Avary Fields

I went to Belgium from August 2013 until July of 2014. I spent 11 months living with three different host families who all gave me a different idea of what family life is like in Belgium. For instance, in my first host family, I had a little brother who provided me with the teasing and constant bothering that I had missed my whole life, being the youngest child in my own family family. In addition, I was totally immersed in the French culture through school, social events, and my host families. I was able to travel to several other countries in Europe through the trips offered by Rotary. This made it cost-efficient and easy to explore with a large group of individuals who were also participating in Rotary Youth Exchange (RYE). However, I would say that the best part of my exchange were the connections I formed with my fellow RYE students. Since Belgium is so small, I was able to meet over 200 RYE students from across the globe – some of which I remain in close contact with and consider my best friends. Looking back now, I believe my RYE was the step I needed in life to continue on my adventurous path – as I am now doing a study abroad program in California. Without RYE I probably would have never thought it possible to adventure far beyond my home, at least not like this. One very interesting thing that I learned was that being a tourist will never compare to actually living the culture. So if you are interested in seeing the world, I suggest you take advantage of the opportunity to live in new places.