When Jodie started talking about how good it would be to go on exchange last year I initially dismissed it as simply teenage wishful thinking. She knew I had been on exchange and I did take the opportunity to tell her of some of my experiences. The subject of exchange became something she started to talk about a lot, so I decided to see how serious she was. I said to her – if you are truly serious about this then do your research.
Tonight is a celebration of just how serious Jodie was and the whirlwind journey of success she has had so far.
Jodie is going to ONO Japan. She is doing this because she has put in the work necessary to get there. She did the research and we made the choice of AFS as her exchange program in terms of her desire to go to Japan and the value of the price. She then kept me on my toes organising the application, the doctors medical, the passports, and the other paperwork that came in. She kept her promise to self study Japanese and has attended classes with Mina twice a week in order to be as prepared as she can be for the language and customs of Japan. She kept up with her high quality school performance and even took school seriously this year – much to the amusement of her fellow students. Jodie took on full responsibility for the whole process. All I had to do was support her with information and the fees needed, and sign the paperwork.
Saying goodbye
I was a really proud mum when we got the news she had been accepted. Jodie and I both thought she had applied too late for scholarship for Japan, but Bev – the AFS rep who interviewed her felt otherwise and put her name in. Jodie’s resume, performance on interview and school reports have served her well as she was selected for scholarship with Mimi Japan. This was a stroke of luck for us and made making the trip for Jodie even more possible for us.
Lots of people have asked me am I sad? Am I going to miss her? Are you worried? The answer to all of these questions is yes – of course. I am her mum. The world is big and scary. Jodie is wonderful company and I will miss hearing her sitting at her computer with her headphones on laughing at something. I will miss her non stop chatter when she gets on a topic she is passionate about. BUT…to dwell on these things is to be negative and to say I am sad would in fact be a lie.
Thankyou
I am not consumed at all by the feelings of sadness that Jodie will not be here for 11 months – I am consumed much more by the pride I feel in her going as an ambassador of this country, and by the excitement and anticipation I see in her eyes and heart. I am extremely excited for Jodie – I remember very well how I felt when I climbed aboard a plane for the first time in my life and flew right across the globe to a country where I did not speak the language or know and understand the culture. The impact of that experience on me as a person is immeasurable and enduring, and I am boyed by the hope that the excitement, the development of maturity and the memories of Jodies trip for her will be just as wonderful. How can I be sad about that really??
So lets not all stand here in sadness and say farewell Jodie. Let’s be excited and proud about Jodies courage, Jodie’s drive, Jodies ambition. Let’s be excited about the fact that other people in the world have faith in her to do a good job as an ambassador for Australia. Lets celebrate Jodie’s success and wish her a whole lot more during the next 11 months. Jodie – I will miss you, Mick will miss you, Amy will miss you – your dad will miss you. But we are all very very proud of you and I for one am very excited that you are heading off on this great adventure. On behalf of your family I wish you the very best of luck.
