Headache.

Yesterday I had my first experience of an exchange related headache.

The definition of an exchange related headache? Listening to another language for an extended period of time, concentrating so hard to understand, you end up with a headache.

I suppose my time wasn't extended - only 2 hours, but it was enough to get my head throbbing, as I tried so hard to understand the excited, fast-spoken South American at the Spanish church I attended yesterday.

I have decided that, as a Christian, when I go over to Spain, I want to be connected to a church, and experience life as a Christian in another culture. I also wanted to experience a Spanish church in my own country as well, which had me looking up Spanish church services. This one was in Merrylands, and was so much fun. I got a little lost on my way there (thanks Google Maps!) and finally decided to take the logical route, getting me there a little after 9. I rocked up at the front door, to hear people singing in Spanish, and I was overcome with a great sense of joy, knowing that next year, I will be immersed in this beautiful language. The 'welcomer' welcomed me, and looking me up and down, knowing I wasn't Spanish, asked if I knew that it was a Spanish service, and if I spoke Spanish. I said that I was learning, and he showed me inside and I joined in singing songs to God in Spanish.

I think some of my favourite memories of travelling overseas have been where I have been connected to a culture through our shared faith. When I was in Tonga, on a 2 week exchange with my school, I felt a great connection to the people, and the way they viewed life. I loved going to their 2 hour+ church services, where I had no idea what they were talking about, because it was such an amazing experience, where I realised that language barriers do not stop people from connecting. When I was in Hong Kong, on another 2 week exchange with my school, we attended a church where we sung a well-known song in English, them in Cantonese. To be unified through songs of worship, the barrier that stops a large amount of communicating seems to fade away, and we are united in our shared faith. I think that that experience is something out of this world, and amazing, and I think everyone should have the opportunity to experience it.

But to experience singing in Spanish, understanding the words... that was just... amazing.

I pretty much had no idea about what the pastor spoke about - by the end of the service, I understood the main points he was talking about, but not in detail. But my head was bursting with concentration! After church had finished, the 'welcomer' came and chatted with me, and got me a coffee, and I walked around looking at the church and the different people, a cacophony of Spanish mixed with English assailing my senses. I saw what I think was a father and daughter, and we asked the normal, "¿Como estas? ¿Como te llamas?" etc... and we spoke for a couple of minutes just asking general questions. They finally moved on to English, asking if I spoke English, and I was like, "Yes!!! Yes I do! My brain hurts!" And they were quite surprised that I wasn't a Spanish speaker - they said my accent was great, which made me feel great. I also got to talk to the pastor, and he said that he had lots of contacts in Spain, and would easily be able to connect me with a church.

I felt like I had experienced my first taste of what Spain will be like - 2 short hours, and my head was ready to burst... Imagine a whole day, week, year. It's crazy, but at the same time, exhilerating and exciting to think of the challenges I will have next year. Whenever I get nervous or feel ridiculously underprepared, I always think to the end product. I will be able to speak another language fluently!

I think that learning a second language is so incredibly important in our lives, as it removes prejudice from our lives, and allows us to connect with other cultures. Learning another language removes our ignorance of other cultures, and other people not of our own race. Learning another language allows a deeper insight and appreciation of other cultures that we would not have had to the same degree if we had not learnt the language of the culture. Learning another language is extremely important for people today, in a world so full of segregation, discrimination and racism. Language is really important for removing prejudice and ignorance because diversity and differences should be seen as assets to be valued, and not the basis of discrimination. By understanding another language we are able to connect with other people outside our own culture and go beyond language barriers to create a community across nations and the world. Learning Spanish is great as it is spoken by such a large number of people, across a diverse number of countries. Having this ability to speak to someone across the world, from another socio-economic status and culture is an extremely rewarding one, which would not be as possible without the ability to speak another language.

I encourage anyone out there that actually does read this blog (If there is anyone that does leave me comments!! :P) to think about exchange, and about all the rewarding aspects of it. If you are worried about language, and how you aren't naturally a language person, I would suggest that you still look at different peoples blogs, and know that you can go on exchange to same language countries (in my case English- the US, Canada, the UK etc...).

These past few days, I have been incredibly blessed with a passion for exchange, language and an excitiment that cannot be rivaled. It shocks me that I leave in only two short months, but I really do feel like everything is happening. I have handed in my VISA application ($400 later!), am officially not a criminal ($200 for a criminal record history check??), and am hopefully on my way to finding out my host family.

I love exchange, and all the experiences it brings me. Someone once told me that exchange really takes 3 years: 1 to prepare (2009), 1 to actually go on exchange (2010), and one to evaluate and go through home culture shock (2011). And I've realised that it is so true - exchange does take 3 years, and I'm experiencing my first year right now. I cannot wait for the actual journey to begin, and for you to be a part of it with me, through this blog.

I Love Exchange.

This week, I love exchange. It has been filled with me studying, reading blogs, studying, talking to exchangers, studying, orientation, studying. I'm meant to be studying now.... But I can't be bothered!

But I am loving exchange, and the fact that I'll be learning another language, gaining a new family, making friends. Ahhh so so so cool.

I think I have finally accepted that I won't be seeing my family and friends for a year. I think it sucks, but I think the adventure that awaits is much more thrilling than to not go and stay home.

I LOVE EXCHANGE!

P.S. My orientation is in.... two days!!

WOOOO!!!!

Host Families and Visas- Spain

Ohh I'm so over my "I hate exchange" mode. I've been looking at people's experiences via Facebook, and looking at photos and blogs and all that, and I'm just so excited! I'm such a rollercoaster of emotions, often being incredibly excited about exchange, to regretting my decision to go on a year long exchange.

I've been having a really busy couple of months.... I've finally finished school, but still have my HSC- final exams. I have two left to go, and then I'm finally free! Although I miss some aspects of school, I really do enjoy not being at school. These past couple of weeks have been pretty stressful with my exams, and my family also had a health scare with my Dad, but he is all fine now, which is great. Although I have so much to live for now, here, in Australia, my mind is never far from Spain, and what my experience will be like there. I SO want to know where I am going!! But, I got an email from Student Exchange Australia this morning, saying that I probs won't find out until a month or less to my departure.... AND I have a date for when I leave!! Here's the email that I got:

Dear Laura,

Hello or Hola as you will need to start using.

I wanted to send you this email for a couple of reasons. The first is so that I can make sure you and your parents have my email address. This way you can contact me regarding anything that crops up and you will always have my contact details even whilst you are away.

The second reason was to get your permission to send your email address onto the other students that will be going to Spain at the same time as you. I like to get my students in contact with each other so that you can talk to other people that are going through the same thing as you.

At the moment I am looking at flights for you and I wanted to confirm some dates. I have you down as a 12 month program. This means that your travel dates will be approximately 5-10^th February 2010 returning 5^th-10^th February 2011. Naturally this is subject to change based on flight availability and visas being issued on time. This is an approximation to give you some idea about the coming months.

The big thing that I wanted to point out was host families and visas. First, host families, ideally we like to have you placed with a host family 1 month prior to departure. With Spain however we find that this can come a little bit later than that. There is always someone to be placed first and someone to get placed last and then everyone else falls in between. These things take time but I will always keep you updated as things are progressing.

Visas; I have sent out your visa pack, if you have not yet received this please let me know asap. The visa will take you some time to get together. Please be sure that you are not traveling on your passport at least 6 weeks prior to your scheduled departure as this will be needed for your visa. As I may have already said to you sometimes the visas can be delayed by the consulates and this may mean a delayed departure. Again this is not ideal but it is something that has happened and I want to make you fully aware of this.

Please feel free to contact me via email or phone if you have anything you need to discuss. The next step is flights and I will be sending out that information soon.

Adiós

I'm so excited!

I Hate Exchange.

This week I have hated that I'm going on exchange. I have finished school, and it has finally made me realise that I won't be seeing my friends five days a week, which makes me incredibly sad. But, then I realised that when I go to Spain I won't see them for a whole year, making me even sadder. I feel like I'm going to miss my friends and family so much, and that I will miss out on a year of their lives.

This is not to say that I want to not go on exchange, because I know that it will an awesome experience, and even if I do miss my friends, in the end it will be so so beneficial. But I just thought I'd post about how exchange is not something that is rosy, and all fun. Because it isn't. It's hard, and painful, but in the end so so so worthwhile those hard moments.

So, do I really hate exchange? Not really, but I do hate the aspect of not seeing my friends and family for a year.

The End Of School

I think I commented on this in my other post... but I am finishing school in 8 days. 8 short days. Today, I am feeling quite sentimental about it all- I just looked through all of my facebook photos, and thought, that these might be my last days with some of my friends! I so don't want that aspect of school to end- I love coming to school and seeing my peers every day...

I don't want to waste my last days at school, so I'm about to go to the shops to buy some fun stuff to celebrate the end of school with friends with.

My dad used to write me and my brothers a quote in an email every day to inspire us and encourage in our lives. He now sends this to quite a few people, and I find such joy in reading them. He recently wrote one on this following quote:

“Find occasions to celebrate your happiness. There is more to celebrate than anniversaries and birthdays."

Amanda Bradley

I am going to celebrate these last few days at school! I hope that whoever reads this decides to look upon their life as a celebration, and can see what or who makes them celebrate life:

Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.
Marcel Proust

"...It may not be my wedding anniversary today and I might not remember what I did on my first wedding anniversary, however I do know who I spent that day, and chose to spend the rest of my life with. My wife Wendy and she is the charming gardener in my life that makes my soul blossom.

So who makes your soul blossom? Whose soul do you make blossom? How much gardening are you going to do today? Tell someone today that they are the gardener of your life and the impact that they have on you." (Excerpt from my Dad's quote)

Thanks For Your Time

I have been so bad about writing in this blog. I promised myself that I would write regularly, and would write about the second half of my trip to America.... but then I never did! America was great. Bartlesville was amazing. The people were amazing. It stirred me. My brother works for the Voice of The Martyrs, so I learnt more about that, and what they do. It was so awesome, to see all of these people completely serving God in all aspects of life.

It was also really weird, I guess, because it was in the BIBLEBELT... so there was a church on every block, and everyone proffessed that they were Christians- so different to Australia!

So, what's been happening in my life since July? I have been quite busy with school. I had my HSC trial exams, which all went really well. I handed in my 3 major works! which was both stressful and vey satisfying, to finally have them all handed in. I officially have 8 days of school left... ever. It's so weird! It feels weird to think that in 8 days I will not be attending WCS, my school for 10 years, and that I probably won't see a lot of people I have seen daily for years. But then, it's also really weird that although I have finished school, I am going back to school in Spain.

Spain? I haven't really heard much from SEA, making me sad, cause I'd like to know everything right now! I have heard from a few people, who are have just left for Spain, who I will potentially meet. I am following a couple of their blogs, which you can find at http://becca-in-spain.blogspot.com/ and http://global-student-kaylee.blogspot.com/

I have my orientation on the 7/11 (7th of Nov) and I'm really looking forward to it.

I think that's it :)