Hello everyone and welcome to my very first ever blog entry! This entry will share a little of my journey thus far. To clarify, I have yet to leave my home and native land. No, that day of departure comes upon us on none other than September the 1st. Monday. This up coming Monday. The Monday that will arrive to say hello to the world in 14 hours and 23 minutes, then casually part and make way for Tuesday, taking me with it. Monday, my plane will settle itself down in Vancouver and wait patiently for the clock to tick... tick...tick.. to 18:44 at which time (hopefully) it will have a belly of eager passengers waiting for take off.
Throughout this experience, it has always felt so surreal. The departure date always in the distant future. Now the day has come, the day before the day I leave has finally arrived. Ive held the plane tickets in my very hands, gingerly of course, not wanting to damage these tickets to opportunity, but never the less, I have felt them materialize and become something very real.
This game of ups and downs, quite similar to a game of snakes and ladders, is almost over. Despite the snakes on our path my family and I sit comfortably on square 99, looking with mixed emotions on to square 100, the end. The end of my time at home, with friends and family around me, where my native language is spoken and my surroundings are familiar. The end of this game and start to the next. A new game, full of new people and experiences, new language and new surroundings. A game full of opportunity. This game of a lifetime starts in 32 hours and 40 minutes.
I packed last night. I packed my clothes and my life away into 2 nice and neat aubergine suitcases each sealed with a few tears and a few cheers of excitement. I have made checklists upon checklists and they have all been checked, with new ones in there places. I have run through the house ensuring I have all of the essentials. I have swept away tears at all of my friends departures, and now I am ready. I, Anna Lee Patterson, am leaving on Monday, September the1st, for a year long Rotary youth exchange in Ostrava. Czech Republic.
Though the reality of what I am doing has just hit me recently, despite the workshops and prep, and despite the butterflies in my stomach that seem to have taken up residence, I am ready.
As this is my first entry, I would like to have a shout out to everyone who helped make this possible. Everyone in Rotary, you have all helped immensely , thank you for this opportunity; Wade and Sue, you both have given me support and have opened your home many times in order to hel pout where you can; Helen and Linda, your hours of work with the passport and VISA side of things enables these exchanges to take place; my parents, who have spent endless hours helping me and buzzing around like bees to do what they could to help me on my way; Barb, I missed the initial meeting where they talked about the program and handed out the applications, if it hadnt been for you, I wouldnt have had the application to submit; lastly, Robert, you have been there the entire time, helping and guiding, I sincerely thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything that you have done with this program. I know that Im not the only kid you have helped along the way, so on behalf of all of the kids whose lives you helped change, Thank you.
Looking down at the digital clock in front of me and noticing that there is 32 hours and 12 minutes until take off, I am ending this, my first ever blog entry, with the countdown firmly in place. Once abroad Ill find my way back to cyberspace to keep you all updated.
Na zdraví
Anna
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