What a week!!

On Sunday I left Grande Prairie and my family at 9:00am. I arrived in Calgary where I ended up getting lost in the airport for about an hour. When I finally figured out where I had to go it turned out that I had to go through security again. From Calgary I flew to Frankfurt which is a rather long flight. I did not sleep at all on this flight instead I watched 3 movies trying to pass the time.  When I arrived in Frankfurt I became very confused and again got lost in the airport. After going through security for a third time I made it to my gate just in time to catch my plane to Prague. In Prague I was greeted by my host family with a sign that said “Welcome Morganne”. Once we finally got to Hradec Kralove after getting lost in Prague for a bit,  my familyand I went out for lunch. Lunch here is the biggest meal of the day which I am not use to but hey not going to complain. After lunch we drove through Hradec Kralove which by the way is BEAUTIFUL! Then finally headed home. My family’s house is rather big and is a little bit outside of town. They have a basketball hoop,  trampoline, a small pool and a sitting area all in their yard.
On Tuesday my host family including a host cousin took me to a beach, which was clothing optional. This really was not a big deal except for the fact the only people walking around naked were old men, so it was kind of awkward lol.That night we biked into the city going past my school then into the old square for pizza. There and back it was probably a 10km bike ride. 
Wednesday my host mom and sister took me to an aqua park in a neighbouring village. It was very busy and there were too many people. To put into prospective it was like the entire town of Wembley all going to one small swimming pool.
Thursday my host family took me on a canoeing trip down one of the rivers in Hradec Kralove which was a lot of fun. Picnic lunch, lots of swimming and soaking up the sun was how we spent our day.
On Friday we did the exact same thing but without my host mom and with family friends. They were two very fun days!
Saturday morning we packed up some food and clothes and headed out to the family cottage which is in the mountains. The mountains in the Czech Republic are more like hills compared to the Rockies but still it was a very nice trip.
Today we came home from the mountains and just relaxed. Later on Alejandro, who is one of the other inbounds in Hradec Kralove came over and visited.
I already feel at home here in the Czech Republic, the language is difficult but I am trying and I am sure once I go to school it will be easier.
Naschledanou!

I'm Leaving on a Jet Plane

So tomorrow is the big day! I will be leaving GP at 9am and will arrive Monday at 9:10am in Prague. I am so excited and ready for this amazing adventure!  Not to sound to conceited but I am pretty proud of myself for getting involved in this excellent program, it will be the most amazing year of my life. I feel as though this isn't really happening. I do not think that it will hit me till I am actually on the plane to Frankfurt. Well I know this post is short but I do not know how to put everything I am feeling together in words.
Well until next time
Morganne

A few bumps in the road.

As of today I am 44 days away from my departure date (August 21st).  Right now you would think I would be worried about what to pack, how to get through airports, and such but that's not exactly what I am thinking/worried about.  As of today I have still not applied for my long term Czech Visa. It is not like I am putting off the process, it's that the papers from the Czech that I need to apply got lost during the mail strike of Canada Post. The even worst part of this whole situation is the fact that it takes 60 days for a long term Czech Visa to be approved. Since I have no way of knowing where these papers are, this problem could push my departure date as late as the middle of September.

Not only would I not be in the Czech for the first day of school but that would mean I would be in Canada when all my friends start Grade 12. Though I knew not graduating with my friends was part of this program, and I totally believe it is worth it, I just think it would make it that much harder being here when they start school.

Another thing that I realllllllly do not want to miss is the first inbound weekend in Slovakia. This is where all of the inbounds in district 2240 get together and pretty much just bond.  I am hoping that I can make it to this event!  I am super excited to meet everyone and though there will be other weekends I do not want to miss this one.

I am hoping that there is a way for me still to leave on my scheduled date.

A little more information

The Czech Republic, not a common place you would think of visiting but that's exactly where I will be spending my year as an Rotary Exchange Student. I will be living in a city called Hradec Králové, which is only an hour away from Prague!!  My Rotary district in the Czech is actually a combined district with Slovakia. So I will most likely be spending quite a bit of time in Slovakia as well! Between the two countries there will be fifty RYE students from all over the world. Out of those fifty only fifteen of us are in the Czech. Luckily for me there will be two other RYE students living in the same city as me. I am not sure the exact date that I am leaving for the Czech; the only thing I know is I have to arrive between August 20th-30th.

Right now I have around 3.5 months left in Canada which is rather terrify, since it only feels like yesterday that I received the phone call that I was accepted into the RYE program. When people ask me if I am nervous about spending my year abroad I say no. I have never been more excited for something in my entire life. I have dream of become an exchange student ever since I was little and for it to finally become a reality is breathtaking! I know my year away is going to change my life forever; I am extremely lucky and blessed to have been given such an amazing opportunity.  I am so grateful and thankful to the people who have given me this gift.