First Steps

      Whenever I get to thinking about my exchange plans, I want to run and leap right in, get rid of all of this waiting stuff!  Unfortunately, everyone else in the process is perfectly content to go along in verrrrryyyyyy spprrreeaaaaaddddd oouuuttt, little baby steps.  The new applications comes out tomorrow so I'm excited to start working on that.

         The first real exchange event will be Tuesday September 18th.  Which to any Cross Country runners out there, automatically raises red flags.  Tuesdays are our meet days, and this one will be against Livonia Stevenson, but will luckily be held at our home course, early in the day.  The rotary meeting is in the next town over from 6-8 and I should be able to make it on time, the real question will be how presentable I am after running 5 miles through the woods... Let's hope it will show them my flexibility and determination rather than how quickly I can devolve into Bigfoot.  From what contact I've had with our club president, things should pick up after this meeting, because our applications and first interviews must be done by October 17th.

      I know I have a year before I will be able to leave, but even now I feel a little sad after hanging out with my friends because I know that there IS only one more year where we will all be together.  I've been so blessed to have such terrific friends through out my life.  Is it weird that I sometimes worry more about leaving my friends than my family?  I think that mainly comes because I know my family will be in my life forever, for better or for worse.  Where as moving away from my friends is truly inevitable (if only because I know I won't be living in Northville forever) and some relationships will fall to the way side.  Also, on exchange they hand you a host family, but the making friends part is all up to you.  I can't imagine making friends who I will feel as close to after one year, as the friends I have made over ten years.  But other exchange students are doing it every day, and that encourages me!

      I feel like I need to update this often, but I also don't want to post every day without having any solid, new information that is actually pertinent toward exchange.  I'll find the right balance at some point :)