So...here I am. Just under five months before I go to Germany. Yep, you read that right. I'm going to Germany. Little old me, from little old cowtown New York, is going to Germany. How, you ask? I'm a Rotary Youth Exchange Student.
I've always wanted to be an exchange student. Ever since I knew what an exchange student was, what it meant to be one, I've wanted to be one. I remember when I was younger and there was an exchange student in the school, I was too afraid to talk to them, even though I really wanted to. I guess I saw them as...gods of a sort. Then middle school and high school came along and I always dreamed of it, but never thought it could happen. But, lo and behold, it has.
Earlier this year, my family and I had discussed the possibility of my being an exchange student, but it was more discussion of an idea, not discussion of a possibility or probability. Then one day, while I'm in the library (she's the librarian at my school) she plops this paper down in front of me and tells me to fill it out. I look at it, and it's the first application to be a Rotary Exchange Student. I fill it out, anxiously awaiting a response, of any kind. A week or so later, I get rousted from my term paper note-taking to receive a phone call. "I think it's Rotary," mom says. Of course, I jump up, after madly typing to my boyfriend Zachary that I would be back in a few minutes. On the phone, my club's youth exchange officer introduces himself to me, asks me how I am and if I'd be able to attend an interview the next week. Trying to contain myself, I asked mom and she said we could do it. Again, trying to contain myself, I tell him that I could indeed.
My year all of a sudden got more interesting. The next week, I woke on the day of the interview a little antsy, considering the fact that the day was double big: auditions for the school play and the interview that would determine whether I'd be attending college or some foreign high school the next year.
Skipping ahead, I've survived the interview process, gotten my general placement (Germany!!), done loads of research on District 1860 (my home for a year!) and gone Germany-crazy, in general. There's just so much to say, I really don't think I can put it all in one post...there's a lot. But I do have two more things to put here. I recently had to do a write-up about myself for another Rotary event. I'm going to put it here.
But before I do, I want to talk a little about my boyfriend. There are two reasons this blog is called Worlds Apart. One is the obvious: Germany is going to be a lot different than CowTown. The other is possibly equally as obvious: Zachary's not coming with me. And it's going to suck. This is my first serious relationship. It's with a guy who is absolutely amazing and blows my mind with his amazingness on a regular basis. I just want to let him know what he means to me. This blog is about my year abroad, and even though he's not going with, he's part of it.
Sarah Lynne lives just outside of the town of Sherman with her mother and father and their two dogs, Rose Petal and Quincy. Also living in their house is a very neglected and yet-unnamed cello, a frog humidifier named Sigmund Freug, and quite possibly ghosts and poltergeists who make creaking and groaning noises during storms. This small contingent is not nearly her entire family, however. She has aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents scattered among Gettysburg, Lancaster, and Wellsboro Pennsylvania; Baltimore Maryland; and Bournemouth, County Dorset, England. Her entire family is exceedingly supportive of and enthusiastic about her ambitions and occasionally less enthusiastic about her idiosyncrasies and enthusiasm. Many close friends and an amazing boyfriend also are included in this close circle of friends and family.
After three and three-quarters years of high school, Sarah has achieved a consistent high-nineties average, the coveted and highly competitive fifth rank in a class of forty-five, and the ever-acknowledged position of school bookworm. The final accolade consists of the following: always having her nose in a book; seeing the world in terms of either chemistry, physics or symbolism; and forever asking questions. She is also one of three students currently taking Advanced Placement Chemistry, and has held her own with an average of 90.
In an attempt to not think in terms of chemistry, physics or symbolism, Sarah takes much enjoyment in acting in school plays, (although the social drama provided by drama club is often not enjoyable), history club (just another thing to think in terms of), high school bowl (a stressful team version of Jeopardy!), National Honor Society (no explanation necessary), the trap-shooting team (stress release and pure clay-pigeon-shattering glee) and band and chorus (stress release, but not as good as trap).
There really isn’t enough time outside of school or school-related activities for Sarah to have much of a non-academic, non-extra-curricular life. When her time is not utterly consumed by rehearsal and homework, she tries (rather unsuccessfully) to make beautiful music on her neglected and yet-unnamed cello. She intends, as soon as the March 25 and 26 (the opening and closing nights of the play, respectively) to pick up her cello and begin showing it some love, possibly (hopefully) the love indicated by a name. Soon, a new activity will be put on her list - learning German. The reason for such a pastime will be revealed in the next paragraph. In the moments between all of the afore-mentioned allocations of time, books are read, music is listened to, and friends are conversed with.
After high school, Sarah plans (hopes) to be an excellent and respected ambassador for the Mayville-Westfield Rotary Club, Rotary District 7090 and America while she spends the year in Germany’s District 1860 as this club's Rotary Youth Exchange Student. In order to be excellent, German must be learned. Sarah’s plans for college upon her return are, as of yet, unknown, though college is definitely in the works, probably either Thiel College, SUNY at Buffalo or JCC followed by SUNY at Buffalo.
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