Smile. Let Fate Take Your Heart and Soar!: Grand Rapids: Last Conference before Thailand

Well, it’s the conference all of us Outbound Exchange Students have heard since our very first conference. We were told that this conference would be filled with hellos and goodbyes, laughter and tears, along with countless friendships being made. Well, they were right! I got to meet exchangers from all over the world! It was such a fun time. The district I am in, 6220, arranged a bus to pick up all of the exchange students in our district through a series of stops along the way. I got on the bus at 6:00 a.m. and we arrived in Grand Rapids later that evening. We checked into our dorms and made it just in time for dinner. After dinner, I went to play volleyball and met so many new people, and then afterwards there was a dance. The next morning we were up early, well early enough (kidding) and we then attended a meeting. Throughout the rest of the conference we had breakout sessions varying in topic. One of the sessions was the Opening Ceremony, which was a great time. This year, the Outbounds were chosen to bring in the flags, so I had the opportunity to participate in that. Throughout the conference, I had the best roommate ever! Her name was Izzati, from Indonesia. She is the kindest person ever, with such a big heart. We talked well into the mornings, it was just splendid. She participated in the talent show doing two, traditional Indonesian dances, both of which she did amazing in. As the conference came to a close, many of us were functioning on very little sleep! I would say about 12 hours total Thursday-Sunday. On Saturday night, our district had an all-nighter, so not too much sleep that night!! But the bus ride home was so fun until we got to the first stop, all of us realizing we may never see each other again. The Inbounds soon realized that their year was coming to a close, and us Outbounders realized that our year abroad was coming quicker than we thought. Intermixed were the emotions that the Inbounds and the Outbounds would never be all together again. Skype can only work its magic for so long, until the reality hits that the person is actually gone. At that stop, one of my close friends, Bell who was from Bangkok, Thailand, got off the bus. I hope I can come visit her while I am in Thailand!! She answered all of the questions I would ask her, she helped me with the language, and along the way she became a very good friend, one that I hope to maintain contact with forever. Many other great friends got off at that stop as well, but next thing we knew, back on the bus it was. Tears were pouring down my face, as I was saying goodbye to some of the kindest, sweetest, people I have ever met. I was getting off at the next stop. Oh my goodness, the thought of that alone made me want to cry even harder. Well, my stop came, and again with the goodbyes, and the tears. I have learned throughout my life, not to sound like an ancient philosopher, to appreciate the moment for what it is. I know I will never see most of those people again, ever again. Having gone to three different schools in three different years, I know what hellos and goodbyes are all about. I am so thankful, that I have met people worth crying for, that they have left such an impact in my heart that I just want to cry. I am so lucky to have met all of these amazing people. The goodbyes to my fellow Outbounds are hoping everyone has a safe and fun year. I am so excited to hear about all of their inspiring adventures, and I feel like I am seeing the world through the things they get to experience. It is so interesting how exchange makes this world such a small place. It shrinks everything. I love the fact that if I hear or see something on the news going on in the world, I have people to worry about everywhere. Exchange has opened that door to me that I now have people to care about half way across the world. It’s the little things such as mementos, pins, pictures, but when it all comes down to it, it’s the memories that people have to grip with all of their might. The memories bring out that emotion in us, that they can make us simply smile or start crying. In the end the memories will be in our minds and hearts forever.