Week 36: Me (ME!?) in a Fashionshow and Rotary Fundraisers

Week 36:

On Sunday I was modelling in a fashion show, a fundraiser for the Rotary Youth Exchange program. It was the first time for me doing something like this and I honestly was so scared! Towards a bunch of people in one room I am very shy and feel uncomfortable. This fashion show was at a restaurant, so everyone was sitting at tables, eating their lunch while I went up to them in my outfits and talked to them.I wasn't sure what to talk about but everyone was so nice and complimented me on my outfits and asked me about my exchange life!
I had to try on at least 10 outfits and the whole fashion show was 3 hours long! I modeled with about 8 other models all 30-50 years old which made me the youngest model. There were 2 little girls modelling too- there were so cute! But apart from that I was the youngest model. It was a very fun experience and somethig completely new to me!

Only two hours after the show ended, I went to a pasta dinner for Rotary. It wasn't as I expected. Everyone dressed casually, ate pasta, had fun, made jokes, walked around and taking part in auctions. The whole event was a sponsoring dinner for "Red Roof" (i think it was called) and the attending people took  part in auctions to fundraise for this organisation! They raised thousands of dollars! Its impressive how much money they could raise and I am happy to be a part of that. There were also 50/50 tickets sold and I won a 20$ Subway giftcard! Now I can eat subs at lunch between my classes ;)

I had a very busy weekend and I can't wait for the next weekend! On Friday will be my birthday and I will go to New York City! I am so excited!

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

Week 31: Time to say goodbye...

Week 31:

My 31st week was the last week i was living with my second host family. It also was the week of my host sister's birthday.

I went to the Miss Club Italia Pageant in Niagara Falls. I've never been to an event like that before and I thought it was crazy! In Austria we would never have an event like that. There were around ten girls participating, all around 16-18 years of age.
In the beginning we went to our tables with some of my family's relatives and had dinner. After that, the whole event started. All the participants came on the stage with a male partner and performed a very awkward dance. It was so funny, because every dance had a theme. For example the 80's, where all the girls wore 80's clothes and danced to "Girls just wanna have fun".
Every girl also had to do a catwalk and answer questions from the jury. The whole event took soooo long, there were slideshows and videos shown, and they even created a short documentation about all the girls. It was so funny and a bit ridiculous.

In the weekend we had a big family party for all the relatives. We celebrated in my host parents' restaurant and had a great time. My second host family has around 30 relatives on both sides so it's a quite big family. But I honestly love every single one of them. My host sisters have many cousins who are around my age, so we always have a blast at family parties. After the tree months, the whole family felt like my real family.

I want to thank the Mascia family for taking such good care of me for the past three months. They took me places, showed me how to live like a Canadian and treated me like their own daughter. My siblings became my best friends and I can't picture life without them. They integrated me and allowed me to take part in everything they did. I love them so much and can't thank them enough for what they have given me.

Thank you! ♥

Week 30: Parties and Sisters

Week 30:

That week my host sister Bianca was planning on having a sweet 16 party in a hall in Niagara Falls. I have never been to a party like that before and its honestly the most american thing I could ever imagine.

The whole process of planning the party took my sister about a month. She rented a hall for the night, a photo booth, a candy bar, hired a professional photographer, a bartender and a DJ. She also bought centerpieces for every table, matching bows for the chairs and matching napkins.It was so much effort for only one night! But it turned out to be a great party.

I also found out that the Rotary New York City Trip will be from May 9th to May 11th, so on my birthday! I obviously signed up for it, so no I will spend my birthday in NYC! I am sooo excited! In addition I payed for the America Bus Trip which will be in July for 1 month. 

My life is an adventure.