The Beginning of my Journey

Greetings everyone (or Saluti tutti in Italian)

As I am writing this, I am aboard a plane headed to Amsterdam (I will post this when I get WiFi at the airport).  I cannot even begin to describe how excited I am to soon be in Italy, meeting my Italian host family in person, eating pasta, and speaking the Italian that I’ve been working to learn the last few months.  At the beginning of today, I was feeling quite nervous.  However, now that I have successfully gone through customs and found my gate, I feel quite empowered.  After all, what I believe to be the hardest part of my flight (saying goodbye to my family) is over.   I am flying on KLM, which, as a fellow traveler has informed me, is the best airline.  I am finding my flight very enjoyable, and the free meals are absolutely delicious.

I haven’t even left Canada yet, and I have learned so much.  As those who are part of Rotary or are fellow exchange students in my district know, exchange students participate in a Spring Orientation before they go.  There, they teach us many lessons and tips that will help us for our exchange and for the rest of life.  Attending Rotary club meetings and helping at events has also taught me so much. With them, I have felt the joy of helping others, and witnessed that when capable people work together, it is possible to make a big difference in a community and the world.  I really treasure this wonderful opportunity that Rotary has given to me, and all of the wisdom that come has and will come with it.

Also, before I go, I would like to share my favorite quote: “Life Begins at the End of your Comfort Zone.”   I believe that this quote is very fitting for an exchange, and it has inspired me a great deal.

 

Ciao for now,

Megan