So I decided to become an exchange student.
Okay ! Good idea... But... How do you do that ?!
I started making research about the programs, the opportunities, how to apply, the rules...
Rotary appears to be the best program according to me.
Nice, I got all my project done.
Now, I need my parents' approval. Hardest part maybe. How do you convince your mom and dad to let you leave for one year ?
Well, I spent a bunch of hours explaining, arguing, debating with them. It wasn't easy. But they finally understood that it was my dream and they gave me their approval. Nevertheless, they wanted to make sure I really wanted it. So we made a deal : I had to find a job, and raise enough money to afford my project.
As you can guess, I found a job. I started raising my money. Meanwhile I had to fill in my application. It was very important because I knew there were only 3 places and I wanted to be picked !
One day, I received THE email : Congrats ! You have been accepted in the program.
I literally jumped of happiness and started screaming and running into my house. My neighbors directly knew I was accepted. No need to tell them.
Then, my parents realized that I was leaving, for real.
I received another email, telling me I was going to Texas. WOW ! What a dream !
After that, I had the contact to my first host family, started to talk to them.
Time flew and after a few months I booked my flight. Everything was becoming real.
August arrived. Time to say goodbye ! My parents became kind of bipolar. One minute they will be really proud of me, telling that what I had accomplished so far was extraordinary... The minute after, they were crying, asking me to stay...
No matter what they could say, I was to close to make my dream comes truth that nobody could have destroyed it.
An other important point was the suitcase... Can you imagine packing enough things for one year ?! Besides the fact that I had several constraints such as I only could carry one, the weight...
But, I succeed. I made it. Even though I needed to sit on it to close it... That's just a detail ;)
Finally, the D-Day arrived. August 15th !
...
Cyrielle Guillaume
Exchange Student from Belgium