1. Once a Pirate, always a Pirate

Once I became a Pirate.

I used to walk aboard the ship of A.C. Davis High School. I used to pass the grey and orange hallways, to sit in the classrooms, to attend assemblies and to have tons of fun with fellow Pirates. 

I was a student at Davis High for ten months, ten wonderful months, during which I’ve forgot about the reality and lived an adventure.

I used to explore the Washington State and nearby areas, discovering how it is to live in the United States of America. 

I used to hang out with people who showed me that you can live differently - even if it hasn't necessarily meant 'better.' 

I've learned to make an impact on myself and the people around me. And this is what I'm hoping to accomplish in my blog.

My name is Julia and I’m from Poland. In the school year of 2015/2016 I took part in a ten-month-long exchange program, during which I was placed in Yakima, located in central Washington State. 

It’s already been more than two years since I’ve begun the exchange (which Facebook and other media persistently remind me of). But even though it’s been a year and a half since I left Yakima, and even though my life goes on with its own, new rhythm, I’ve never ceased to be a Pirate. I more or less intentionally tend to wear nothing but black and orange, and the only jewelry I constantly wear is a Davis wristband with some motivational words. I regularly vert through journals, albums, planners, the school's Yearbook, pictures, and videos to recall memories.

Once a Pirate, always a Pirate. It has a slightly different meaning for an exchange student. See, maybe I behaved and looked like an ordinary student, maybe I indeed WAS an ordinary student, but as a foreigner I would perceive everything from a perspective of a very distant nation. What’s ordinary for most of Americans turned out to be a never-ending discovery and a never-ending adventure, which was way more than just attending school and learning.

As a tribute paid to the exchange program that once begun and has never really ended, I would like to share some thoughts and memories I’ve collected during my time in the United States.

For those of you who are "across the pond", I'm hoping that the memories will make you curious about what it’s like to live abroad and let you look at what’s ordinary in an extraordinary way. 

For those of you who are considering attending an exchange program, I'm hoping to provide a lot of useful information, help, and advises. Please feel free to ask any questions and share your thoughts, regardless on what stage of an exchange program you're at; whether you're a future, a present, or a former exchange student, I'll be happy to help.