Nuthin'

I posted a picture of the pins I made on a rotary exchange facebook group and sooo many people loved them and wanted to know how to make them!  So I made a video showing how to make them :)

This is the link to it if you would like to watch:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaeSp4VVhLo

Other than that, I don't know that I really have much to say.  We have about 4 or so weeks of school left, then after that I'll have about a month and a half of summer before departing for Peru.  I'm looking forward to the break.  I've been working really hard (dishin' that custard at Culver's ;) )  not to mention tying up all the loose ends at school (finishing an online math course that, at this moment, I've sunk about 140 hours into..., sophomore year project on Rotary Youth Exchange, etc).  I think I'll also end up taking the ACT because I can take it now or I can take it my senior year, and I have a feeling I'm not going to retain very much information over the course of a year...  anyways, it's been a busy and stressful year and I am looking forward to summer.  I plan on watching a lot (too much) of One Tree Hill, packing, napping, and repacking.  Yeah, that's basically the extent my plans at this point.  :)

Everyone is beginning to find out their cities, families, and clubs (some still only have the district, though).  It was kind of an interesting scenario for me, having no information WHATSOEVER one day, and having all three families, club, and school the next.

It's all getting pretty real, pretty fast!
Catch ya on the flip side.
-Ginger

P.S  If anyone has any questions or whatever, feel free to leave a comment!!  

DAYS TO PERU:  80

San Isidro!  ... Again   :)

A little more official..? But not really haha

Ok, so Joseline said they had their rotary meeting and discussed the host families, and here is what she told me :  Emilie, from Denmark, will live with Isabella Jady's family (she had messaged me earlier in the week), and I will live with a different family (I think I will live with Isabella Jady's family later in the year, and probably with Joseline's family as well).  I added my first host mother on facebook (Ana Maria) and talked with her a little bit.  Haha don't be worried if you are extremely confused with all these different people/families -- so am I!  haha it's hard to remember.  This family also lives in San Isidro, Lima.  I will have a host sister, Grace (15) who will be leaving in August to be an exchange student in Illinois, so we will only live together for about a month.  I also have 3 host brothers:  Jim and Bruno (twins- 23) and Christian (24)... who will all live in the house along with their dog, Nossa. lol. 

San Isidro!  Main financial and business district from what I understand.

Chau
-Ginger

DAYS TO PERU: 86

LIMA!!

Ok so now that I have more time to explain this whole story (and it is a fairly long, confusing story) I will tell you more in-depth about my placement!!  It begins...

So, a few days ago, I received a friend request on facebook from a girl named Joseline.  She messaged me something along these lines "Hi!  I'm Joseline.  You will come to my rotary club and I am happy for you!"  I totally freaked out because at this point I didn't even have my DISTRICT yet alone my CLUB!  She proceeded to tell me that she had lived in Florida as an exchange student a few years ago.  She said her club in Peru had my information and were preparing for me!  So I was like "So I will be living in Lima?"  and she said "Yes, you will be here with us".  So my rotary club is called (in english) Our Lady of Grace.

I'M GOING TO LIMA!! 

SO AMAZING RIGHT?!?  I'm so glad she messaged me!  She also said it is probable that I will live with her family.  But she didn't know if it would be my first family or not.

And not 2 hours later.... I received two more friend requests.  They both also messaged me, and here is the gist of it.  One request was from a girl named Karen.  She explained that she was also from the club Our Lady of Grace.  She said she would be going on exchange to France, and that I would probably live in her house with her family!  The other request was from Karen's mother (Isabella Jady), who explained basically the same thing as Karen had.  But they also did not know if they would be my first family or not.  I chatted with them on facebook for about an hour (IN SPANISH!!!!)

Lima!!  Nearly 9 million inhabitants!

So I heard from two of my families within the same day! But I don't know when I will live with either of them lol.  And technically this is not official, so this very well could change.  I don't actually know that any of this is certain, except for that I will be hosted by the club Our Lady of Grace in Lima, Peru.

Joseline said they will have a rotary meeting tonight and I think she said they will discuss the host families, so she will probably be able to tell me who will be my first family soon! 

Also, she told me there would be 3 students total hosted by Our Lady of Grace club :  Me (USA)  Emilie  (Denmark)  and Victor (Belgium).  I am happy I am not alone in my club!!  :D  I'm so grateful that we will have each other and I hope we will become close friends.  I think that's everything... I'll post again when I hear more about families.

Oh yeah, and Joseline also told me they already know my school, because apparently all the students that go to this club go to the same school :  it's called Santa Rosa de Lima.  I think... haha and Karen's mom told me they wear uniforms =) 

AMAZING NEWS

Today I received a facebook message from a girl saying I would be in her Rotary Club - Rotary Nuestra Señora de Gracia in Lima, Peru!  She also said her family would probably be my first or second family!  So now I can FINALLY say...

I'm going to Lima, Peru!!

So excited and hyper right now...

- Ginger

Third Orientation Complete

Hey everyone!

So I had my third and final orientation yesterday.  I was a little sick but it went well.  First we talked about airline stuff, insurance stuff (didn't understand a word of it), and safety stuff and then after lunch we broke into groups to present our speeches. (Just like 4 minute introductory speeches about ourselves).  My group (consisting of girls going to Peru, Chile, and Colombia) presented mostly in Spanish-- 4 of the 6 girls did it completely in Spanish, myself included :).  However, we were presenting to parents of students going to Greenland, Norway, and Denmark... so no one really understood what we were saying lol.  Then we just kind of chatted a little until the end.  Laura (the other girl going to Peru with me) and I still don't know our districts, cities, families, or schools.  The 2 girls going to Chile both have their cities, and the girls going to Colombia both have their districts.  We thought we would definitely be going to Lima, but it's looking like we might actually be somewhere else.  We'll see.  Here's some pics of the orientation:

We received our fancy rotary jackets, pins, and business cards! Throughout their year, students collect pins/badges from other students and put them on their blazer. 

South America girls!!  From left: Me (Peru), Laura (Peru), Miranda (Colombia), Abbey (Colombia), Ellen (Chile), Nikita (Chile)!

Me and Laura with the Peruvian flag!

Also, here's another pic of the pins I made:

Well, I guess that's all I have to say!

See ya!
-Ginger

DAYS TILL PERU:  104

Also!!  Over 1,000 people have viewed my blog and I haven't even left yet lol ;)

Spring time!

Well, not quite spring time here in northern Wisconsin-- nearly April and still a good amount of snow covering the ground.  But it's supposed to be up to 45 degrees today!! :)

I recently had 2 of my 3 immunizations:  Typhoid and Hepatitis A.  They didn't hurt too bad at first, but for the next two days both arms (one shot in each) were really sore...also got a supply of malaria pills (malarone; for when I travel into the Amazon area).

I also went to my first Rotary meeting today.  I introduced myself and spoke a little bit about how I got involved in the program and said a little about where I'm going (although I couldn't say much since I still don't have my district or city yet).  I was pretty nervous, but everyone was nice.  Too bad I don't have my Rotary Jacket yet-- with that thing on you instantly can do anything and fear nothing.

And I have my third and final orientation in the beginning of April.  I'm really looking forward to it; we get our rotary jackets, the chance to take photos with everyone, and it means that it will be only a short time before everyone will start departing for their countries.

I've been checking my email about 15 times a day (and the junk folder of course) scouting for news on my city/family but no luck so far.  A couple of the people in the group I started on facebook (Rotary Youth Exchange to Peru 2013-2014) are beginning to find out their cities and families.  Hopefully I'll know soon!

Made my pins!  :)

I LEAVE FOR PERU IN: 120 days

4 months to go!

My passport came!

I'm so excited to start my year in Peru!  I have a countdown app on my phone that is set for my departure date- July 28th.  I'll end every post from now on with a countdown.
 
What have I been up to, you may ask? Well, I've been desperately waiting for spring.  Every time it seems like the snow is melting away and the sun is coming out, we get hit with a snow storm.  I've been working hard on finishing an online math course before summer and planning my sophomore project at my school. School has been tedious but I just have to remember that in 4 months I'll be living in South America and having (hopefully) the time of my life.

Still no news on my city or family.  I just want to be able to say "I'm going to be living in _______, Peru!" Hopefully I'll know within the next month or so.

I LEAVE FOR PERU IN:  139 days