First Post Time!

Hey!!

It's my last evening in Champaign-Urbana, and THAT means I have some work to do. Packing, saying goodbyes, cleaning my room -- all crucial pieces of the whole leaving-for-a-year puzzle. But I couldn't possibly cut out the US of A cold turkey. And thus, this blog was born! Any and all English-speakers willing to read my ramblings will find these posts chock full of the best stories one exchangee can find in Forcalquier, France.

First, an explanation of the title. This is in fact my first year in Provence, a region located in the south-east of France. But I couldn't name my blog "A Year in Provence" because some "author" decided to write an autobiographical book of the same name, and make it well-known. Thanks a lot, Peter Mayle...

Also, a little about Rotary Youth Exchange:

Rotary is a huge organization, with clubs centered in all corners of the globe. Each club focuses on "Service above Self", and the same values are sent along with the exchange students they sponsor (one of many activities the clubs engage in). The application process starts the Fall of the year before you leave. You contact a Rotary representative in charge of Youth Exchange, have an interview, fill out a LONG (24 pages or something...) application, wait for an obscene amount of time, find out where you're going, emote accordingly, hang out with other rotary youth exchange participants (Inbounds are foreigners in the US, Outbounds are those leaving, like me), attend a Conference in Grand Rapids, Michigan in July, and finally depart at the beginning of your second Fall as a Rotary Youth Exchange Student.

Phew.

So that's where I am! Ready and raring to fly off to Paris, then Marseille, where I'll be picked up by my wonderful host family, the Groffes. In 24 hours, I'll be sipping some complementary beverage on my flight (three cheers for Cran-Apple!), hoping the guy next to me realizes his knee has been touching mine for 20 minutes, and looking forward to the good things to come.

Thanks for tagging along!!

Chris