You're going to CHILE!!!

Chile, it's Chile.  I'm going to CHILE for 11 months!!!
After what seemed like the longest wait in the world, I am going to the longest country in the world.  Even though it was on my top 5 list, it was a complete surprise.  A surprise for which I couldn't be happier.  I don't know much specific information yet, but my new best friend Danita, the Chilean inbound, thinks that I will be in her district which is in the central part of Chile, near Santiago.  She's from Rancagua.  Super crazy thought: it snows there.  That's a bit too much for this Floridian.

"Bienvido a mi hermosa pais, Chile!"

The BIG Reveal
Here in Rotary district 6970, we announce the outbound destinations with all the pomp and circumstance at a big reveal ceremony.  We outbounds gathered one Wednesday evening, joined by our friends, family, and adrenalin, awaiting the biggest announcement of our lives.  One by one, we were called up to the stage in random order.  After delivering a short introduction, an inbound or rebound presented us with the flag of our newfound country.  In my case, I was ecstatically greeted by Danita.  For some, it was met with relief.  For others, surprise or even confusion.  (Side note: I was really confused because somehow my certificate was actually printed with the Argentine flag!)  Then it's celebration, and maybe a nice, American, pizza dinner.  Yep, definitely pizza.

El gringo chileno,
Max

The Agony and the Ecstasy

I found out recently that I have been assigned to a country!!!  That's exciting, right?  RIGHT?  Well, not quite.  No new news as to where... yet.  The whole process has been like a cat and a laser.  The laser is RIGHT THERE.  Oh, how much it pleasure it is giving RYE to taunt us with their secrets (maybe that's why her hair's so big; it's full of secrets!).  They know, they know we don't.  Could it be in my top five?  Could it be my first choice? Could it be a country I can't even pronounce?  I may have been a bit of an overachiever when I practiced pronouncing the names of every country on the list so I won't make a fool of myself at the reveal ceremony.  Nonetheless, we still have to wait like the poor little cat who can't reach the laser until December seventeenth.

12 days, 1 hour, 53 minutes, and 19 seconds.  But hey, who's counting?

I hope this heavy wait will be lifted off my shoulders soon!
Max

P.S.  I doubt that this will be my last post about the agony of waiting, so prepare yourself.

My First Pin!

I know I've been kind of retroactively uploading these posts but don't worry we're almost in real time.

For those of you who haven't seen the characteristically ridiculous Rotary blazer, it's a basic blue (unless you're from Canada. Theirs are red, and no, they're not sorry) blazer that is adorned with pins, trinkets, license plates, etc. that you get from other exchange students or from your host country.  See the picture for reference.    

I do not own this picture, nor do I know these random exchange students.

I don't have my blazer yet, but y'all will be the first to hear when I do.  However, I do have a pin now!  Hannah, a rebound from my school who spent last year in South Korea ran up to me to congratulate my on my acceptance, and surprised my with my first pin!  I can't wait to put this mini sand dollar pin on my figurative blazer.  Thanks Hannah!

Congratulations, we're in real time!

Max

The Application Process

Correction: The LENGTHY Application Process

RYE Florida (My multididstict) has a very extensive application process, especially in my district, 6970, or Northeast Florida.  First, there are several info sessions in late September.  You and your parents have to RSVP to attend these, the form is on the website sometime that month.  After the info session, you canbegin the preliminary part of the application by requesting a home interview.  

Home interview/Preliminary Application

     In my case, two Rotarians came to my house in mid-October, and interviewed me and my parents (but mostly me).  Meanwhile, be working on your application.  Warning:  there is more to this application than meets the eye.  The digital part of the app goes online in September.  Finish this half ASAP because it gives you more time to fill out the paperwork, which requires doctors visits, host family referrals, etc.  Soon after your home interview, you will be contacted by a Rotary club willing to sponsor you.  Then there is more paperwork (are you seeing a pattern here), and you should be contacted via email that you have been selected for District interviews.  Congrats, you’ve made it this far!

District Interviews

     When you arrive at the interview location, inbounds and rebounds will all come up and introduce themselves.  Be friendly and mingle, they all just want to talk.  Then, there is a short presentation and you will be walked to your first interview room.  This year there were two rooms total.

     I won’t go into much detail here in order to keep the exact questions and process confidential, but I will tell you that it is difficult.  Just be prepared to answer any question, no matter how strange or out of the blue it may seem.  I don’t know exactly what goes on behind the scenes, but I know that Rotary is looking for strong applicants who are well-informed and well-spoken.  Though some of the interviewers may seem antagonistic, they are trying to push your buttons and see how you react.  Stay calm and simply answer their questions in a positive, diplomatic answer.  If you make the  cut, you'll get a call in a week or so!

If you're a prospective applicant, I hope that was helpful.  If not, I hope you learned something.
Sincerely,
Max

Make it or Break It

IT’S OFFICIAL!

Hey guys!  Thank you so much for checking out my blog!  As you have probably gathered by now, I will be spending next year abroad in a foreign country.  No, I don’t know where, but I am really hoping for South America: Brazil, Peru, Argentina, Chile, or Ecuador.  However, Rotary really could send me anywhere, and I won’t know for sure for another two weeks.  I will try to regularly update this blog, but for the next few months it will be kind of slow.  I won’t leave for my country until the summer, around the same time that the rest of my class is leaving for college.

If I know you personally, thanks for checking out my blog, if not, you’re doing the right thing.  I have read hundreds of exchange blogs before I got to this point.  I will try my best to explore what it is really like to be a Rotary exchange student, especially here in Florida.  Good luck!

Happy Blogging!

Max