Writing Prompt English 11

"People are motivated by a variety of things"
By Annabell

Canada, the second largest country in the world, is known as a country full of mountains and lakes. I aimed to get there, somehow, somewhere with someone or no one.
Then I heard about an exchange program. I signed myself up and did many interviews. At this point my parents did not realize what that meant and  what I wanted to do. Neither did I.
It went pretty quickly and meanwhile it was mid January and I had to fill out a bunch of different documents to fly to Canada and find the perfect host family. This was the first time that I made myself clear: I will go to Canada!
After my 16th Birthday and the Orientation from my Organization, there was the moment. The moment when the phone rang and I got my host family, my family for the next five months. In the same night I wanted to call my “new family” and I thought I would die. I was so excited and my heart beat was so fast!  It ended all with an e-mail contact because they were not at home when I called. A few days after our first contact, we skyped and it was a great feeling. That was it, what gave me the last kick to do it. Time flew because I graduated middle school, had my graduation ball, met a lot of friends for the last time on summer break, did my farewell party and packed all my things together. The last time was the hardest time for me. Especially for my parents and my best friends.
Honestly I did not want to go because I did not want to leave them behind. I wanted to get out of my daily life actually. But my life was not the same. I did a lot with my friends. I attended another school to do my graduation from High School if I would stay in Germany. I did not want to go where I did not know anyone and be alone. Alone at the airport, alone in the plane, alone in a new country on another continent, but at the end I was never alone. I got to know new people and this was good, this was what I wanted. I was so motivated by a variety of things. There was the dream to live like a real Canadian and to make my parents and friends proud.
At the 29th of August I did it. My first stop was Frankfurt. Next, for four days, New York. I had great first days in the United States of America and met wonderful people but better was the thought of being with my family in Canada and going to a Canadian High School.
Now I am here. After  half  a year, a lot of work and a lots of tears from my mother, I am here. Here in Canada, here in British Columbia, here in Kamloops, here at the SaHali Secondary. After all I am so happy and glad to be here. My host family was the best choice and the nature is just awesome. It is a cool feeling of being here but my question to myself from the flight on to now was: “Why are doing this, Annabell? Why?”
Honestly I did not think about that question very deeply before. But after almost one week, I think, I know the real answer or rather I hope to know the real answer. I am here to learn new things, gain experiences and get to know another country, culture, people and of course the language. I want to grow on this vacation. This is my motivation. Not for anyone else, I do it just for me. And my goal is to do this, to live here because I get this great and unique opportunity. So I want to use it.