There was quite the interview process to become a Rotary exchange student. As Anne had told me, two people did show up at my house to interview me. Their names were Michelle and Bill. At the end of the interview they gave me a twenty-two-page application to fill out.
Then there were two more interviews, one at a district level and one regionally. At the regional level, they also interviewed my parents again to see what they had to say about my habits, personality, abilities, and if they were really willing to support me as I traveled internationally.
I felt good about the interviews, but was still nervous about the acceptance letter.
It came in the mail a few weeks after our district interview and read:
"Julie Dean, you have been accepted to act as a representative of the Orangevale Rotary Club and as a citizen of the United States of America as an exchange student in the years of 2009-2010."
A rush of relief filled my body quickly followed by an overwhelming excitement. It was real. I was going. I was going to leave this place and find something new.
There was no country listed in the letter. That wouldn't come until our final orientation. We were allowed to write down our top three preferences mine were in this order: Japan, Argentina, and Belgium. Completely different places, for completely different reasons, but all me in some way or another.
Japan was my dream though. I had, had so many good experiences with people from that place. And it just felt so different. If I was going somewhere, I wanted it to be no where like America. I wanted to really jump into something different. I wanted a challenge.
Finally the day of our final orientation came. They lined us up like ducks in a row, sat us down and started to pass our envelopes. They made us wait an entire minute with it in our hands, having us all make final guesses. Then they counted down, "Five, four, three, two, one!"
We ripped open our papers. And there it was written in big letters: JAPAN.
I screamed. I bounced out of my seat and showed my parents and any one else who would look. I was going to Japan. I was going to my place, my new home.
They told us it would be difficult. They told us it would be different. Not good, not bad, just different. That was our mantra. Then, they gave us a little book called, "The Exchange Students Survival Kit." And sent us on our way.
