Hello everyone.
So lets get the
basic formalities out of the way so you know a little bit more about me for
those who may not. My name is Aidan, I am currently a sophomore in Pennsylvania, and am looking forward to study abroad
in France next school year with a program called AFS.
Let me explain
how this exciting and also somewhat intimidating reality started from just an
idea. Back in my early freshmen year, a woman from AFS came to my school and
enlightened all of us about the program and all that jazz. I was pretty much
like everyone else in the auditorium, somewhat intrigued but not to the point
of me jumping out of my seat in excitement, and just happy I got out of french
class for a day. But as she was finishing, she started talking about a
scholarship that will be distributed to only students in my area. 30 full
scholarships will be given out from the Speedwell Foundation to dissevering
students in the Susquehanna Valley. This is what got me jumping out of my seat.
Not really, but you get the general idea. I forgot to also mention that I have
always harbored a secret want to study abroad for a year, but never told my
parents about it because they wouldn't be able to support me financially as
well as pay for the initial tuition, so when she said the magic words of
"full scholarship" i was hooked.
I went home and
excitedly started telling my parents about the wonderful (I used a lot of
positive adjectives) program of AFS and how the fantastic, kind, and generous
Speedwell Foundation was giving out full scholarships to 30 deserving students
and how it was a once in a life time offer.
They said no.
But I
persisted, and finally convinced them to look at AFS and everything and
actually make an informed decision on everything. So they looked into the
Speedwell Foundation Scholarship and AFS as a whole and decided not to say no,
but rather not yet. They thought I was too young and wouldn't be old and mature
enough to study abroad in my sophomore year.
So I waited a
year. I checked the AFS page regularly looking for the magic information about
the 2013-2014 school year. And after it came up, i talked to my parents again,
who did say yes after realizing that I was pretty passionate about it
even after a year of waiting. So I went through the same application process as
everyone else in AFS, wrote a few essays, and let the waiting game begin.
When I finally
did get my scholarship, it took me from a reasonably bad mood (anyone who is in
musical knows what I mean) to the best feeling I have ever had in my life. My
mom had the terrible idea to take pictures of my unattractive facial features
while i was on the phone. Thanks mom...
One week later,
I am excited to meet and actually learn who my fellow recipients are in the
next couple weeks. I am actually more anxious to find out if AFS-France has
accepted me to come to France next year. I keep telling myself, why wouldn't
they want me? I mean c'mon, it is me after all.
Now to change
the subject completely. I have gotten mixed reviews about getting this
scholarship from just about everyone. Most of my family, extended family I
should say, is ecstatic about the whole thing. They keep telling me it's going
to be a great experience, congratulations, and if your mom needs anyone to talk
to about it, let me now. Now my parents, they are a different story. My mother
thought at first they were only offering about 5-6 scholarships, so when she
said yes, didn't think I was going to get it. Then, after almost everything was
finished, did she realize that their are 30, not 5. Sure she is happy for me
and knows it is going to be a great experience, but at the same time she is
torn by letting me go for almost a year, and loosing her son for one of the 18
years that she has me for. I am very happy she feels the way she does and cares
for me like that, but i feel bad about leaving her, my dad, my siblings, my
friends, and everyone for that matter.
My friends have
for the most part been very supportive of me. Most of them say that they don't
think that could do it, leave everything behind for a year. And then others ask
me how am i going to do it? Why are you doing it? Why leave behind everything
you have to do this? I don't have a good answer for that. I don't know how I am
going to do it. I am going to have to adapt to everything and pick things up
quickly. Why am I doing it? Why not? I can't give an explanation for every
reason why I want to do this, it's just far to complicated. I want to give
people better answers but I can't.
I have had
moments though where I realized that I am leaving everything I know and love
behind, and in those moments I scare myself and ask, what have I done? Yes,
it's scary, but I am in no way one who lives on the safe side. I prefer to live
on the wire and give everything I have into this one life I have been
given.
Yet in other
moments, like today for instance, I have found myself in one of the best moods
I have been in for a while. Meeting everyone at AFS is just a great feeling and
talking with students who are on the exchange and just seem to love it make me
want to skip ahead about five months and climb on that plane that will take me
to the unknown. I have found solace in knowing that they have survived and
thrived in this situation and are willing to help us newbies out. This olive
branch from them and those who got their speedwell scholarship means more to me
personally than they know.
I have a friend
in Barcelona, Spain right now who I am very close too. I have known her for
years and I look up to her as a friend, an inspiration, and the kind of person
I want to be. She told me that she will help me prepare and assist me in anyway
she can while I'm abroad. I just need to say to her right now in advance, and
something I will probably tell her a hundred times in the future as well as in
the past, I love you and thank you.
So with that
being said, let the last 143 days in this country count!
