Sunday, May 20, 2012

Connecting Globally Online

It is unbelievably astonishing how social media and the internet makes life so much easier and also has the power to influence your views (...yet it could be unsafe at the same time!)

What impressed me the most is Facebook: I joined a group page called the "Rotary Youth Exchange 2012/2013 to France" a few months ago, and since then, I have been communicating with over 150 RYE students who are going to France, French Rotexes and Rotexes who went to France from all around the world!  I have to admit that it's a bit scary to discuss with students who I have never met before (so they're literally strangers), but the idea of sharing each other our knowledge of France is amazingly beneficial!

We've already discussed about fashion, school, making new friends, food... and even politics!  Like what typical teenagers would talk about that?!  It was so fascinating when the group members talked about what they felt when François Hollande won the French federal election against Nicolas Sarkozy.  Seeing this event reported on Canadian news stations with the addition of student opinions from around the world definetely made me stand in a unique perspective.

One of the cool facts I learned is that France has an interestingly different electrical outlet and their electricity has much higher voltage!  To be honest, I would have never guessed it would look like this:


Discussion about France's Electrical Outlet

Little by little, I learn new information everytime I log online, and I have to thank whoever invented the internet for this global collaboration to happen.  When I find out which town/city I will stay in, I can search for students who will be living near me!  The possibility of interacting with someone who I will meet in the near future is too exciting!

Until next time,
Sari



5 comments:

  1. Hi Sari. My name is Bob Ennis and Your excitement about youe adventure is rubbing off on us Canmore Rotarians. It sounds like you will be well prepared by the time you arrive. We are all anxious to follow your progress so plese kep us up to date and never feel that you are alone. We are all behind you. Have fun.

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    1. Thank you so much Mr. Ennis, and I just want to say it's all thanks to you and the entire club for giving me this opportunity to enjoy a different place, language, culture (and of course, get stronger as an individual through the tough times!) It is literally like a dream-come-true, and I can't explain how grateful I am to have tremendous support from friends, family, clubs, and the international organization. Merci beaucoup, and I hope you enjoy following me throughout my year abroad.

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    2. Oh, and one more thing: I still don't feel prepared for the exchange yet!

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  2. Sari, you can get a kit that has converters for all different outlets at many stores, like Mountain Equipment Coop and others. We have one that is in a little pouch and it can convert to all different types of plugs used in the world. Another thing to be aware of is that you must use electrical appliances that can take 220 volts, otherwise you could fry your hairdryer! Many things now have a switch to go between 110 and 220 volts. I will bring the kit to show you. Janet

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    1. Again, thank you Janet for helping me through every step of this pre-exchange process! I finally got one, and I sure hope it doesn't fry my appliances or me!

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