It's all coming together!!

In the last week I have had some great news regarding my exchange!!  The first thing is was that I was awarded a scholarship for $1000 which will be taken off my last instalment.  I also found out the placing for my host family this morning!!  For my first semester of exchange I will be placed in a lovely family of four.  There is a host mum and dad and I will also have a host sister who is my age and a host brother who is a couple of years younger.  They have a cat, fish and mice! I've never had mice before so it will be interesting I think considering I use to have a fear of them when I was younger.  I am going to live in Scharten in Upper Austria!!

Scharten =)

SNOW!!!

I have also been told that my school is doing a trip to Vienna on the 21st - 25th of January and I'm going on that =) I have things planned for the first week of when I arrive in Austria =D  I'm very keen to get to know my host family and look forward to telling everyone about the rest of my exchange!!

Until next post.

Adios Amigos.

Tyarna xx

Orientation

Yesterday there was an orientation meeting for all of the exchange students in the Darling Downs area; both going on exchange and already in Australia for their exchange.  I met people from Switzerland, Brazil, Norway and Italy.

The orientation was all about going over the rules of STS again and just having a chat about the exchange program.  You also got some good information about what to expect and how to handle any problems you may have in your host country.  The students from overseas also shared some great tips for us who are starting our exchange in the next few months.  One of the best tips was to have fun and try anything that is different =)

The ones of us that are going on exchange were also given our STS t-shirts and backpack and also our survival kit.  Not sure if one half of my kit will last until I leave though.

For my Aussie friends that aren't going on exchange, I'll put in the 'questionnaire for the first day with your host family'.

1. What do I call you? Mum, Dad, Mr, Mrs?
2. What am I expected to do daily other than:
1. make my bed
2. keep my room tidy at all times
3. leave the bathroom clean and tidy after I use it
3. What is the procedure about dirty clothes?  Where do I keep them until washday?
4. Should I wash my own underclothes?
5. What is the procedure about ironing my clothes?
6. May I use the iron, washing machine, sewing machine etc?
7. Where can I keep my bathroom toiletries?
8. When is the most convenient time for me to use the bathroom weekday mornings?
9. When is the best time for me to bathe - am or pm?
10. When are meals?
11. Do i have specific jobs at meal times? i.e set, clear, wash, dry, garbage, etc.
12. May I help myself to food and drink (non-alcoholic) at any time or must I ask first?
13. What areas are strictly private besides bedrooms? study, pantry, etc.
14. May I put pictures and posters in my bedroom?
15. What time must I get up weekday mornings?
16. What time must I get up weekends and holidays?
17. What time must I go to bed weekday evenings?
18. What time must I be in at night if I go out?
19. What are the dates of family members birthdays, anniversaries, etc and how do you like to celebrate these occasions?
20. Can I have friends come and stay the night?
21. What is the rule on entertaining friends in my room with the door closed?
22. Can I invite friends over during the day?  If parents are home, not at home?
23. What are the rules regarding using the phone?  Local and long distance calls?
24. Do host parents have any pet peeves?  i.e: chewing gum, playing music, tardiness, being interrupted while reading the newspaper, etc.
25. How do I get around?  bus, bicycle, given rides, etc.

We were also given information about how to manage our expectations and everything so to avoid disappointment when we arrive in our host country.

I sent in my scholarship application last week and am now just waiting to hear the verdict on that, so fingers crossed!!

My STS shirt =)

My backpack =D

My name badge and ID card

The 'survival' kit us going on exchange were given =)

The other part of the kit

Everything is really starting to feel like it is happening now.  It's only 94 days until I leave now!!  There is so much that is going to happen in that time though and I'm getting ready for the ride of my life.

Until next post.

Adios Amigos.

Tyarna xx

Home of high mountains and deep valleys =)

Hi all!!

So this blog is going to be about my exchange year in Austria!  Documenting before I leave, whilst I am there, and what it feels like to get home.

Europe =)

                                                               

Why did I choose to go on student exchange for a year?  Well, I'm a curious person that has always wanted to travel the world, and what better way to do that then spend a whole year in nearly the centre of Europe!!  I've had a lot of people ask me why I would bother to do another whole year of school after I finish year 12.  'Why repeat?' they say.  The thing is, to me it's not repeating year 12 again.  Next year is all about experiencing a whole new life!  I'll be speaking a new language, living half way across the world, going to a new school, living with a new family, making life-long friends and having the time of my life.  I've also had some people tell me that I won't be able to make the full year living away from home.  This just pushes me harder to achieve what I want and to prove them all wrong.

The exchange organisation that I am going with is STS.  They offer many destinations for three month, semester or year programs all over the world.  Originally I was going to go to the USA for six months.  After thinking about it really hard, I decided to change my mind and go to Austria for a year.  I wanted more of an unique experience I suppose.  I extended my program to a year, where I believe that I will have more time to experience new things.  I also get to learn a new language!  Now I'm starting to think that I should have paid more attention in German in primary school.  I realise how much those four years would be helping me now.  But no, typical Tyarna chose to disregard all that was taught to her because she thought she would never have a reason to speak German once she finished that class.  Boy was she wrong.  They say you learn from your mistakes and I am definitely learning.  I am now taking a self taught German course and struggling along on my own.  I must say though, Franziska is helping me so much in my written German and I say a huge thank you to her!!

I'm still waiting for this to be confirmed, but at the moment I have been given information about a family that live in the countryside just outside of Linz.  The family has two children; a girl 16 and a boy 14.  They have a cat, fish and mice.  I really hope that this family is confirmed because they sound amazing =)  I will be in Austria next year for Christmas which means a white Christmas!! I will be able to cross that off my bucket list.

At the moment I am scheduled to leave Australia on the 18th January 2013.  I will arrive in Austria right in the heart of winter.  This climate in Austria is roughly:

Summer (June, July, August) ~ +25 - +30C

Autumn (September, October) ~ +18 - +12C

Winter (November, December, January, February) ~ +3 - -20C

Spring (March, April, May) ~ +15 - +25C

I really want to learn to ski or snowboard while in Austria and apparently weekends during winter are often spent doing these kind of sports.  I can almost feel the bruises now as my balance is terrible!  I'm excited to try so many new things and hopefully have the opportunity to travel throughout Europe while I am there.

At the moment I am trying to sort out all of my information to apply for my residency visa once I am actually in Austria.  There is so much you need to do.  I had no idea there were these many things to do!  I think the hardest part so far is that the actual application is written in German!  Thankfully they sent another copy that had English translations.  I have also received a letter from the head of STS in Austria and this too was written in German.  I was actually surprised at how much of it I could pick out and understand, but I still have a long way to go before I can fully read a whole letter written in German.  Hopefully after a few months in Austria I will be on my way to speaking fluent German =)  That is one of the goals that I want to achieve whilst on exchange.

Of course I am going to miss Australia like crazy!  But I am also 100% certain that it will be worth it.  I will definitely be missing my sister Cherine but will hopefully get a chance to see her once she is back in Finland halfway through next year!  I hope you enjoy the rest of your stay in Australia once I am gone!  My friends and family are going to be the hardest part to leave for a whole year.  However, I know they will have a great time without me and I'll sure be making many memories to share with them once I get home.

Vanessa =)

The beautiful sister <3

My lovely Jess

The best friend

We're all normal

How will I live without them for a year?!

A brunette and blonde with an inseparable bond

I really do believe living with an exchange student is the best way to start your exchange program.  We've had our ups and downs but I wouldn't trade Cherine for anything.  I class her as my sister and that will never change.

I cannot wait until it is time to leave and start experiencing everything Austria has to offer.

It's so beautiful!!!

Until the next post.

Adios Amigos!

Tyarna xx