Update

10 days. Only 10 more days left in the United States. Solo diez mas dias. I'm excited, nervous, anxious, but mostly excited. I haven't fully comprehended that once I leave, I won't see my family or friends for 11 months. I feel like that will hit me once I'm on the plane rolling down the runway.

I have gotten in contact with my second host family, they are very nice and welcoming as is my first host family. In my second family, there will be two siblings, a boy of 13 years and a girl of 17 years. The girl will be in Minnesota on exchange, so I won't be able to meet her, though we have been conversing on Facebook often. She helps me with my Spanish and I help her with her English. I have to say, my skills in Spanish are overpowered by her skills in English. But, my Spanish will immensely improve once I am immersed in the language... hopefully. I will be staying with my second family for a month, then I will be back to Lima for 5 more months with my third family. I am very grateful for having such a wonderful experience so far and to have such nice host families. Everything is just amounting to be a great year!

This past weekend, my parents and I drove up to Grand Rapids, MI for the Central States Rotary Youth Exchange Conference. What this conference is; all the inbounds, outbounds, and rebounds come to this conference and go to meetings ALL day. The main focus of the conference is on the outbounds, to prepare them for their upcoming year. The parents also go to meetings as well. They get their millions of questions answered and also meet with rebound parents to know what their part in their students exchange will be. One sad thing that we found out is, if my parents were to send me a package while I am in Peru, it might not get to me and if it does, everything might not be there. I will learn to live with that though, as it isn't a setback at all. I received my Host Guarantee forms in GR and my insurance card that Central States provides students. This weekend was a great success and most if not all of my questions were answered.

Also, at the conference, I met 7 other kids going to Peru and 5 of those kids will be in the Lima district, 4450, with me! The kids going to Lima will be on the same flight as me from Dallas to Lima on the 27th of July. I was very happy to learn that, because now I won't have to sit in the airport alone to on the flight alone. Also, this weekend I made many new friends. I met some great rebounds, some awesome outbounds, and cool inbounds. Though, I hung out with my district's kids a lot because it was the last time I was able to see our inbounds. Needless to say, I cried while saying goodbye. Already, I have made friendships that will last a lifetime and I haven't even gone abroad yet!

I know my upcoming year will be full of ups and downs; homesickness, adjusting to the new language and culture, etc. But, I know that it will all be worth it. The good times will outweigh the bad and I will not regret this year at all. Only 10 more days!!!

Until next time,
Emily