Cremona!!!!!!!!!!!

 Buongiorno Everyone,
I found out where I'm going in Italy... A place called Cremona!! Its in Northern Italy in the Lombardi District. The city is so cool, plus it one of the worlds largest manufactures of handmade violins. The architecture is beautiful and it is close to Milan (fashion capital of the world), Venice (the floating city) and Verona (Where Romeo and Juliet took place)! I`m so excited this is going to be so much fun :)
Ciao i miei amici
Amanda

My Italian Speech!!!!

Salve,

mi chiamo Amanda e sono da Collingwood. Sono molto felice di essere qui evorrei ringraziareil Rotary per evermi dato questa opportunità. Ho due fratelli e una sorella. Sono studentessa a Collingwood Collegiate Institute e sono in undici grado. Le mie materie preferite a scuola sono la storia antica e la musica. Il mio passatempo preferito è cantare, ma io amo equitazione. Suono anche la chitarra e la tromba e mi piace lo sci, lo snowboard, e giocare a calcio. Spero di poter un giorno essere insegnamento presso scuole internazionali. Voliovedere il mondo e grazie al Rotary i miei sogni stanno finalmente diventando realtà.

Rotary Meeting:(

Salve,

For my Interact group I had to say a presentation about Interact to the Rotarians. It was kind of scary at first because I haven't done much public speaking but I think It went pretty well. Interact wanted me to talk about the projects that we are doing as well as our fundraiser coming up. We are having a spaghetti dinner fundraiser to raise money to buy a shelter box. The cost of which is $1000. The event will be on March 28, 2011 at 6:00PM at the Leisure Time Center. The cost of the tickets are $20 each and we have already sold about 30 tickets so we are doing great :)

TTFN (I miss Whinnie the Poo :) haha)

Amanda

Orientation Weekend :S

Buongiorno,

So this past weekend was the parent/student orientation weekend in North Bay. It was great meeting up with all the outbounds again. This weekend was so boring but it was still informative. If anything it made me even more excited about Italy. To make sure we are progressing on our languages, the Rotarians had us write a one minute speech in the language of our host country. I think I did pretty well but it was still nerve wracking. While in North Bay my dad, my step-mom, and I went out for dinner at Churchill's. I really enjoyed it. I had the panned fried Gnoochi which was really good :) and they had a pianist their playing music.

Overall the weekend went really well and I can't wait to see my new friends again when we goto Ottawa together :)

Ciao for now,

Amanda

Mattawa Exchange Weekend :)

Hey my friends,
This weekend was so much fun. I loved hanging out with all the Inbounds and Outbounds. Getting to know each and everyone was so incredible. I went with Layla, Jack from New Zealand, and Jazz, our Rotex.  When we arrived in Mattawa we played ice breaker games and name games, which allow everyone to learn each persons name. Then on Saturday we went Snow shoeing and we saw four wolves and then we had a camp fire and played games. That night we went for a night hike, with night vision goggles, and we tried to call the wolves with our howls. After the night hike we played some African style drums like the congas and the jamba. Sunday morning was the best, we had the flag ceremony, where all the outbounds found out where they are going. I`m going to Italy and Layla is going Ecuador we are both so pleased with the choices the Rotarians made for us.
Bye for now,
Your Travel Companion

Italy !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ciao my friends,

So today I found out that I am going to be living in Italy for the next year :). I am so excited; I have wanted to go to Italy for years. I am so glad my mom is finally on board with me going, it would have been so much harder to leave if she wasn't OK with it. OMG I'm going to Italy! This is going to be the best year of life. Now if only they (they being the Rotary Board) would tell me where I was going in Italy. I'm so pumped for living on the Mediterranean. 

Ciao for now, 

Your Travel Companion

One Week...

Hey Everyone,
So it is exactly one week from today that I'll will be finding out where I am going on my Exchange.  It has been so frustrating not knowing where I am going. I've known since November that I'm leaving but Rotary doesn't actually tell me where I'm going until this coming weekend in Mattawa.
 I'm so excited for this weekend not only because I find out where I'm going but also because I am going to meet other students that are going through the same thing I am, as well as other Rotary students that are here from other countries. I am so happy that my friend Layla is coming with me it will be nice to have one friendly face around.
Until next time,
Your travel companion,
Amanda Owen