Hey guys,
So after what
seems like forever, (and when I say forever I really mean eight weeks, but
thats beside the point) i have finally been accepted by AFS-France. I have
become extremely skeptical I was going to get accepted because I am one of the
last people to be accepted to a program who has received the scholarship. Its
hard knowing that some people have already gotten their host families, and I
hadn't even been accepted by my country yet.
I want to say
that I am mad at France for taking so long and having my patience tried to it's
outer limits, but I can't because I am just so excited that it is a definite I
am going to France next year. I have been telling people it was a definite
because it was just easier than having to explain the process behind AFS and
getting accepted, but i was just worried all of these people were so happy and
excited for me, to end up not getting accepted, and going to another country.
Granted, I would be happy going just about anywhere, but it would be really
embarrassing saying, "Oh yeah, I'm not going to France anymore. Bummer right?"
But with being
accepted, France is now looking for a host family for me, which I am very
excited about. I haven't decided exactly what kind of host family I get. Maybe
just one whose company I enjoy, and not want to strangle out of annoyance,
frustration, or irritation on a daily basis. Lets hope i get that much at
least.
Also, last
weekend I attended my regions Pre-Departure Orientation. We did all sorts of
stuff such as drawing with our non-dominant hand (which I should never do),
going over different scenario's we may encounter while on our exchange, and to
my own personal dismay, losing my Snapple to the other girl who is going to
France with me's mother. I had to sit opposite her table watching her enjoy it.
Not very enjoyable. But I still understand the concept of the exercise, which
is to not hold expectations and embrace whatever our experience abroad may
throw at us. In my dad's case, life threw a vegetarian sub at him.
I also got to
talk to more people that I haven't met before or talked to, and got to hang out
with the people who I met before and get to know them even better. It's sad
knowing that in just a few months, all (I really don't know how many of us
their are) of us will be scattered across the globe in Argentina, Russia,
Egypt, Spain, Italy, Germany, France, the Netherlands, and Belgium (I'm pretty
sure thats all of them, but once again, I could be wrong).
I'm also in a
bittersweet situation because I have made a few friends who are here on their
own exchange. Not just through AFS, but through other programs like Rotary, and
they will be going home in the next month or so. But with them leaving, I have
two friends who will be returning from their own exchange and I am looking
forward to grilling them on tips to keep myself afloat at first and just
hearing about their own experience.
I should probably
mention my complete lack of motivation towards school now with summer almost
here and me going to France for a year but I am going to skip that section
entirely and move on to my exciting (I think so at least) summer plans.
Almost
immediately after schools out, I am going to the beach with my family and
spending a week letting all of the pressure from school be released. After
that, I return home and begin my summer job as a lifeguard at the local pool.
This is going to be one of my ways of fundraising money for spending while in
France. So with work and lounging by the pool, that brings us up to (hopefully)
a camping trip up in the Appalachian Mountains and another trip to the beach with
some family friends I look forward to year round. Spending as much time with
friends is also included in this timeline in random places. I also have my
cousins wedding about two weeks before I leave which means I will get to see
almost all of my family in one place right before I leave. Then its packing,
planning, lots of tears no doubt from mother and friends, more packing, one
final trip to New York and off to France for the next ten months.
So let the last 99
days in York commence. Hello summer, hello France!
