The Starlight Parade

I'll make this brief, because I really should be studying for my government final tomorrow, but I need to catch this blog up! (Wow, if I can't even keep it up to date in the US, I think we're in trouble for next year...). Anyways, two weekends ago was the annual Starlight Parade held in downtown Portland! We were invited as Rotary Exchange Students to march in it. It wasn't a required event like the District Conference, but almost everyone made it! It was so much fun high five-ing everyone as we marched along the parade route. We all had our flags and everyone was cheering for us and all and all it was just a great night that I will always remember. It's getting closer to the time when all of the inbounds are leaving and going back home, which is making me really sad. For most of them, the last time we will see each other is on Saturday at the final Inbound orientation. It's when we all officially say goodbye to each other. I have made so many international friends in the past few months and it is going to be so hard to say goodbye to all of them. I guess it gives me an excuse to travel all over the world!

That's all to report! Brief, as promised. Enjoy a this lovely photo from the evening:

The District Conference

Wow, this is extremely late. I have been meaning to post for a while now but I've been so caught up in school, drivers ed, SAT studying, and general laziness. Luckily, school ends in 2 days, I finished drivers ed, I took my SAT last weekend, and I'm beginning to feel a little less lazy. A few weeks ago (May 14-17) was the District Conference in Salem, where all of the important Rotarians gather to talk about the year. As for us exchange students, it was just another training. The students all set up camp in the Willamette University dorm rooms. I didn't do much on this trip because I decided not to participate in the talent show that is held on Friday night at dinner for hundreds Rotarians. Most of the trip for me involved sitting around and doing nothing with the other slackers that didn't want to participate. It was still a lot of fun despite this, though! I was finally able to just hang out with other kids rather than constantly worrying about impressing the country officers in an effort to get the country I wanted. I made a lot of friends on this trip that I had barely even talked to on the Eastern Oregon Excursion and the Country Fair. The first two days we were there (Wednesday and Thursday) was just a bunch of talking and doing nothing. Friday was the day of the actual conference, so we spent most of the day at the convention center. The students not participating set up a country fair of their own, where they taught Rotarians attending the conference about their countries. I was alone at the Chile booth because Amanda and Pauli were both in the talent show and were busy rehearsing. That night, we had a great dinner. I sat at a table with about 8 Rotarians and told them about Chile and listened politely as they told me this and that about how lucky I am and what I should do while I'm down there. The talent show happened during dinner and it was really amazing to see my peers perform. I was blown away by all the talent! We went to bed late that night because everyone stayed up in the lounge of the dorm building talking and playing games. We woke up early the next morning (as is always the case when Rotary is involved) and greeted our parents. The country officers spoke to them for a while before we were allowed to go home. I said goodbye to all my friends, knowing that I'd see most of them again soon at the Starlight Parade!

Here is the entire group of Outbounds. There's me, near the middle!

Just a few of my life long friends! (Left to right: Min (South Korea), Juho (Finland), Matthieu (France), Amanda (going to Chile), Meko (going to Brazil), me, and Luis (Mexico) ).