Salut!

My name is Effy and I'm a part of the Rotary Youth Exchange program.I live in Portland, Oregon and I am going to Angers, France for my junior year of high school. I'd like to use this blog as a way to keep up with my friends and family at home.
Because I have a 90 day rule where I cannot have direct contact with friends and family, I want them to be able to see what I'm up to in a passive way. I will post photos, videos, give weekly, if not daily reports, and give you guys a good understanding of what life is like while I'm away.
Now, I do not depart from Portland until the 23rd of August, but I thought it might be interesting to start my blogging now to give an analysis on what it's like to do visas and preparing to leave.

For those of you wondering, the word "marin" means sailor in French. I am obsessed with nautical things and the idea of sailing and traveling, because you can go ANYWHERE in the world by sea. I like to think that I am a sailor. I also love the beach, sea life, mermaids, and so on, so the theme fit.

I really hope those of you who plan on frequently checking up on my blog are pleased with my updates. For now, it will most likely be just boring stuff about visa documents and passport stuff. The only exciting about that is going to the French consulate in San Fransisco, but that's not until July!

Anyways, this is the start of my voyage. And to that, I say: Allons-y!
~Effy