Week 35: Rotary Jamestown Weekend!!!

Week 35:

On Friday at lunchtime i packed my suitcase to spend the whole weekend with my best friends from around the world; the exchange students.

This weekend we were spending time together in Jamestown, New York. All the Canadian In- and Outbounds (Inbounds: students who are currently on exchange in Canada/US, Outbouds: Canadians/Americans, who will go on exchange next year) took a school bus over the border to Jamestown. It was so good to see all my friends again after 4 months.
Over the weekend, we were staying with host families, every outbound from a country with an Inbound who will go to that country. For example I stayed with a girl who will be going to Austria on exchange so I could tell her about Austria and exchange.
Our family was really nice, an elderly couple from a nice part of Jamestown, living in a big house. They were very kind and even accepted me and the other girl being vegetarian! On the last morning  they said they have a surprise for us; and served us vegetarian bacon!

Canada, Taiwan, Japan, Belgium, Austria

On Saturday, we went to the countryside to see an Amish village. It was so interesting too see people living this very strict and conservative religion! We saw people driving horse carriages, tiny shops without any electrical light or any other devices (no fridge, till or radio). All Amish women were wearing long dark dresses pinned together and very long hair covered with a little white cap or hood.
Men wear shirts, long pants, suspenders and hats, everything without buttons because they are forbidden in their religion. Amish even have their own schools and don't like to leave their community or have contact to  our world.
We even went to an Amish blacksmith were we saw young man fitting horseshoes on the horse's hoofs. Because they weren't married yet, they were shaved neatly. An older man had a long beard, which showed that he already has a wive and has joined the church.
Our last stop was an Amish store, full with handmade things. They had incredibly big handmade blankets with traditional Amish pattern, bags, cloths and other beautiful things. I bought a souvenir; a little handmade pillow with an Amish design on it.
It was a really neat experience! Unfortunately i don't have any photo's because the Amish don't like to be photographed, but I will always remember this day.

Venezuela, France, Germany, Austria with Amish caps

At night we had a dance for all the students. It was a lot of fun and I got to know many more people I have never talked to before! There was a DJ and a photo booth! It was a great night.

Photo booth at the dance

On Sunday, we went through the city of Jamestown and went to church in the morning. I really liked the mass, because the program was more for young people, very happy and entertaining. We sang many popular and modern songs which were about god, which was a new experience for me.
In the end of the weekend, we all got a Rotary Jamestown-Weekend T-Shirt, which everybody signed on with their name.

It was a fun weekend!

Week 34: Easter ✼ ❇ ❋

Week 34:

We only had 4 days of school because of Easter break. On Friday, we got off and my host family and I had dinner with many family members. It as nice meeting them for the first time even though I was a bit nervous to be honest. :)
For me as a vegetarian it was a bit hard to find something to eat but fortunately my host grandparents made traditional Austrian Potato salad, which tasted delicious! They immigrated from Austria about 50 years ago and they still speak german!! Its so interesting to hear their stories from way back and hear where they come form because I know all these places!
On Sunday, we had a second family dinner with the father's side of the family. We had dinner together and had a big Easter Hunt too!! We got so much candy and traditional food! It was a great day!
Although the break was very short compared to the 10 days in Austria, but it still was fun!

Week 33: Coffeehouse, Rotary and Easterbaking ✼

Week 33:

On Monday was a big event for Rotary; the Paul Harris Dinner. Paul Harris was an american lawyer, who founded Rotary International in 1905. Every year, special Rotarians receive the "Paul Harris Award". At this big dinner event, many Rotarians from different clubs join together for this event. Even the mayor came! It was a good night and the food was very good too!

On Thursday we had an event in school called coffee house. It was like a little talent show where students could sing or perform something in front of others watching. There were about 50 students from my school performing, some solos, some duos. Some of them were actually very good and I enjoyed watching some of my friends perform!

In the weekend, I went to my friends house to bake for Easter. It was one of the first days in Niagara Falls and I actually regretted that I didn't wear shorts that day! It had over 20°C that day, which was a big change after 5 months of freezing cold winter.

Week 32: New town, new family, new life!

Week 32:

On Monday I packed all my suitcases (+ 11 plastic bags and two bags) to move in with my new host family. For me, the hardest time in an exchange is changing host families. Living with a family for 3 months makes me feel so attached to them that I would rather not leave them.

A few days before, I was informed that I will live in Niagara-on-the-lake for my last three months, which surprised me. Since I come from a big city (2 Million inhabitants), I am not used to living in a little town without public transport or places to go to. In my first seven months, I already made this experience in Niagara Falls. Niagara-on-the-lake has less than a quarter of the population as Niagara Falls, so its a pretty small town. Even though I am not used to this, I embrace change and cherish my new home town. Because that's what exchange is all about, right? Adapting, accepting and embracing change.

However, my family is very nice! I am living with a mum, a eighteen-year old brother, a fifteen-year old sister, a dog and two cats in a cute little house. Even though I really miss my old family, I couldn't be luckier to live with a family like the one I am living with now!

my hostfamily's dog Skippy