Yesterday, I was at the AFS Malaysia pre-departure orientation camp for the participants of the YP 2009/2010. Being at the camp made me nostalgic and reminded me of my own pre-departure orientation camp back in December 2006. I still remember how excited I was back then about being selected to go on the AFS YP to Germany. I still remember how I bombarded my facilitators with all sorts of questions as I sought to prepare myself as well as possible before I left Malaysia. Yesterday, it was my turn to be a facilitator, my turn to answer questions, my turn to tell stories and share experiences. It was really nice to get to meet all the students who are going to leave Malaysia soon. Oh how they reminded me of myself and my friends before we left Malaysia for our exchange year abroad.....
My facilitators at my pre-departure camp taught me quite abit, but perhaps the most important thing they told me was to "expect the unexpected". Back then, I thought that was plain hogwash. How can you possibly "expect the unexpected" I thought? I believed I had my exchange year all planned out and that it would turn out exactly as I had expected. I realize now that it was quite arrogant of me to think that way. Time would prove just how right my facilitators were. How my exchange year ultimately turned out was indeed unexpected, but it was better so, because my exchange year ended up becoming the best year of my life so far :D It was the most profound experience I ever had and alas I know I will never experience anything like it ever again :( But the memories I have and the friends and people I came to know and love I will cherish for life :)
Not a day goes by when I do not think of my AFS experience and the friends and people I shared it with. This past week, the nostalgia has been hitting me particularly hard though. Maybe it's because Christmas is coming up and it's normal to think of one's loved ones during festive periods. Gosh I do miss the German Christmas markets, the Lebkuchen, the Gluehwein(oh how it warms the body on those cold winter nights), the wuerstchen ...... But more than all these physical trappings of Christmas in Germany, I miss the people I shared my Advent and Christmas with last year. Oh how my heart aches with longing at times for the friends and people I knew ...... At times I wonder if they also think of me as much as I think of them. I guess they do though as many AFS returnees rate their AFS experience as the best experience of their lives.
Gosh I can't believe just how much I have ranted.
Anyway, I would like to end with a quote from Albert Schweitzer, which is my favourite German quote.
„Das einzig Wichtige im Leben sind die Spuren von Liebe, die wir hinterlassen, wenn wir weggehen.“
I hope I did not bore anyone with my rant, which is a departure from my normal more intellectual musings.
To all the participants of the AFS YP 2009/2010, I hope that I contributed to your preparations for your exchange year. I wish you all the best and hope that you will have an amazing experience. I'm already looking forward to your return and can't wait to hear the stories that you all will have to share then ;) And to anyone who is applying to be a participant of an AFS program next year, I wish you good luck and all the best and hope that you will be successful in your application.
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2 comments:
must be nice to meet many ppl of diff backgrounds. :)
Yes it definitely is! You can be a part of AFS too, perhaps by hosting a student with your family or by becoming a volunteer ;)
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