Double Digets Are Doing Me Good

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!