 Hello,
my name is Linda Rogers and I am a Senior at Paxon SAS in Jacksonville,
Florida. After having been a host sister to approximately fifteen foreign
exchange students and going to Turkey on a very successful Short-Term Rotary
Exchange myself, I finally decided my Junior year that I would become a
Long-Term Rotary Exchange Student the year after I graduated. And as those
who know me best are already aware, once I decide that I will do something,
I do it. So here I am writing a bio for Rotary upon acceptance into the
exchange program.
My friends often laugh when I start a statement with "I
have five older brothers and..." and that's because they know that being
raised the youngest of eight children, five of which are boys, has had a lot
to do with who I am today and the insights that I have on life. I have found
that for me being the youngest of so many siblings didn't mean being
spoiled, it meant being brought up much quicker and being held to more
mature standards than my peers. But don't misunderstand me, I am not bitter
because of this, I don't resent the added pressure or the feelings of
needing to "measure up." I embrace it. I am above all thankful for the
opportunities that God has given me to grow and learn in the shadow of so
many teachers, whether it be by example or non-example. I think that to
understand me you must understand where I come from.
That being said I am very much an individual. I do not
hide behind the excuses of "upbringing" that are so common today and I want
people to know who I am aside from my family, albeit because of them. Simply
put I am a nurturer. My goal in life is to make enough money to be able to
dedicate myself and my resources to accomplishing something bigger than
"me". I will become a foreign ministries missionary with a monetary ability
to compliment my servant's heart. I hope to be able to positively impact the
lives of people, that I know from past missionary experience are yearning
for people in their lives to give them a hand up and a boost of faith.
I hope that this bio gives you an introductory glimpse of
who Linda is until my journal entries start, and with them come more
revelations as to the finer points of "me." |
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Finding my place here has been all at once exciting, confusing,
frustrating, and invigorating. My host family is very supportive, and dynamic
enough to offer me many outlets, but there is no amount of support that can
fully pad the blow of being ripped from the womb of childhood and thrown into a
life where you don’t know the norms and you don’t understand what is expected of
you. I was prepared for differences, I have traveled internationally before,
spending as much as a month abroad at one time, so I have felt this sort of
thing before and I knew it was coming. That does not change that it is going to
happen. It is like the doctor saying, “Get ready, I’m going to give you a shot.”
We have all had shots before, and we are “ready” for it when it comes, but that
does not mean that the shot does not hurt. It also does not mean that the shot
loses its worth. No matter the unpleasantness involved, the growth and respect
gained from this experience cannot be outweighed. I have only been here to
benefit from this for a fraction of what I will be, yet I am already feeling the
reward and I am already able to see the opportunity for continued advancement.
It is not easy, it is not a step that would be beneficial for everyone, and it
is not the kind of thing that just anyone would feel empowered by, but for some,
for the “right” people, there is no substitute for a Rotary Youth Exchange.
Two weeks ago, I started going to a school here in Surat
for the deaf and dumb on a daily basis. I began there because I wanted a
service project, but at this point, I do not feel like I am serving anyone
but myself. Those who have been involved with the school much longer than I
have insist that my friendships and conversations are building much needed
confidence in a group of people who feel (and generally are) overlooked by
society and their own families. Logically I know this to be true but it is
hard to see how something that requires no self-sacrifice, which actually
gives me some of my happiest moments here, can be serving someone else. This
is not an entirely radical idea for me though. I often indicate “service
work” when questioned about my plans for the future or my current “extra-curriculars,”
but I have rarely felt such deeds to be serving. These activities, rather,
are my fun time, my go out and enjoy myself moments. Last Friday night I was
talking to my Mom about the next day’s schedule and after telling her that I
could not go to “my” school, as I call it, on Saturday because I had to take
an exam at the same time at my regular high school she said, “So tomorrow
‘yea, holiday!’” (this is what we always say when there is no work or school
one day), but I told her, “No, it’s not ‘yea holiday’ for this, it’s ‘aww
man… holiday…’” We both had a good laugh, but it was true. Going to Surat
School for the Deaf and Dumb daily has been the most fun I have had here,
apart from spending ‘quality time’ with my family.
I have particularly enjoyed picking up the sign language
here so that I can actually communicate with the students. One of the
students in my class, Mohsin, has taken to teaching me new words every day.
Once he got a picture book from one of the primary classes so that he could
point at an apple, a monkey, or a jeep, and then demonstrate the sign for
me. After two weeks in that school I can officially communicate much better
in sign than in Gujarati, I think mainly because most everyone here speaks
English on a fairly regular basis except for the students at my school. Even
as I am writing this (it’s Saturday afternoon) I cannot wait for Monday so I
can go see my friends again.
I hope that all of the exchange students are taking
advantage of this aspect of the Rotary Exchange experience. There are many
programs available for foreign exchange, but I think that the opportunity
for service while abroad is what really sets Rotary apart from the others.
Since Rotary is not a for-profit organization that focuses on exchange, but
rather an international service club which also offers student exchange as
one of its contributions to society, the potential for students to get hands
on with service is boundless.
I know that many people considering a Rotary Youth
Exchange are reading these journals to get a feel for the program and
whether or not it is right for them. If this is you, I challenge you to “dig
deep.” Realize that there are obstacles. Understand that moments are going
to be painful. See where you are going to be asked to give of yourself.
Then, after acknowledging the hardships, accept the call and go for it,
forget your own minimal inconveniences and grasp the first big opportunity
of your life to do something bigger than yourself, and help Rotary to
establish widespread cultural understanding and to realize a vision of
service above self.
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Linda Rogers
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