Lindenwood Christmas Conference!

     This weekend was the Inbound/Outbound Christmas Conference at the Lindenwood Retreat Center in Donaldson, IN. For this Conference, all of our districts Inbounds and future Outbounds had to bring either a main dish or dessert from our country to share with everyone. There were also many activities to help all the Inbounds and Outbounds get to know each other. Here is who was all there:

Inbounds:                                           Outbounds:

Linda (Finland)                                               Maggie (me)

Bryant (Taiwan)                                              Sophie

Bernardo  (Bolivia)                                          Sydney 

David  (Spain)                                                 Erin

Por  (Taiwan)                                                  Hannah

Zuzia   (Poland)                                               Nicole (couldn't come) 

Juna    (Belgium)

Daniela   (Ecuador)

Bruno  (Brazil)  (couldn't come) 

We also had to share a room with someone who we hadn't met before. So, most of the rooms were 1 Outbound and 1 Inbound. I shared a room with Daniela, the girl from Ecuador. She is one of the nicest girls I have ever met. I had such a good time talking and spending time with her. All of the Inbounds were so nice and really easy to talk to. All of them were willing to share advice with us, the Outbounds, about their experiences on foreign exchange. I couldn't ask for a better group. Our next conference is in February. I don't think I'll be able to wait that long before seeing them all again! 

In this picture, from left to right, is David (Spain), Bernardo (Bolivia) & Matt (from France, was an exchange student here five years ago)

And here, from left to right, is Daniela (Ecuador) , Linda (Finland) and Zuzia (Poland).

Hopefully I will be finding out my host country in the next month or two. Or three.

--Maggie

 

Let the Preparations begin!

I just bought this book for .19 cents off of Amazon today! As I was looking through the free "preview" that Amazon offers, I realized how much ACTUAL useful information this book has. 

For example, look at the picture below. The book has all these different chapters designated to help you learn and prepare for each stage of your exchange. From my past experience in Poland, all these major areas of doubt and worry are exactly what I had to deal with. Trust me, from the looks of it, this book is spot on. And that is why I got it. I wanted to have something I could reference before, during and after the exchange to prove to myself that what I am feeling is completely normal and that everyone else goes through these same emotions too. 

Also, I have my third Rotary Lunch tomorrow! I am really looking forward to it. And another thing, this weekend is the OUTBOUND/INBOUND CHRISTMAS CONFERENCE AT ANCILLA COLLEGE! I absolutely cannot wait to see all my favorite Outbounds again (They are these four other girls that have also been accepted by my district as next year's exchange students). Nicole, Sydney, Sophie and Hannah are all such nice girls and it will be really fun to be able to see them this weekend! 

Bye for now,

Maggie

Back in the day...

Ever since I got this huge list of corrections to make on my application to be sent to the "Big Guys" who decide the country assignments. I have been looking for a way to add typed answers to the sheets I already had so I wouldn't have to go back and get all the new papers re-signed. Finally an answer came. A TYPEWRITER! One of the members of my sponsoring Rotary Club had one I could borrow. I have never actually USED a typewriter before, just seen them in pictures. I had a little too much fun testing the typewriter. 

So after I finished filling in the blank spots on the application, I wanted to type one of my favorite poems. And it only took me about 15 attempts to get it this perfect. I don't even know why I was so obsessed with the typewriter. But in general, I really like crafty or artistic things. So as you can imagine, it was right up my alley. 

But don't get me wrong, it is more difficult that it looks. Especially since this particular one doesn't move the paper up every time you would like to move down a line. 

Okay, enough about Typewriters... 

p.s.- next weekend is the CHRISTMAS OUTBOUND/INBOUND CONFERENCE! I am so excited to see everyone again, especially the other 4 Outbounds! 

Update soon,

Maggie

Second Rotary Lunch Today!

Today was my second Rotary Lunch/meeting! 

Here is, from left to right: Next Year's Rotary Club President (in the gray shirt) and her Assistant (in the orange sweater), me, Paul (who is our club's Inbound exchange student from Thailand) & one of the "Students of the month" that was visiting our club this month, but I sort of forgot his name. Oops!  

The speaker was the IPFW Men's Head Basketball Coach. He was talking about their season, how they scout new players and requirements for players. Plus, he was really funny! And I could tell that he really cares about his players and their future. The world needs more people like him! The food today was a salad bar with rolls and cookies. It was really good. 

Conference soon! Update later, 

Maggie

Hefner Scholarship Meeting

Tonight was the Hefner Scholarship Meeting at Bob Evans. We all showed up with our mothers to discuss what we still need to fill out and turn in for the scholarship. Then, we talked about the upcoming conference on December 7-8. It is two days long and will be, sort of, a Christmas Conference. All of us Outbounds and the various Inbounds are bringing traditional dishes to share native to our culture or family. Here is a picture of all five of us Outbounds for the 2014-2015 year! 

From Left to Right: Me, Sydney, Nicole, Sophie and Hannah 

And what I found interesting was Sydney, Nicole and Hannah ALL listed Australia as their first choice. But Sophie listed Denmark and I listed France as our first choices. There is nothing wrong with Australia, but I just thought it was out of the ordinary for 3/5 Outbounds to have the same first choice. 

And here is my Mom, Karri, and I tonight. We were sitting instead of standing because she is shorter than me and, apparently, it looked bad for the sake of the picture. 

Thanks again for reading! 

--Maggie Blackwell

FYI

I just wanted to inform all of you that from my district, there are four girls, including myself, going on the exchange next year. Their names are Sophie, Sydney and Nicole. I am not sure about Sydney or Nicole, but Sophie has a blog, just like me, to document all that happens leading up to and during the exchange. Here is her URL in case you want to check it out: sophiesyearabroad.weebly.com 

She is such a nice girl. Go check it out! 

Sarah

These pictures are of my cousin, Sarah, and I today. We decided that, since it was a really nice fall day, we would walk up to the park and have a photoshoot! I am going to miss her so much while I'm gone next year. I don't even want to think about it yet. 

-Maggie