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First of all, I would like to say that ever since the six grade I have wanted to go to Paris, France. I thought
that being an exchange student would take me there.
At the end of 9th grade the Unity Rotary representative, Charlie Schaefer, visited Mt. View to make a speech
about Rotary International and exchange students. Many students attended, including my sister and me. Later when I contacted
Charlie, he told me that I was the only one to get back to him so there was no need to go through a process of selection because
there was no competition.
All the while, Lori had been making plans to move to Australia for the year to stay with Mom's friend, Julia.
At first she thought it was a great idea, but when she began to analyze her situation, she decided it would be best if Lori
didn't go that year... So she decided to jump on the band wagon and be an exchange student also!
We were given a piece of paper that listed about fifty countries and were asked to number the top ten countries
that we would want to spend our exchange year in. I think my fifth or six choice was Israel and when I brought the paper
to Jack Schraeter, he talked down France, he talked down Belgium, and told me that I would be perfect for Israel. I didn't
want to make waves so I went along with it but when I told my French teacher, Kristen Bintliff, about what he had decided
on for a country, she asked for his e-mail and shortly afterwards he called me and told me that if Belgium or France was what
I really wanted then it was completely up to me. :-)
I decided on Belgium over France because everyone goes to France and I had heard that Belgium had better chocolate!
Plus it is smaller than France, but the culture is similar so I would be getting the same experience but in a smaller area
so I could visit more places in a shorter period of time.
Lori's first choice was Japan and then South Korea. I guess Japan had reached their placement maximum and so
Lori was put in her second choice. She has recently learned that she will probably be staying with six host families and
she will be staying with a pastor, his wife and their 16 year old daughter for her first family. She still knows nothing
of her other five families.
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