Thank You

I feel so grateful and just want to thank everyone who helped make exchange possible for April and I: Our parents, for helping us through every moment, other relatives and friends for also lending their support, Al Steevens and the Baraboo Rotary Club for sponsoring us, and the other Rotarians in Wisconsin, the Czech Republic, and Turkey who help make the Rotary Youth Exchange program possible.
This is truly an amazing experience and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I would encourage any young person who is considering spending a year abroad to go without hesitation-- you will learn so much and you won't reget it, I can promise that. And I would also encourage any family who is able to consider hosting an exchange student. You will gain new perspective on a culture so different from your own, and you will be helping to make a young person's dream come true.
And finally, I want to thank you, Ms. Taylor, for reading through all my ramblings and writing this article about April and I.
-Lydia

I would also like to add... Parents... Mommy, Daddy, family! I love you with everything I am and becoming... This truly is something more than anything I could ask for.. I am so blessed.

Everyone should exchange and you will never regret every moment. One quote that has really made the way I think here is:

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” -Maya Angelou
And that was given to me by Lydia... Lydia you made my exchange that much better.
You can mess up completely on exchange... but if you try to fix it and just try to be the best person you are... people are never going to ever forget what you meant to them. As an exchanger you always leave something of yourself in someone you meet here.