This is me thanking my Sponsor club and District for the Orientation via Ian Cosh.
Dear Ian,
Hi, I am an outbound 2007-2008 Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar from District 6170 who is going to Lyon, and I last saw you in May on the day of my Big Interview!
If I am not mistaken, I believe that you were the Rotarian with the wonderful accent ! Also, were you the Rotarian who had me speak french during my interview!!!?
I write you not only to start a correspondence, but also to Thank You and District 6170 for being so generous on my behalf. Because you paid my $95 Orientation Fee, I was able to attend the Rotary Regional Outbound Scholar Orientation Seminar 2007-2008 for Rotary Scholars in Kansas City.
This past weekend while I was there, I officially met Ashlee Peters, the other scholarship recipient from D-6170, and I learned so much about Rotary. I had to give three speeches: a self-introduction, a simulated speech of something I would present to a French Rotary Club, and an idea of how I want to change the world, or what I called the "Miss America Speech"!
With all that I learned, now, I better understand my role as "une ambassadrice".
I made friends with a room full of young adults, some whom are already what I would call "accomplished" or "successful". I will admit, at first, I was very intimidated by these new-found friends: one is a successful lawyer, one worked to patrol the Alaskan Skies to deliver food supplies and watch for poachers, one had actually been to India to administer Polio Vaccinations, one is trying to help build the first Ivy League School in Africa, etc.
Then there was me! Girl from a small town! Girl with a seemingly measly French and English Bachelor's Degree who teaches French and English at a Montessori School and who tutors French to three young girls!
But, I am young woman with BIG dreams! And this is one thing I learned from the Seminar: I am great with my own accomplishments, and I will be even greater with my future accomplishments!
It seems silly, even juvenile to compare myself (rather torture myself) with comparisons to my peers, but honestly, the entire troupe did it! That is really all that we could do! It was an existentialist trapping of sorts, placing us in a room together for two days! And even in the evening, we were each other's company!
We were all so mesmerized by what the last person did that we could not help but think about how little it seemed that we had done, well, at least in my case.
After the first day, I started to understand why Rotary would put us through a seminar like what we went through. During this seminar, I was seeing my peers in a different light. I understand now that my professional inadequacies really mean nothing to the others I grew to love because just a few years ago they were in my position (possibly doubting themselves); they had the big dreams that I have and they worked hard to accomplish their goals, as I hope to do as well. In all actuality and honesty, they are my mentors :)
Looking back on this past weekend, I am blessed to have this new group of friends because we are about to embark on an opportunity greater than we know, an adventure that will test and/or change our levels of belief, of cause, of generosity, of opinion, and of good will. And this, this is what my adventure will be about.
It is not about me comparing myself to other humanitarians.
It is not about me even thinking about myself in place of others.
It IS about putting myself out there in situations that will help others.
So, I just gave you a snippet of what I went through this weekend, and to tell you the truth I am still recovering mentally! It was a super-turbo charged weekend that I will seldom forget, if at all let slip from my mind.
Thank you for that great opportunity and thank you so much for everything it unfolds for me :)
Sincerely,
Jessica Jones
Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar D-6170
Dear Ian,
Hi, I am an outbound 2007-2008 Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar from District 6170 who is going to Lyon, and I last saw you in May on the day of my Big Interview!
If I am not mistaken, I believe that you were the Rotarian with the wonderful accent ! Also, were you the Rotarian who had me speak french during my interview!!!?
I write you not only to start a correspondence, but also to Thank You and District 6170 for being so generous on my behalf. Because you paid my $95 Orientation Fee, I was able to attend the Rotary Regional Outbound Scholar Orientation Seminar 2007-2008 for Rotary Scholars in Kansas City.
This past weekend while I was there, I officially met Ashlee Peters, the other scholarship recipient from D-6170, and I learned so much about Rotary. I had to give three speeches: a self-introduction, a simulated speech of something I would present to a French Rotary Club, and an idea of how I want to change the world, or what I called the "Miss America Speech"!
With all that I learned, now, I better understand my role as "une ambassadrice".
I made friends with a room full of young adults, some whom are already what I would call "accomplished" or "successful". I will admit, at first, I was very intimidated by these new-found friends: one is a successful lawyer, one worked to patrol the Alaskan Skies to deliver food supplies and watch for poachers, one had actually been to India to administer Polio Vaccinations, one is trying to help build the first Ivy League School in Africa, etc.
Then there was me! Girl from a small town! Girl with a seemingly measly French and English Bachelor's Degree who teaches French and English at a Montessori School and who tutors French to three young girls!
But, I am young woman with BIG dreams! And this is one thing I learned from the Seminar: I am great with my own accomplishments, and I will be even greater with my future accomplishments!
It seems silly, even juvenile to compare myself (rather torture myself) with comparisons to my peers, but honestly, the entire troupe did it! That is really all that we could do! It was an existentialist trapping of sorts, placing us in a room together for two days! And even in the evening, we were each other's company!
We were all so mesmerized by what the last person did that we could not help but think about how little it seemed that we had done, well, at least in my case.
After the first day, I started to understand why Rotary would put us through a seminar like what we went through. During this seminar, I was seeing my peers in a different light. I understand now that my professional inadequacies really mean nothing to the others I grew to love because just a few years ago they were in my position (possibly doubting themselves); they had the big dreams that I have and they worked hard to accomplish their goals, as I hope to do as well. In all actuality and honesty, they are my mentors :)
Looking back on this past weekend, I am blessed to have this new group of friends because we are about to embark on an opportunity greater than we know, an adventure that will test and/or change our levels of belief, of cause, of generosity, of opinion, and of good will. And this, this is what my adventure will be about.
It is not about me comparing myself to other humanitarians.
It is not about me even thinking about myself in place of others.
It IS about putting myself out there in situations that will help others.
So, I just gave you a snippet of what I went through this weekend, and to tell you the truth I am still recovering mentally! It was a super-turbo charged weekend that I will seldom forget, if at all let slip from my mind.
Thank you for that great opportunity and thank you so much for everything it unfolds for me :)
Sincerely,
Jessica Jones
Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar D-6170
