We were told to just write down something. Something we wanted us to remember, something extraordinary we have experienced, something we shouldn't ever forget in our lives. So we wrote these letters, not knowing what impact it would have on us a year later.
See, I would have never thought that my exchange would be such an important part of my life. I thought I would just go abroad, find friends, live with hostfamilies, return and live my life again like I lived it before. And I was proven wrong. I don't think this "post exchange depression" will ever stop appearing every now and then. I will never stop thinking back to the so far best time of my life, longing for these memories I would give everything for to experience again. I will never stop thinking, that this year was something extraordinary and something I would miss for the rest of my life.
Eventhough its already been 6 months since I have returned and a year since I went on this trip, I find myself thinking about my exchange every day. Some days I just smile about all these memories and all the amazing people that I love and miss very much. And some days I just feel sad and incomplete. I feel like I would never experience and learn as much in such a short amount of time as I have this past year.
In my letter, I wrote about how much my exchange has changed me as a person. That it has made me more brave, ambitious, eager to experience new things, willing to challenge myself and so many other things. I set myself so many challenges this year, terrifying ones (for me) which have benefited me so much. Eventhough I am still scared of challenges in life, I will continue to think like this, like Rotary and my exchange have taught me.
And the last sentence I wrote was: Don't be afraid.
If I can overcome my fears, I can achieve anything. And I hope that I will never forget these things that I have learned from my exchange. Things that will benefit me for my whole life.
