And the country is ...

I have been very, very busy and never received a chance to update my blog about which country I got selected to go to!
We went to Camp Wanakita for the weekend and that was an unreal time! I got picked up at lunch time from school and had lunch with the Bracebridge Rotary Club, and got to meet some very nice people. Then, we hit the road to Haliburton for an excited, eventful and suspenseful weekend! I arrived and began to meet people that I knew were going to be great friends of mine, and we all started to talk and realized all the things we had in common. I think there were around 30 students there.. half inbound and half outbound. (Inbound are the students staying in Canada for a year, and outbound are the students leaving in August for a year).
Time flew by, on Saturday all the students went into the forest and did five hours of snow shoeing!! I didn't expect it to be so much fun, we went up and down steep hills through a large forest, compassing our whole way through. At the half way point, we made a fire and roasted marsh mellows. After the long trek, we arrived back at the base of camp and did some high ropes that was also so much fun. Although the whole weekend was amazing, I couldn't get the realization that Sunday morning was the morning I will find out the country that I will go to for a year! I tried my hardest to keep my mind off of it, and focused purely on the events that were taking place at that exact moment.
Sunday morning came and the feeling of excitement was prevalent as we rushed through our breakfast, wishing upon the moment we find out which country we were headed to for a year. The time finally came, and as I sat in the room with all the other hopefuls, something I will never forget happened. The way the presented the country was to hold up the flag and name the student. There was one flag left and I thought I was the last student left to be called out. Little did I know there were two other exchange students as well and they just didn't have the last two flags. They held up a flag for Denmark and a few students were saying KATIE! KATIE! YOU'RE GOING TO DENMARK!
So, I stood up and cheerfully jumped to the front of the room and gave the head Rotarian's giant hugs. The one Rotarian looked at the list and said.. 'you're not Maggie!'
WOOPS! I went up for the wrong country, and sat back down...
Finally, the time had come and I was the only person left to find out my country. They were short the flag of the country so they drew it on a piece of paper. I had NO idea what country I could possibly be going to, since I thought all the countries were taken!
They held up the country and said Switzerland goes to.. Katie O'Hearn! My heart did a flip-flop and I jumped for joy. After some research, I realized that this is the country that is absolutely perfect for me. With climate similar to Canada, beautiful landscapes and well-known for the best cheese and chocolate, I knew I was going to the right place.
After spending hours on Google Earth checking out my new country that I will live in, I realized how excited I really am. This is official and it truly set in that this is actually going to happen.
Six more months until my life will change forever, and I have the best feeling about this.. I know it's going to be an amazing trip.

Three More Days!

Only three more days until I leave for three days to the Rotary Camp. This is my chance to meet fellow Rotarian's that are inbounding and out bounding (here in Canada for a year, or leaving in August for a year).
I'm not totally sure what goes on at this camp, but I know that it's going to be a fun time! Among many exciting things, this is the weekend that I find out what country I have been selected to go to. The list of countries that are a possibility (if I remember correctly) are: Austria, Italy, Germany, Denmark, France, Switzerland, Belgium, Japan, South Africa, Brazil, Argentina and Mexico. I may be forgetting a few, but those are the countries that come to mind. On the application we were allowed to choose our top three countries, I chose : Italy, Switzerland then France. Many people have asked if I care what country I go to? The answer is no, it will be a huge learning experience no matter where I go. Wherever I go, is where I'm meant to go and I will go into it with an open mind. I am so lucky to be apart of this program, and I know that it will be an amazing trip because it is what I make it, and I will make the best of it.
Sunday is the day I find out which country I go to, and to be honest I am very nervous! I am nervous because it is going to have a major impact on my future and the person I am becoming. I am not usually nervous but I have been waiting to hear what country I have been selected to go to, for so long and it has always been a thought in my head and now it is finally the time!
The major goal I have is to learn the language of where ever I go. Even if they speak a lot of English in that country, I will work as hard as I can to learn their native language. I will figure out ways to learn it, but my plan is to study it for the next six months until I leave, then force myself to practice, practice and practice while I am there! I am very determined which will help my goal.
Anyway, I'll be sure to write a post as soon as I find out the country that I am going to.
Take care!