Reflections - Annabel
A year in "Woop Woop". On arrival we are just 'an empty book', waiting to be fulfilled with an amazing story.
I find it very difficult to sum up the year in one page of writing but this is my best shot! The lead up to your departure, and the first moments in your new country can all be a little transparent. From day dot we are confronting new challenges, and finding ourselves in completely unfamiliar situations. Each day we wake up never knowing what the rest of our journey will entail. Although one thing is sure; you will not stop learning from the moment you step foot in your host country.
So you've heard it all before, the language barrier, starting school, adapting to a new family, there's no doubt it's daunting. Every good story has its obstacles and complications. It's good to be prepared for homesickness, but know also that it comes at the most unexpected time/s. Regardless of how "fragile" or "macho-no- emotions-guy" you are, I can reassure you that every single one of you will feel some emotion of home sickness during at least one point of your exchange. Sometimes the hardest part is just accepting it. It's in these moments that you realize you are certainly not in your comfort zone, and it's in these moments that you persevere and become stronger. Even in these hard times, stay passionate about your exchange. You will benefit the most if you take advantage of every opportunity, because you never know who you might meet or what you might see that day.
Words don't do justice for my year of exchange, because no matter how hard I persist, I will never succeed in summarizing this beautiful experience in France. As my time here continued the, what was once 'an empty book', gradually filled up with laughter, tears, friendships and memories. I left Australia not knowing in the slightest what I was going to encounter here. I had the opportunity to travel around Europe with 40 exchange students thanks to Rotary, but the adventure didn't stop here. Every author needs motivation, after all, the story doesn't write itself. You have to take initiative during the year don't be afraid to dare to dream. This year I wanted to see the arrival of the Tour de France on the Champs Elysees in Paris, and luckily enough I was given the chance! It was during this stay in Paris that I met a Parisian Rotarian, through a friend who knew him. Little did I know that Luc, the Rotarian, would later in the year offer to take me on a second private Eurotour with him his wife and another Australian friend of mine. It's in the times like these when you realize that we really are living extraordinary lives.
A year abroad makes us reflect on the life we already have being Australian, and makes us realize the things we may have taken for granted before. We discover the pride of being Australian and what it really means to be proud. The book eventually becomes overflowed with sentiments and detailed recounts of strange or funny times. It took forever for me to find the courage to write this little report, because I am finding it so difficult to accept that my time is over. This year away has enriched my life; with the knowledge and experience I acquired, I can be confident to take on the different challenges that the future may hold.
Through the deep sadness that lingers inside me when I think about leaving my life here, I still understand that I must move forward. And despite all the tears, I know the reason why this year is as unique as it is, that if I stayed longer, the novelty of the year would lose its value and diminish.
This experience is surreal. It is so unbelievably amazing that it feels like we have been living a fictional life, just writing our own incredible story along the way. And it is like this, that my, what was once 'an empty book' has now become a fairy tale.
Annabel
Hosted by:
Rotary Club of Lille-Septentrion, D1520 France
