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10 MORE DAYSSS

MY PASSPORT ARRIVED YESTERDAY OMGOMG i was so anxious to get it!! So now that I have it, I got over my nostalgic phase. I'm so excited again for this exchange and I want to get on that plane (I'm flying with a friend that's also going to Taiwan) and meet my family, and explore the city and meet amazing people AAA ASKDHFHKLAJDJF I'M SO EXCITED I need a tranquilizer

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26 days

26 days until departure. Everyone seems to be too excited, but then I just lay down and think about my life. With my family and friends and him. Sometimes it's so easy for me to lose sight of why I even wanted this exchange in the first place. Sure, I definitely want to meet new people and food and language and families. But I've been through this change 3 times, I already know that I always get so attached to people. And it seems impossible for me to leave this behind. I'll miss my soft awakening in the morning by my puppy's good morning licks in my hand. I'll miss when I can jump in bed with mom when there is thunder or when I can wake her up at 3am so she can make me some chamomile tea for my period cramps. I'll miss the comfort of looking at the 3 little birthmarks under his right eye. I'll miss the silent father-daughter bonding days horseback riding with my dad through the green fields of my hometown. I'll miss my bed, I'll miss my school, I'll miss dancing, I'll miss everything. I am just not ready to leave. But is anyone ever ready for an exchange? Either way, I love it. In a way I realize this is exchange. This is what changes you. What makes you so grateful. And I will love even the bad parts of my exchange that has already started without my leaving. But I am just not ready.

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Living, Everybody has it owns opinion about it. Well, living doesn’t mean getting drunk and go partying on friday nights to me. It’s way more than that. I'ts about making memories, memories that you can look up to and being happy that you’ve done that,  I'ts about those moments when you forgot all the troubles you’ve been into and feel alive, feel pure happiness, feel your heart pounding fast as it can. It’s about trying new things, doing new things, going to places you’ve never been to, getting to know other cultures. I'ts about getting out of your comfort zone, and that’s my friend when the epic adventure begins.

K.Y. (via humansarentreal001)

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Exchange thoughts #2

Yes, this year will be hard; face it.

Yes, we will cry.

Yes, we will wonder what the hell we were thinking to jump in the unknown.

Yes, we will feel nostalgic about our old self and maybe wish to go home at times.

Yes, there will be moments when we will feel alone and misunderstood.

Yes, our hearts will break.

But yes, we'll have the best time of our lives.

Yes, we'll laugh.

Yes, we'll praise ourselves to have jumped in the unknown. Yes, we'll live ecstatic moments, the exact reason why we left and wish to never go back at times.

Yes, there will be moments when we'll feel unstoppable and in perfect harmony with everything.

Yes, our hearts will throb with excitement and love.

So, are you ready?

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Leave your town, leave your town and don’t look back, go and break hearts in foreign countries, explore places with names you can’t pronounce, let your feet walk new pavements, start again, start fresh. Be happy, let your legs lead the way, give into your hearts desires, make memories worth writing stories about. Just go, please.

wordsfrominsidemymind (via wnq-writers)

Change ur life dude

(via zulipazza)

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Exchange is what you make of it

How many times have we heard this?

Exchange is what you put into.

That is kinda true, kinda not.

I am unbelievably lucky to be where I am, I have amazing friends, a beautiful island, and a good family. 

Yes, some people get luckier than others, but even the person with the best situation can not see what they have in front of them, and the person in the worst can overcome it and find the good things.  

So it’s true and it’s not but the best thing I can say is every once in a while, lose track of time.

Go for a walk on the beach so far you can’t see where you started and don’t bring your watch or your phone.

Get on a bus and go to a some random place, who cares if you find the sea kissing the sky or an empty parking lot? It’s the journey.

Just don’t say inside. Go explore. Exchange is for exploring.

At the begining of the year I was at home a lot more, I was tired, always, I didn’t have school projects, the gym, horse back riding, or even friends to explore with. That’s okay. I think I needed time to re-charge after school, cause 5 hours at school felt like 15. 

But I wish earlier I had made a goal of going out every afternoon. I wish I had pushed myself more to explore by myself or with friends.

But no regrets. I love my exchange. I love everything I’ve done, this is my life. And I love it. 

Just some thoughts, it’s mid way through April, this is a shoutout to everyone else doing 2014-2015 on Exchange…. Go Explore. 

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I am just so ready to go. It feels so close but so far away. I’m ready for the memories, laughter, tears, frustration, sights, bonds, and life waiting for me. Exchange, here I come.

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Playlist of songs for exchange students. Add on more of your favorites because I know there’s a lot more great songs perfect for this list 🎶

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20 THINGS YOU SHOULD DO EVERYDAY 1. Wake up earlier. Not only does this improve productivity but it also gives you more time to make a good, hearty breakfast. 2. Make your bed. Let’s be real, being welcomed to a tidy bed after a long day at work/school (or a long day in general) is probably the best feeling anyone will ever experience. 3. If you want, spend a little more time on your appearance. Take some time choosing an outfit, applying make up or whatever. Do what helps you boost your confidence and self-esteem. 4. Stay hydrated, folks. Keep a bottle of water with you wherever you go. 5. Stretch everyday or start yoga (or do both, why not?) 6. Create a playlist consisting of songs that make you happy and listen to it. Listen to songs for the mood you want to be in, instead of the mood you are in. 7. Compliment at least one person per day. This could be an acquaintance, co-worker, class mate, stranger, whoever! 8. Use your manners. If someone holds the door for you, lets you go first etc, they did it voluntarily and didn’t have to do it, so a “thank you” wouldn’t hurt. 9. Eat your fruit and vegetables and always choose the healthy version over the junk food. 10. Have a good laugh. Catch up with friends, watch some ‘Parks and Recreation’, go see some stand-up comedy, reminisce about funny moments that have happened to you. You don’t need to be a doctor to know that humour has many benefits. 11. Be optimistic. Always look at the positives. There’s no point on focusing on the negatives because that isn’t going to help anyones mood at all. 12. Exercise. It doesn’t have to be anything to intense. A run around the block, a walk with your dog or even a ‘Just Dance’ session will do the job.  13.Bring a book/magazine or collect the daily newspaper with you. Spend you spare time reading. 14. Try and learn something new everyday. This can either be an interesting fact you saw online or a new skill someone taught you. 15. Help others when you are able to. Help your classmates with school work or offer to help you struggling neighbour lift those heavy objects. 16. Stop procrastinating. No matter how unmotivated you are to, push yourself and complete what you need to complete. Do what you gotta do. You know you’ll love yourself for doing it. 17. Drink some tea, because that stuff is goooooood (and also beneficial). 18.Make time to do things that help you relax, whether that’s painting, having baths, doing you nails or going for a run. 19. Don’t dwell on your mistakes, but instead grow and learn from them. 20. And lastly, be kind to yourself. If you love who you are, everyone else will

Chloe for Native Moon Magazine  (via uncloudly)

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What being an exchange student means

Being a high school exchange student means:

That you made the best and worst decision to leave home for the year.

Giving people a reason to love your home country.

That your current life floats in a different bubble, and you become worried that it will pop.

Becoming a part of a family despite differences of culture.

That you cant walk to the bathroom without any pants on because there’s a risk that a member of your host family will see you.

You arrive in a place filled with people that have no prior judgements of you.

Learning a new culture is your job.

Schooling becomes something different.

You’re a teenager in a foreign country.

You learn new swear words that you can get away with saying back in your home country.

Acting crazy in public because you know that the general population will not ever see you again.

Making your own decisions.

Eating “weird” foods.

Making friends from every corner on the planet.

Developing a different sense of pride for your home and host country.

Deciding how to live your life.

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You build a life for 16 years and leave it for 10 months.

You build a life for 10 months and leave it forever.

Which one is harder?

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Returning.

It is going to be awkward when we aren’t the foreign kid anymore when we go home, nor will they care about us being exchange students. For a month they might comment on it but our awesome stories will be forgotten to them, we will fade in with the others at school. Family gatherings might bring it up or the curious… teacher, but our eventful life will be forgotten, except to us. The way we live from the day we return is influenced by our host country, with our self esteem boosted, confidence amazing, humor worldly, and all barriers broken. They may not see it but we will always be exchange students, kids who actually grew up and saw the world.

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Unique feelings you get during an exchange year

Sudden happiness because you know you’re so lucky to be here

Being asked about your home all the time

Being special just because you’re foreign

Being complimented on your accent

Not remembering something about your home (it’s kinda fun tbh)

Being independent + only talking to your family once a week or less

Making many more decisions (you’ll notice)

Having two families, two homes, two beds, two schools, 7 siblings and a ton of friends :)

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My Daily Thoughts As A Future Exchange Student

Guys add on if you come up with another one!!😂

Me: Holy shit I'm going to another country for a year

Me: What will it be like meeting my host family...

Me: Oh my gosh what if my host family doesn't like me?!

Me: *brushing teeth* *squeals* *jumps up and down* OMG IM GOING TO ANOTHER COUNTRY FOR A YEAR, I'M SO EXCITED, YAY

Me: What the heck did I do, I'm leaving for a year.. Oh my gosh *initiate all the what if questions*

Me: What will school be like... *nervous/ excited emotions flow through*

Me: What will the language barrier be like? How will we communicate? Oh my gosh

Me: *giggles randomly out of the blue at least once every hour* HAHAA OH MY GOSH A NEW CULTURE, LANGUAGE, COUNTRY, FOOD, WAY OF LIFE.. AH SO EXCITING

Me: I can't wait for the challenge 👊💥 one I've never experienced before. Bring it on.

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Taipei 101 - Taipei - Taiwan (by Dave Wilson)