Quebec Graduate! (ooh, lala!)

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Today was a... refreshingly good day. I really believe I've gotten over my slump, and I am back on track with positive, motivated Carly. This morning I had guitar first period, which was rather uneventful. After Guitar I had math, in which we had a unit test. It was really really difficult, and I know I will be lucky to even pull of 6% on this one. I did draw a cute picture of my house on the back page though; maybe I’ll get bonus marks!?
At lunch today I went to volleyball again, and it was amazing. (Side note: I have noticed something about eating lunch with the same girls everyday. Gossip is on the OUT list. They never talk about other people badly. That is almost all I hear in the cafeteria at lunchtime, and it is refreshing to be around people who don’t find that entertaining. I just hope they’re not secretly bashing me behind my back!) Usually, I am referred to as “Mexico”, because my gym shirt is a Mexico soccer jersey. Today though four people asked my name, and got to know me. It came really out of the blue, but it was really nice and made my day!
After lunch I had my library period, and finally I had economy, in which I have no idea what the teacher talked about all class, but my agenda is now beautifully colored!
After school today was the Diploma Ceremony I have been looking forward to for such a long time. It was a lot different than I was expecting It was in a small conference room of a school, and there was maybe fifty people. The “supper” was a table of finger sandwiches and veggie platters and juice boxes to drink. Even though it wasn’t what I was expecting, it was still good. It started out with some speeches from all the executive of International Studies Quebec, and then the actual receiving of diplomas. The diplomas are really nice, and I take a lot of pride in mine. I think I am going to frame it when I get home! We also got gold…. Bookmark type things (I think that’s what they are). I don’t know what the point of it is, but it came in a nice little blue velvet box, and will make a good souvenir. After the ceremony, we went to stapled because I needed to buy a jump drive. I don’t know why, but tonight I felt very close with the family. I laughed and joked right along with Julie’s dad and let go of some of my inhibitions. He loves to sing along to the radio, and usually I feel kind of awkward and uncomfortable, but tonight I laughed and smiled! It was nice, and I feel really good right now!
Today I found out some kind of…. Slightly disturbing information. One of the girls from Winnipeg went home two weeks ago. It made me wonder why. She is strong and confident, honestly the last one of all the girls coming over here I would have thought to go home. The boy from PEI went home, but he was an oddball, there was nothing weird about Yvette, so it made me think about what you need to get through an exchange. It is assumed that all the people that go on exchanges are determined and confident and all that, but what skills do you actually need to survive the exchange?? Here is my list…
1) An ability to entertain yourself.
You need to be able to be content by yourself, and find things to do to keep yourself busy and entertained because you probably wont have friends or family there to entertain you.
2) An ability to “self-soothe”
At home, I am probably looking at 6-12 big “freak-outs” are year. That is one at least every two months, whether brought on by stress or fatigue, just kind of a mental cry for help. At home my mum drops everything until I am okay, and I always have a list of friends to call and rant too. I have made several teary calls home from here, but for the most part, I have become much better at “self-soothing”; calming myself down and becoming rational without the help of a hug from my mum or a phone call from my best friend.
3) An ability to adapt
I have adapted well. I am okay with having potatoes instead of pasta with my meals, and I am now used to living with girls what I have not done though is the next step… which is accept.
4) An ability to accept.
I have adapted to not eating pasta every night, but I have not accepted it. I still think about and crave my pasta at home. I have temporarily adapted to the new things in my life, but not accepted them. For three months, this is not a big deal. It certainly keeps me more homesick than necessary, but it is not deadly. Any longer than three months, and not accepting your new life could make your exchange long and difficult.
5) An appropriate challenge
This is the most important for me. I need an attainable goal while I am here to keep me busy. If you have too many challenges, you get overwhelmed, and if you don’t have any, you get bored. Neither of these states is ideal for being on an exchange.

I think these are the five main things that are important to staying on an exchange, not just going on an exchange. It is a lot harder the closer you are with your family and friends, which is why I think I have it harder than so many others here. I have such good relationships with both, and I can’t wait to get home to see them! I think I am doing a good job though, and no matter what, I would never consider coming home as an option. I am not a quitter, and once I commit to something like this, I am in it for good.

For good,
Carly.