AK Brasil Baby

Well I knew it was coming all along, but I NEVER knew it would be this hard.

2010-06-10T10:43:00.000-07:00

Itinerary For Sara Katherine Carrier Zwink

ROTARY INTERNATIONAL YOUTH EXCHANGE TRAVEL ITINERARY

AIR: 08 AUG 10 SUNDAY
TAM MERIDION FLT:3361 CONFIRMED NONSTOP
LV:BELO HORIZONTE AT:1150A MILES - 307
AR:SAO PAULO/GRU AT: 110P
SAO PAULO
SNACK SEAT- 8F

AIR: 08 AUG 10 SUNDAY
DELTA FLT: 104 CONFIRMED NONSTOP
LV:SAO PAULO/GRU AT: 855P MILES - 4653
AR:ATLANTA AT: 550A ON 09 AUG
GEORGIA
DINNER-MOVIE SEAT-43G

AIR: 09 AUG 10 MONDAY
DELTA FLT:2629 CONFIRMED NONSTOP
LV:ATLANTA AT: 820A MILES - 2182
AR:SEATTLE AT:1040A
WASHINGTON
FOOD TO PURCHASE-MOVIE SEAT-39A

AIR: 09 AUG 10 MONDAY
ALASKA FLT: 113 CONFIRMED NONSTOP
LV:SEATTLE AT: 230P MILES - 1448
AR:ANCHORAGE INTL AT: 504P
ALASKA
FOOD TO PURCHASE SEAT-28A

Yeah....nothing to say. Other than thank you Rotary for this amazing life-altering experience. I just hate you for making it end as well.

Yep. Thanks for following it with me! I still have two more months, let's enjoy the heck out of them together!!

Sending love your way :)

God bless.

~Sara

This is what I do in school, ponder life.

2010-05-18T09:01:00.000-07:00

If I hear... :

American music --> I miss America.

Brazilian music --> I love Brazil and never want to leave. .....and so the deep thinking begins.

Seriously, I could live happily in one of the two. But I want to have it all - I want my (hypothetical) future family to know both Alaska (USA) and Brazil. Am I asking too much?

Maybe I can only have one - but just thinking that, living without Brazil or the USA lifestyles, just makes my heart ache and my eyes water. Honestly. My friend/classmate asked me ''Where are you most happy?'' but also ''You have to remember, this is only one year here for you, you had your whole life in Alaska.'' They are both good points.

However, I always thought, knew, that for my adult life, I wouldn't stay in Alaska. That I would travel, live for a year or so in many different places. And yes, Alaska is my home. I will always visit, and (again with the hypothetical future family), I want them to know Alaska as a home also. But now Brazil is too much a part of my life, I don't want to live without it. I can't.

But then I think, what about Europe, I always dreamed about Europe being my travel-young-experiences. I think I would do so well there also! It's not really a question about 'where I'd do the best' because I know I can make it work anywhere. It's about where do I want to make it work most.

Can I really do it all? Travel-work-study in Brazil for another year (thinking about returning August 2011 for another year kinda on my own), then do the same in Europe...that's my dream right there.

The big hold up here - HOW?! I know, or at least lately I've been thinking a lot of working/studying in International Relations...but then, do what exactly?! I love traveling, languages, tourism, writing, politics, communications, teaching, helping, volunteering, fashion, ...anyone have any idea what career I can make out of that?! If you do, please let me know :D

I really just don't know what my next move is after I get back from exchange. Well - ok I do know. I will finish up high school, since I don't get credit for my senior year while being on exchange. But come summer (or winter, depending on your hemisphere ;) ) July-September 2011. I don't know what to do. You may have heard me say before that for the past three years I've wanted to go on exchange, so I always knew that was my next move in life. Well now my exchange is wrapping up, unfortunately.., and the future is looming....or waiting??

I really just want security. Not money wise, but just in knowing in life what I REALLY want to do. With exchange it was a no-brainer! It was a huge crazy leap, but I was so sure of it! Nervous yes, but so sure! I just want to know what my next leap in this path of life is! Is that too much to ask?

I don't want to lose one of the lifestyles that I love so much, Alaska, USA, Brazil. I know that the more I travel, the more places and lifes I will fall in love with...but as Shakespeare once wrote ''It's better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all.'' ~He may have been one crazy, toking playwright, but I'm pretty darn sure he's right about this one. Great - at least I'm sure about one thing, well hey - ya gotta start somewhere!

As always, thanks for reading, I love to get comments also *hint hint*.

God bless,

Sara

2010-05-01T21:11:00.000-07:00

To be honest I just am in a writing mood, but I have no real theme to this post. :) Who know's what I'll talk about, but here we go!

So today is (1am...) the 2nd of May. As in=11 days left of being a minor...seventeen years old. Yes, the fact that I turn 18 in less than two weeks IS freaking me out just a tad. But I'm also really excited! I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT I'VE BEEN IN BRAZIL OVER 8 MONTHS!! Seriously, this time has really flown by and it's getting hard for me. By that I mean- It's difficult to stay happy all the time when I know that I'm leaving in less than 3 months, that my exchange is in it's final stretch. I just LOVE IT HERE SO MUCH! It will be hard for me to leave Brazil, I am 100% sure of that. 100% scared for what is to come after exchange. I'm just not sure about how I'll handle it...For those of you who I will see when I return, I ask you to just keep in mind that, if I seem distracted or sad...It's not easy for me and that I'll get through it, I'm just going to take it slowly. We will just have to see what the future holds...

Speaking about the future...I'M REALLY FREAKED OUT ABOUT THAT! You see, it was three years ago that I decided I wanted to go on an Rotary Youth Exchange. I was sure of that decision, from the moment of the interviews, acception, departure. I never had doubts that it was something I wanted to do. Even when it was hard my first few months here, I knew for sure I was going to stay the whole year because it was going to get better - and it sure has gotten better, so much I want to live here forever. But my point is. I have had my next life goal figured out for 3 years - Rotary exchange...well now that I'm here, and it's passing by oh so quickly...I don't know what my next step is! My next life goal, dream, big huge crazy leap that people will laugh at me for when I tell them about it, but then pat me on the back for making my dreams come true. (cheesy I know...) Seriously though. What is next for Sara Zwink? That my dear friends, I guess we will figure out together.

If you have any ideas for what I should do next, seriously, any opportunities or ANYTHING, I'm up for it all. Let me know!

I think I'm just going to leave it at this...this is what has been going through my head for the past month, so that's how I'm doing - confused. :/

Basically, as far as a Brazil update goes. I'm moving into my last famliy, in the next two weeks. My current family is awesome, it's a single mom with a 3yr old daughter. It has it's hard points, it's a bit farther out of the city, and sometimes it's hard with the child...but I love this mom soo much, she knows everything about my life, I can and do tell her everything. I will really miss her and I'm sure I'll be spending some more nights here even after I move. Other than that, life is amazing, I love my friends here, and will miss them like crazy when I return to Alaska.

Life is good. And for that I'm so very thankful.

God bless :)

As always, thanks for reading, leave me a comment please! I love to hear from you!

~Sara

New mailing address!!

2010-04-12T15:18:00.000-07:00

In truth, I will have four different addresses...but mail things to this address, I'll get them faster. (I love this mom, I will miss her SOOO much!)

Sara Zwink
Rua Pedro Delfino, 955
Bairro Divinopolis
João Pinheiro, Minas Gerais, Brazil
CEP: 38770-000

Thanks! And keep in mind. It takes an average of 2 months for a normal letter to get here, and longer for any packages. IF you want to send something...send it the fastest way possible, it will cost a lot...I'm sorry and thank you SO much for everyone who has/will send me something!

Thanks! God bless!

~Sara

2010-03-08T10:22:00.000-08:00

On Sunday, March 7th, 2010, I finally worked up the courage to go to church here - on my own. Of course I went there with the expectation that I would know people there... I arrived at 8pm, which is when I was told that it started - may or may not have arrived at the end of an earlier service, gone in, stood in back, taken Eucharist, and realized then that it was the end of a former service….Okay, yeah…I totally did that. :/

So I started waiting for people to leave, slightly freaking out that I just missed the whole service…saw the librarian from my school, and then one of the past host-mothers of Coo (other Rotary Exchange student here, from Germany) Me: ‘Hi’ How are you?’ the mom: ‘Hi Sara, good and you?’ me: ‘I’m well, is there another service now?’ the mom: ‘Yes, for teens, did you just arrive?’ me: ‘Ahhh exactly, the teen one…yep just got here.’ the mom: ‘Aw, well welcome and enjoy!’ me: ‘Thanks, have a good evening!’ ‘Bye’ ‘Bye.’ And then I started breathing again lol. Good so I hadn’t just missed everything. I was there in perfect timing…(btw, the conversation was in Portuguese, so not actually as structured as I wrote it, but that’s basically how it went). After that, I went and waited outside for a bit, hoping against hope that one of my friends who I know attend there would show up…no such luck. I thought, well heck Sara, it’s a church, they’ll be nice to me - Plus I just moved houses that same day, across town…so walking home wasn’t an option, not after dark that’s for sure. So, I walked back in and hung around the back for a bit…and of course, being the outgoing Evangelical church that it is, someone came up to me ‘This is your first time here? ‘Aahh…yes it is’ ‘Welcome!! I’m (forgot name). Here, I’ll introduce you to someone!’ He walked me to the front of the pews (seats), where there was a woman about my age sitting, at a computer running the music slides. She was super nice and had me sit up front near her. I noticed later the guy actually was one of the worship leaders

In all, the service was really good. The worship was nice - in Portuguese of course, but still nice. I couldn’t understand to much of the service it self, because of the really loud speakers and he was talking really really fast!
I did understand this: March 8th is International Day of Woman (sounds weird because I’m not sure what we call it in English, but this is how you would translate it from Portuguese lol) So the pastor talked about Prophetess Deborah. And how God wants to use us, but He can’t do anything unless we want to be used by God, and therefore open up our hearts and lives to Him (amen!). He also talked about respect of woman, for men - not to take woman for granted, or disrespect them with lines like ‘Well if you love me you’ll do ____’. How men and woman are equal, both cherished and needed, so we need to respect each other. For the woman - to know that we are to be loved and cherished and our lives and works are to be in beauty for Him. (amen again!)

Over all, I really enjoyed my experience and I think I will start going to that church every week. (The fact that they handed out a rose and chocolate to every woman as we left the church, doesn’t hurt either.:D )
After church, my new host mom, her friend, and my new 2 year old host sister (I just moved into this family the same Sunday), and I all went out to pizza. Now, there’s one (1) uno, um, I, pizza place in my town. Nostra pizza. I went there Saturday night with Tamlyn and a friend, and saw my Rotary Club president and his girlfriend there…saw them again Sunday night… That’s what I mean about my town, we really only have two places to go out to eat here, the other being a Brazilian bbq, I go there every Friday with family…I love my town.
And so, my first night in my new host family went really well, the church went great, school is getting better every day, I think I’ll be very happy here. :)
Thanks for reading! Keep it up because I’m going to be blogging more!
God bless,
Sara

Breath to Breath

2010-03-08T10:10:00.000-08:00

You ever have one of those moments when you just stop suddenly and can't grasp how in the world you already are almost 18? (Or insert you're age here) Because I had a whole day like that. Between moving to my third host family today, only having almost exactly 5 more months of exchange left, senior year of high school....18th birthday in two months....I could go on and on.On one hand I wonder...'Wow Sara, you've done nothing with your life so far...' But I really can't say that, I'm on Rotary Youth Exchange right now, that's something alright! I just should never watch reality tv shows of people my age going off to college...it makes it all to real.
When did I grow up? Yes I'm only 17, and who are we kidding, I will always be a child. But just the fact that I have real responsibilities now, that I don't have time to always sit back and play...Don't you remember your freshman year, when you just couldn't wait to be one of the seniors? Yeah where did all that time go? 4 years???? What the heck! Stop going so quickly! Seriously life..mind letting me cherish the moment before you move on so fast? Thanks.
We never know when we're done here, we never know when our loved ones are going to leave us. It always happens too fast. So don't waste your time being enemies, angry with people you actually love, spending waaaaay to much energy on trying to win a fight - when, I bet if you just let go of your pride, you'd see how stupid you were actually being. And yes I'm saying this from experience, it's called life.
I've been on exchange for almost 7 months already, I had my oldest brother get hit by a truck and almost die, that was back in December, now he's finally walking again: 3 months later. I also had a wonderful uncle pass away very suddenly, in his mid 40's, from a heart attact. I've not been able to be there for my family, either times. If that wasn't the hardest thing to go through in my life, I don't know what was.
Because even though we hear it all the time: We really don't know what we have, until it's gone, or until it's almost taken away from us. And yes I know, if I think I'll never take anything for granted or waste time being angry or hurt over something stupid, I'm sure I will, I'm only human and we do that. But, I can say this. I may not remember for a moment, but I won't forget the fact that I live an insainly blessed life. We all do - whether it seems it or not at times. We should be smiling and just saying 'thank you' with every breath we breath. Because we still have breath to breath, and besides everything else we have, if it was all taken away, we still have that, and that my friends, is enough.
God bless you all, I miss you dearly and pray for you every day. I love you and thank you for being in my life. :) <3
Sara K. C. Zwink

Video Journal update!

2009-10-25T17:11:00.000-07:00

So I know I haven't been updating...almost at all on this blog. But I have put together a few video updates on my youtube channel. www.youtube.com/saraz513. And so I figured I would put those links here! At least while I have some updates ready, hopefully I will start writing more on this blog, but here are a few things to keep you in the know of my exchange!
I will post the links here to the videos that actually have to do with exchange, if you go to my youtube channel, you can see a few other videos, friend/birthday shoutout, from Brasil also, but not exactly updates about how I'm doing here.

From oldest (beginning of my exchange) to newest (closer to now...):

1st:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpo-VbbKOKw

2nd:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y92ikwCwkuE

3rd
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5ECpc39e4s

4th
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faBC92CmEAY

5h:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOy2THVIklg

6th:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqoRsGB4fHI

7th:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTPshZixIdE

8th:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2my6K9VhOyA

9th:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gB-BOy4nm3E

(Be sure to rate them 5 stars and leave me a comment!)

Hey well look at that...9 videos! That's better than I thought I did...hehe. Hope you enjoy! And I know I've said all this before...but I really will try to update more! So check back every week for something new!
God bless!
~Sara

My mailing address!

2009-10-13T18:31:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I haven't posted this before...and yes it will change when I move families, but I'll put up that new address then and I'll still get it if it's mailed here after I moved...
MY ADDRESS!!!

Sara Zwink
praca coronel hermongenes 57 ap 1001
joao pinheiro, MG, Brasil
38770-000

Yes that means I'm hoping for some mail now...it really really means a lot to me, as an exchange student its one of the best things about exchange.

Obrigada!
Sara

First two weeks!!! (Kinda....)

2009-09-04T06:03:00.000-07:00

Oh my goodness...Now when you're warned that your exchange will fly bye....boy do they mean it. When I just arrieved, which feels like maybe 3 days ago, not 14. I met Caroline, one of the other exchange students in my town, she said she'd been here for 2 weeks. That sounded so long to me! But now I've been here two weeks. I don't even know what to say...

(JUMP FORWARD TO ONE MONTH and some odd days...)

Okay, computer still not fixed...but I use my families a few times a week. :) The internet in my town is suuuuper slow, so I don't get that many pictures up, but you should see some, check out my myspace or facebook if I have you as a friend. :)

I figured I'd tell you about my normal day here! First my alarm goes off at 6am, I hit snooze for another 10mins :) Finally get out of bed, look out my 10th story window over downtown Joao Pinheiro, can't believe that I'm looking out of a 10th story window over downtown JP in BRAZIL, thank God for everything, get ready for school...usually my brother has to knock on my door and hold the elevator for me because they I run to the kitchen and grab a banana and crackers for breakfast, which I eat on the way to school, on a bus. :) Then school from 7am to 12:30, take the bus home for lunch, sit down with aaallll of my family, my mom and dad, brother Joao Gabriel (17 yrs old, go to school with him) Joao Carlos (older and moved out bro) sister Gabriel and her husband, and their baby Thomas (also moved out). :D It's quite an affair, I have another sister, my Rotary Counselor, but she has lunch with her family. I lived with her for my first 10 days because her parents, my host parents, were traveling. Then I usually nap or get on the computer until 1:40 when Carol (the exchange student here from Denmark) picks me up and we walk to school. Then at 5:20 school's out and I either walk home with friends or take the bus home. :D

Then, well it totally depends. On Monday night at 6 my whole family has a Bible study then dinner, I love that :). Even though they all speak Portuguese and I don't understand most of it, it's still a very nice time. On Wednesday nights I have a Rotary meeting, from 8-whenever you're done eating lol. I'll explain the meetings another, man are they different then the ones back home.

And JUMP FORWARD TO 6 1/2 MONTHS.... So, as you can tell...TIME SURE FLIES!!! That above chapter of my life, was my first 3 months here...figure I might as well post it...and try to update you about what's happened for the last 3 months of my life...if I don't get to, I'm sorry!

God bless!

~Sara

I JUST HAVE TO SAY!!!

2009-09-02T10:46:00.000-07:00

Lack of updates on how I am doing is due to the fact that my computer decided to be mean and mess up on me a few days into my exchange...hopefully it will be fixed soon...probably not. So in the mean time I do not get online that often, seeing as I have to use someone elses computer and I do not like to impose. So I am sorry! Brazil is going really really well, no worries! I am having a blast and thank you all for your prayers and support! I will try to do an update about my first 2 weeks here soon...but do not count on it...

God bless!
Sara

FINALLY! My itinerary and departure date!

2009-08-15T17:48:00.000-07:00

As just about all of my friends have said...FINALLY! I finally have my departure date, I finally have my itinerary, and I'm finally getting there! Just 4 more days! Here's my itinerary! :

Itinerary For Sara Katherine Carrier Zwink

08/13/2009

ROTARY INTERNATIONAL YOUTH EXCHANGE TRAVEL ITINERARY

AIR: 20 AUG 09 THURSDAY

ALASKA FLT: 110 CONFIRMED NONSTOP

LV:ANCHORAGE INTL AT: 100A MILES - 1448

AR:SEATTLE AT: 520A

WASHINGTON

AIR: 20 AUG 09 THURSDAY

DELTA FLT:1056 CONFIRMED NONSTOP

LV:SEATTLE AT: 825A MILES - 2182

AR:ATLANTA AT: 415P

GEORGIA

FOOD TO PURCHASE-MOVIE

AIR: 20 AUG 09 THURSDAY

DELTA FLT: 105 CONFIRMED NONSTOP

LV:ATLANTA AT: 925P MILES - 4653

AR:SAO PAULO/GRU AT: 800A ON 21 AUG

SAO PAULO

DINNER-MOVIE

AIR: 21 AUG 09 FRIDAY

TAM MERIDION FLT:3338 CONFIRMED NONSTOP

LV:SAO PAULO/GRU AT:1210P MILES - 307

AR:BELO HORIZONTE AT: 113P

MINAS GERAIS

SNACK

As it happened, I wasn't the one to see the email first. In fact, I was in Seward camping with friends, and the morning of our last day, I got a call from Stacey, my YEO...me:"Hi Stacey how's it going?" Stacey: "I'm looking at an itinerary right now" me: "................" Stefan my friend "Breath Sara, breath" me: "Stacey, when do I leave???????" Stacey: "Next week, the 20th, Thursday morning about 1am" me: "I have a week!.....oh my gosh I only have a week........" The rest of my friends "wow Sara you leave in a week!!! Darn....we're gonna miss you!!!"

And then I started breathing again. Right away I called my family. One of my brothers, Andy, picked up the phone, me: "I'M LEAVING IN A WEEEEEEK!!!!!!!" Andy: " Well I'm leaving in about 15mins for the next two weeks for a job..." me: "Wait you'll be gone? I won't see you for a year!!! *sad*" Andy: "Oh well. See ya" And he passes the phone to my mom....that's my brother for you. :) I talk to mom, and call my dad and share the news. We're all excited...and stressed....and nervous.

(Thankfully as it turned out Andy my brother came back from work yesterday, because they had to stop the job he was working due to the generator blowing....or something like that haha) So I get to see him before I leave!

So....here I am, this will probably be my last pre-exchange blog....I can't believe it's really here! I've known for about 9 months....and when they tell you those months fly by....boy do they mean it. It feels like it was only 3 months ago I found out I was accepted as an exchange student. I don't have much more to say, for once I, Sara Zwink, am speechless.

Obrigada, God bless, tchau!

~Sara

ANOTHER Rotary Weekend??? :)

2009-06-13T02:01:00.001-07:00

ROTARY DISTRICT 5010 CONFERENCE! Talkeetna, Alaska 2009!

This was the second Rotary weekend for all the 09-10 outbounds! Well let me rephrase that....for Frances, Kirstin, Kate, Carly, Angie, Saraya, and me, the only outbounds who decided to attend! (This one was not mandatory) Because this wasn't an ordinary RYE weekend, this was the whole 5010 District Conference for the Rotarians of the whole district! Which by the way ranges from the Yukon/Eastern Canada, all of Alaska, and the Western section of Russia! That's right, I will be an exchange student from the LARGEST DISTRICT IN THE WORLD! Thank you very much.

So basically us seven didn't have a real schedule planned.... :) We camped, we walked, we helped the inbounds (who stayed at the Talkeetna Lodge with EVERYONE else and DID have a schedule) clean a park and do their service project, we had fun. :D Let me just sum it up here.....we sold balloons for 10 bucks each (you gotta love Rotarians...and their spending!) We didn't really have a bedtime or rules.....the weekend was awesome! But here I am, August 14th and I'm just getting around to finishing this post for my blog...let me just close this one off and let you know what's really going on now about my exchange!

Obrigada! God Bless :) Tchau.

~Sara

Shall We Catch Up A Little?

2009-06-13T01:42:00.001-07:00

It's already June. I see that my plan to post every month before my exchange didn't turn out so well...and here I am, just two short months away from leaving!

So then, what have I been up to? Well....I currently am in the midst of finishing my visa paper work...(ugh). And that whole 'learning Portuguese' thing is....coming along well. *cough cough* Okay, so really I admit that I haven't been working as hard as I should be, I know this, but I'm trying! And lately I've actually been trying harder and learning more!

Recently I've been going through different emotions whenever I think about my exchange, because while I'm still really really excited, I'm starting to get a little nervous! I mean it's a big deal here people! Also it's just a little sad to think about the year I'll miss here....*ahem* let me just list a few things...'Shaelaurel@ the Alaska State Fair, the Alaska State Fair in general!, Halloween&Christmas&NewYears...aka the holidays, April's (my BESTfriend!) Graduation, MY graduation! lol, April's 18th birthday....etc' BUT!!!! Oh well... so what? There will be more fairs, more holidays, more graduations and birthdays...and just think, while I'll miss things here, as will every exchange student miss events back home, I'll have even BIGGER&GRANDER&MORE MEMORABLE&EXCITING TIMES ON EXCHANGE!!! All will be good. :D

So for now, I'll just keep working on Portuguese, put together my presentation for my home&host Rotary clubs, AND ENJOY MY SUMMER!!!

Obrigada! (thanks!) God bless, tchau! (bye!)

~Sara

2009-03-04T23:49:00.000-08:00

All the Outbounds got their picture taken before their interview

at the Shussout...we're all holding up our name-tags and wearing the mandatory green shirts....Oh yeah thanks RYE. Because none of us knew that it's going to be the picture used for our 'business' cards on exchange. Love that. Haha

This is right when I found out that I'm going to BRASIL! (At the banquet.)...Told you I was freaking out!!

It's all just the beginning.

2009-03-03T22:45:00.000-08:00

And so the countdown begins. Just 5 short months more and I start a whole new chapter of my life, the 'Rotary Youth Exchange in Brazil' chapter. :-) And while that's good and exciting, quite an important part of my exchange will be those 5 months leading up to my departure. Seriously, preparing oneself to be embraced in a whole new culture, accomplishing as much school work as possible, oh and let's just throw in learning a new language...Portuguese no less! And trust me, these months will fly by! It's already MARCH! It seems like just last week that I got back from the Winter Orientation Shussout with all the Rebounds, Inbounds, and fellow Outbounds. It was back in mid-January, the first 2 days were spent worrying about our interviews and what country we're being sent to. Then Friday night was the Country Assignment Banquet,...or more like the most terrifying, exciting, and speechless (for once on my part) night of any of our lives. Because that night, us Outbounds found out what countries we were going on exchange in.

They didn't just inform us, oh no that's not hard enough. 'Let's show a slide show in front of everyone, going through each Outbound one at a time'. They would show our name, of course all the letters scrabbled around just to confuse of further, then our picture, then the flag of the country we're going to. Now that of course was fun, or at least it would have been if you weren't 3rd to last like I was! Do you know how hard it was for me to wait through almost everyone, and see every country that I had wanted to go on exchange in be handed out to a different Outbound? Because at that time we didn't know that 2 Outbounds were actually going to Brazil, and one had already been assigned there before my name was announced. So I was sitting, recording on my camera everyone's reactions to what country they were going to....of course the footage is horrible because I was freaking out and shaking....haha really I wasn't doing to well waiting for my name to be called! All in all though it was an AMAZING night! I'll never forget the moment I saw my name, my picture, and the Brazilian flag pop up on the screen...I turn to look at Felipe, Caroline, and Bruna (the three Brazilian Inbounds)...and there they were jumping and screaming just for me. ♥♥ ♥ Interestingly enough I had become good friends with them before even finding out that I'd be going to Brazil!! Of course then after the banquet they gave us time to go and call our families, the one's who hadn't come to the banquet, and let them know what country we're going to. I vividly remember calling my family, and my mom being so excited and telling the rest of my family "She's going to Brazil!!!!" The rest of the weekend we spent learning about the RYE as a whole, and just got to know each other. I know I personally made some amazing friends, and hopefully life long ones, and it's just the beginning. Good times.

So for now, for March, I'll be learning as much as possible. I'll let you know how it's all going and update you in April! Also a little fact as to how I decided on the name of my blog.... I've noticed that when I comment on Facebook/Myspace about my exchange I tend to say something along the lines of 'Yay, I'm going to BRASIL BABY!!!!'... I thought it was appropriate to name my blog that. :-) Thanks for reading, hope you enjoy and I'm glad to share my experience with you! Let me know if you have any questions at all.

Thanks! God bless. Tchau. ~Sara

For all you that aren't familiar with the RYE lingo here you are:

RYE- Rotary Youth Exchange

Outbound- someone who's going on exchange this coming year

Inbound- someone who's here on exchange from another country
Rebound- someone who went on exchange the previous year.