Shayna Perry
Shayna
Perry
Catalina Rotary
Outbound Youth Exchange Student
Spain
Shayna is living in Madrid,
Spain from 2008-2009.
Learn more about
Shayna’s Youth Exchange adventures in Spain at her blog:
www.espanachica2008.blogspot.com
April 19, 2009
Hello Catalina Rotary Family!
Well at the end of my second semester I send my warm
spring greetings to everyone at the club! As Madrid begins to
prepare for summer the days only get better. I just finished my
first week of school back from spring break. Not only back to my
Spanish Institute of Beatriz Galindo but also to my school of
idioms! My second semester I finally got in and it´s been a huge
help with my Spanish. I will actually be taking the SAT Spanish
Subject test while abroad for upcoming college applications that
require subject tests. It´s so hard to remember what little I knew
at the beginning of my exchange and how fluency seemed nearly
impossible at the time!
My host family and I celebrated Easter up in Northern Spain
where they own a country cottage. We had a wonderful time and even
got to go to the beach, although just to look...it´s a little bit
chilly there still. Now it´s back to the city, flamenco classes,
school and enjoying every last minute of my few remaining months
with friends, host families, and the culture itself. I switched host
families in February and now live with a single woman Maria and her
17 year old daughter, Paula who I both adore. Of course I miss my
first host family but between houses it´s just a 10 minute walking
distance! I guess above all I feel so grateful to have a second
amazing host family along with the first.
Every new, cultural situation, place or event seems to
never stop knocking at my understanding for life itself in such a
broad spectrum. It´s also so exciting to know that a Rotex program
is being formed which I can be a part of on my return. Please see
for yourself all that this year is offering me in my exchange-blog
and what a gift every part of it was and is! Hope all is well and
the Kentucky Derby Day is another success! It was a blast last year.
Don´t forget to tell me who wins the annual hat contest :) !
Many hugs!
Shayna
I’m Shayna Perry. I’m 16 years old and attend Sahuaro High School in
Tucson, AZ. Thanks to the Rotary International Youth Exchange Program,
I’m living in Madrid, Spain until the summer of 2009. My sponsor is the
Rotary Club of Tucson-Catalina. My host in Spain is the Rotary Club of
Madrid, District 2200.
In school, my academics come first and maintaining a 4.0 GPA has been
very important to me. I also love playing varsity volleyball on my HS
team. I run in track, sing in the choir, play piano, and I’m involved
with school clubs such as the National Honor Society, Interact and
Humanitarian Club.
To introduce my host family in Madrid: My host mother is a doctor and my
host father is an architect. They have a son, aged 7, and two girls,
about my age.
Why do I want to be part of a Youth Exchange experience? About nine
months ago, I dreamed of the possibility of an exchange in another
country. I hoped to immerse myself in a different kind of culture and
learn a second language, not only for my enjoyment but also for my
future career. Further, I dreamed of aiding my generation by gaining
more of a global perspective. Most of all, I wanted to have the chance
to share my home community with others, in this case the Rotary
community in Madrid, Spain.
I am now in Madrid, enjoying an exciting time with my host family,
school, and the Rotary Club of Madrid.
I look forward to seeing everyone in Tucson in 2009!
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