Flying with No Expectations

I think it's important to note that as an exchange student, one should go in with no expectations. You can't expect people to act a certain way or the food to taste a certain way. You can't expect you'll get any special treatment or that you will participate in certain activities. You need to realize that you are in a foreign country and YOU are the one who have to assimilate into your country's customs. The more open-minded you are about your schedule and time, the more freedom you have to let the wind blow wherever it may take you. By simply having no expectations, you can't be disappointed about what may or may not happen. I mean, you might have to initiate conversations and be the first one to talk to people, but that's one of the reasons you are a Rotary Youth Exchange student. You are the one who wants to learn about other cultures, not the other way around. It's going to be hard, but the lower expectations you have, the less you can be disappointed.