I just returned from my last conference as an outbound, which was held in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It was a conference that included all the exchange students in Central States, so it was HUGE! Mostly we kept to hanging out with students from our districts though, because it is the last time we see each other for at least a year. It was so much fun despite the heat, but even that wasn't bad compared to some years. It took about 10 hours to get there by bus, but it passed by quickly since we talked, and prepared for our last language test. It was fun quizzing each other in our different languages, especially those languages that always sound angry no matter what you are saying. We were particularly entertained by Turkish, which Mutfak is the word for kitchen. We stayed there for four days constantly attending conferences on anything from reverse culture shock, to safety, to talking about how Dorothy from Wizard of Oz was the worst exchange student ever. Every night there was a dance, because it wouldn't be a Rotary conference if it was all business. On the last night most of us pulled an all-nighter together as a district since it was the last time we would see each other for a while.
We finished out our stay in Grand Rapids by have an impromptu volleyball game at six in the morning, South America vs. the World. South America lost...... So a few days ago I returned, my blazer a few pounds heavier with the multitude of pins I gained.
It was fun reflecting on how much we had changed just in our outbound year, the fall conference we had entered shy to talk to each other, over the course of no more than spending two weeks together (when all the conferences added up) we had become a family. I already miss my Rotary friends so much, only after few days of being apart. I wish we didn't have to say goodbye, but that is what makes our friendships so special, we don't know each other for long before we are scattered across the globe, we can be apart for a year or longer, and I am sure we will be just as good friends as the day we part. Friends like that don't come along often in life, and I am so lucky to be apart of the Rotary family! To all my inbound friends have a safe trip home, and have a great rest of your exchange. And to all my outbound buddies, good luck, you will be awesome exchange students, see you in a year!
