We stayed for three days at The National 4-H Conference Center in Chevy Chase Maryland.
Overall, I got a lot of really good advice from exchange alumni, discussed dealing with important issues like culture shock and travel safety, enjoyed the company of a bunch of wonderful to-be exchange students, traveled on my own, and had a ton of fun!
Throughout the weekend, we spent most of our time in conference settings discussing what we might encounter overseas and how to prepare for it. We also played original communication and culture games to get some experience for similar situations abroad. Between this and the local pre-departure orientation, I have 15 pages of notes. Still, what I think helped me the most was hearing about the experiences of alumni and realizing that I am in the same boat as a hundred other adventurous students.
Here I am with a few of my friends just before the bus ride to the YFU headquarters in DC. They are both going to Japan, but I met kids on their way to Germany, Belgium, Korea, Norway, France, India, Africa, Italy, and more! Little do we know is this picture, we dressed up to ride in a limo-bus complete with a laser show, party music, and a wrap-around leather bench. This setting was completed by the company of a bus-full of outgoing teenagers. Buses will never be the same!
At the YFU headquarters, I had a great discussion with a foreign service officer from the Swiss embassy and heard from YFU alumni that went into the peace corps, became a diplomats, and worked as international journalists or advocates. My one regret is that I did not take pamphlets about Switzerland and international colleges because I was too busy talking to the interesting people that brought them.
This was an incredible experience for me, and I really feel prepared for the start of my journey this August!
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