Now that my exchange is just about done, I've realized how much I don't want to go home! Argentina has really become my home and my life in Newberg will never be the same, it's the price you have to pay for traveling, a little piece of your heart stays behind.
I can tell you that if anyone had told me a year ago that I would be spending my summer in Argentina I would have told them that they were crazy! My family normally stays in the states when it comes to vacations. If they told me I was going to become an exchange student I'd tell them they were mental. If someone told me I would be an exchange student to Argentina I would have asked them what drug they were on because that sure wasn't going to happen. But I'm glad it did.
But being an exchange student hasn't been an easy ride, it is full of bumps and huge mountains and whatnot. You throw yourself into an unknown place, into a new family, country, school, language, culture, and you have nothing. You have to start a new life for yourself. You go through things that people, even your parents haven't been through. But it has been an incredible journey, one full of crazy events, which I don't regret. Though I wish I tried harder on the language, I don't regret much. Becoming an exchange student has been the best decision I have ever made in my life and I'm so grateful for the opportunity and happy it came along.
Though my time in Argentina was short, I really feel at home and wish to never leave, I will definitely come back for sure to visit the amazing people I have met here.
Exchange is no easy thing and it is definitely NO vacation. Vacations, you don't experience what I have experienced and they are definitely shorter. They don't affect you like exchange does. Vacations are trips, exchange is a second life so if anyone I know is reading this, please don't call it a trip (trust me all exchange students hate that word) as it was much more than that. Instead ask:
-How was your exchange?
-How was Argentina?
Or anyway that doesn't involve the word trip.
Exchange also changes people in amazing ways. You basically have to grow up. And let me tell you that I am not the same person who left my country two and a half months ago. I have changed, I have matured, I have grown up.
Upon my return home I will start school and have to go back to my boring old life, which I'm going to change for sure. On the bright side, Flor will be coming in December so that will be great! I hope I can help make her exchange as amazing as mine was. I also have decided that this is what I want to do, international work, and will be applying for two or three State Department scholarships to go on a year long exchange my senior year to help prepare me for international work. (I want to go to Russia, Taiwan, Turkey, or Germany I think). On top of that I will have to graduate this year (I only need 1.25 credits to graduate and will be taking 3 BYU online courses). This year will not be easy as I am taking three AP classes, am doubling up on my English classes, want to start two new languages, and to continue to do good at FFA competitions. I will continue to dance but not as much. It will be hard but hopefully the award at the end will be worth it.
Overall, being an exchange student has been the greatest decision of my life and if any of you reading this have even the slightest interest in it I strongly encourage you to look into it and go for it! Seriously. Look into it. You won't regret it. Also if you have any questions or are interested on how, feel free to contact me! (Leave a comment if you don't have my info). It would be my honor and I would be more than happy to try to help you get into an amazing, life changing, program to give you an experience like this.
