So! Let's jump right into the highlights of the weekend! First things first: the entrance of the flags. First night of the conference and this year would be the first year where the inbounds would march their flags up to the front of the room! I think we were a hit - people seemed to enjoy giving us rounds of applause. My cheeks were a little sore from smiling the entire time, but it was worth it.We all looked dashing in our blazers and sporting some freshly-out-of-the-package country flags. Canada looks pretty classy with the striking red and white if I do say so myself!
When we'd all finished our daily duties and were all back at the hotel, we'd usually have enough time to get some comfy clothes on, head to someone's room, and strike up some card games and conversation. Most nights were pretty tranquil since we were on our feet all day working and talking to Rotarians. I loved the chance to talk endlessly about Canada - I sang our praises loud and proud!
9 countries all bundled into one room!
Our conference was held in a small town a little over 3 hours from our districts main city (Sorocaba, where I live) called Avaré. Even though it was only a small town of under 100,000 residents (yes, that's small for Brazil) it had a few things hiding up it's sleeve to interest us foreigners! We like to explore things.
First thing we hit up was a church... I loved it! I think I'm in love with Brazilian churches in general to be honest. Each city has their own cathedral that is normally found in the city center. Each one I see seems to exceed the last! They're GORGEOUS. In Avaré the church was antique and a was pretty plainly colored (which went perfectly with the design) on the outside, but the inside had high teared ceilings and it literally burst with color and detail. I think I felt my jaw hit the floor.
And next we saw Jesus! He was pretty big, 33 or 37 meters in height from what I remember the guide saying, and he stood there looking over the whole city. He isn't the same as the one in Rio, but he was pretty kick-butt!
Me and Jenna up at the platform you see at his feet!
Our lovely hosts!
The artistic talent of the lovely Demi Stark - Taiwan. While everyone was performing, she was drawing this beautiful piece!
Me, Cecilie (DK) and Matthias (Germany) - The Cup Song (You're Gonna Miss Me)
We chose this song because it used a learnable-in-a-couple-days cup beat and cute lyrics that pertained to exchange!
We chose this song because it used a learnable-in-a-couple-days cup beat and cute lyrics that pertained to exchange!
My tribute to my wonderful family back in Canada - this is a song I ALWAYS sang back home, and it's a song I relate to my home, my family, and my country.
Nicolle (Equador) - Eu Sem Voce (Me Without You)
In Eu Sem Voce, I started to cry, because in the song it talks about how without someone special, someone is left with less than half of them. And in the moment that's how I felt about leaving exchange. This life becomes your everything and leaving it is the hardest part of the whole year. It's harder than all the other struggles put together. I don't know what's next in life for me, but exchange has given me so much and as much as it's ending and I don't know what I'm going to without everyone in my day to day life, I know that I didn't lose anything by coming on exchange. You lose one year to gain a lifetime. That's really all there is to it. There is no loss. Only gain.
In Eu Sem Voce, I started to cry, because in the song it talks about how without someone special, someone is left with less than half of them. And in the moment that's how I felt about leaving exchange. This life becomes your everything and leaving it is the hardest part of the whole year. It's harder than all the other struggles put together. I don't know what's next in life for me, but exchange has given me so much and as much as it's ending and I don't know what I'm going to without everyone in my day to day life, I know that I didn't lose anything by coming on exchange. You lose one year to gain a lifetime. That's really all there is to it. There is no loss. Only gain.
Do Lado de Ca was our tribute to the Rotarians and all the people that made it possible for us to come on exchange and be together. To God, to Rotary, to our families, to every decision and choice made in the world that brought us all together and let everything play out the way it did. We all agree that we wouldn't trade a thing. Our district, the people, our experiences... everything was just the way it should be on this side of the world <3
(ps... when I was falling around... I was crying and I couldn't see where I was placing my high-heeled feet!)
(ps... when I was falling around... I was crying and I couldn't see where I was placing my high-heeled feet!)
We weren't done the weekend at that! We even got to go to a costume party! (I'll upload more pictures when my friend adds them, he took the majority of them for us) Rotary let us go to a non-Rotary party with some locals to a small restaraunt that had a DJ playing some funky town!
Jenna (the other Canadian) and I went as Canadians - she dressed up in some of her winter gear and I got myself dressed up as a country belle. We were a pretty cute combo!
Us girls even managed to get the guys all prettied up with our lipsticks! Not all the guys were game, but these two were! Some bright red and hot pink lipstick were the winners.
So that was my weekend in a nutshell! Support exchange, it's the best thing life has to offer. That's all I really have to say.
Beijos,
Katrina
Katrina
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