let's start at the very beginning, a very good place to start.

hey, my name's Ben, and i'm going to go on an exchange in 2010. this'll be my blog, outlining my thoughts, and what i'm doing, and things like that. I do japanese at school, and i've been doing it for 6 years now, and I love it; so i plan to go there for this exchange.

yesterday, i had my district interview with rotary. i think i went really well, and i was happy with my performance. however, they flat out told me that i can't go to japan, because the district hasn't replied to any of the correspondence my district has put out. they reckon it might be because there was a girl that left after several months 2 years ago, and so they don't want another crazy emotional australian again! :D

so today, at about 5:30, my councellor called to tell me that I had been allocated a country. i knew it wasn't going to be japan (even though i was still hoping that it was, in the back of my mind). he told me that he'd been trying to get in contact with the district, and then finally told me my country.

if i accept the offer that rotary has offered me, i will be going to…

GERMANY!!!!!!!

i've been there before, with my family, in 2007. my favorite memories of it were driving around on the autobahns, which was great fun, especially in a big black S-Class mercedes at 200km/h! :D i liked the country, and the people were very interesting, but i'm still slightly sad that i can't go to japan. but, there's nothing that can be done about it. *sigh*.

i've don't have to accept or decline for another two weeks, so if the japanese district suddenly makes contact in that time, i might still be able to go with them, which is what i would love. but if that doesn't happen, then i could possibly go with AFS to japan instead. but, i know that they won't be as good, nor will they be as cheap, and it won't look as good on my resume, but, i can almost definitely go to japan. so it's a bit tough, trying to work out if i would rather take my guaranteed place in germany, or go with a weaker organisation to japan, the country i've been dreaming about going to for literally years.

i've never done any german before, only french in junior school, and japanese from year 7 onwards, and i know that it would be a major disappointment if i just let all that knowledge and genuine interest in that country go, and start again with another. but, i know that i've got a definite place in germany, if i want it, so it's a really tough decision as to whether i go or not. i'm not sure if i will be able to throw away something that's definite to go for a gamble. it's like, double or nothing. it's scary.

anway, i'll type more later.

enjoy, all of nobody reading this.