Setting Stuff Clear

I am so grateful for this opportunity to study abroad in Bolivia that Rotary has given me. Living in Santa Cruz has opened my eyes an opened my heart. I have learned so much about myself, about people, relationships and so many other things I wish everyone could understand. But its hard for people who have not been on exchange to understand the difficulties, the friendships made, the feelings we (exchange students) have every minute of every day, or the things we have to get over, or the things we have to do in order to just live a simple life. Being and exchange studentis the best thing that ever happened to me, no matter how hard it is sometimes. Every day brings new problems. Everyday I have to put on a good attitude and a smile just to walk to the kitchen, or meet someone for lunch. Who knows what people will think if I wear a frown or act a little depressed. So sometimes I look happy and cheery, but inside I'm dying. I don't mean to say I'm unhappy, because I'm really exited and thankful to be here, but all this wisdom I have learned comes with a price. I don't know another word besides wisdom I can use to describe what its like to be here. There is something I learn every day that changes me. Something as simple as a new word in Spanish (No, I don't speak Bolivian haha) or as complex as a relationship with a new friend, everything I do or learn or hear is something that shapes who I am. There is no word for this, its just called Being An Exchange Student, and no one will ever understand what that is, except other exchange students of course. So we may act crazy when we order a dish and it comes to the table on fire, we may sit in bed eating ice cream and watching Dirty Dancing for a whole day, but in the end it doesn't matter what we do because just being in another country is the most amazing, enlightening, incredible, exhausting, wonderful things I could ever wish for.