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!