Let's Start At The Very Beginning

So here we go. The start of a new blog. The reason for starting this blog is so that I can keep all my friends and family updated while I travel to Belgium for the 2010-2011 school year! I am going through the Rotary Club, they have a freaking sweet youth exchange program.

To give a little background on the whole thing... I am now graduated from high school. When I was a freshman taking French I, our teacher, Madame, had talked about how she did an exchange after her senior year to France. I thought that was just awesome but never thought that it was something realistic for my life. But then, as the years went on and Madame talked about it more, it started to become something that I thought about all the time. Over my sophomore and junior years I spent a lot of time talked one-on-one to Madame about the program and she told me everything. The experience sounded spectacular; one that I would never encounter unless I took hold of this opportunity. So I decided to ask my parents about it. They were instantly taken with the idea and we began the journey to foreign exchange, guided, of course, by Madame. She walked me through the whole process, from the application to the preliminary interviews, to the country assignments and finally hearing from my family. She even wrote my recommendation letter.

Well, needless to say, I was accepted into the program. From there, I had to be assigned a country. How it works is there is a piece of paperwork with all the countries that take part in the exchange, and you have to indicate your top ten choices. I had my heart set on going to France. I wanted nothing more than to live in that country for the year. And then I was told that I was going to Belgium, and I was heart broken. But then I thought about all the extra opportunity that lies there. After all, it is the crossroads of Europe. Eventually, I grew to love the idea and now I can't wait to go! I have heard from my first host family a few times, they have sent me pictures and told me all about the family. The best part is, there is an academy of music and dance in the same city that I will be going to school in!! This is a big deal for me because music, dance, and theater is my life. I was so worried that I wouldn't be able to dance in Belgium. But now I know that I will and I couldn't be happier! I will be living in the French part of the country, so hopefully I will come back to the United States fluent in French.

So now you know a little about the exchange, how about learning a little about me? :) My name is Emma Clark. Like I said, I'm graduated from high school. I am not currently enrolled in a college (that's a whole complicated mess), but I know that I want to major in some sort of performing art, particularly musical theater. I am obsessed with dancing and theater, and I also have a love of photography. Music is also a passion of mine. I play a couple instruments, and listening to music is something I spend wayyy too much time doing. I love all music, except most country and rap I don't care for. I'm a very artsy person and I like to think of myself as a sort of free spirit. I'm a little crazy and a little weird, but I like to think that it makes me interesting :) I'm generally a very happy person and I believe in living in the moment. I have a fabulous boyfriend, Ryan and my friends and family are a very important part of my life. I live with my mom and my dad and my sister, Olivia. I have a few best friends, Kaitlyn, Kaitlyn and Sandy. Yes there are two different Kaitlyns. (I just figured you should know about the important people in my life since they will be mentioned) I am also a pretty religious person. God is my savior and He comes first.

I think that's about everything for now. I leave on AUGUST 17th, and I will keep everyone updated :)