Waiting impatiently for my host family

2009-06-13T16:36:00.000-07:00

I'll be leaving for Italy in 3 months and CANNOT wait. Unfortunately, I do not have a host family yet:(. I looked on facebook for AFS groups going to Italy and found one (god only knows why I didn't look sooner) and most of the people in the group know who their host family is. I think there is literally only 3 people (me being one of them) out of 63ish that don't know who their host family is. The thing that is killing me is that I know I might not find out until a week before I leave. And even then I might stay with a temporary family until AFS find a permanent family that wants to keep me. Most of the kids are staying in Rome, Venice, Milan, Sicily, and towns near Napoli and Pompeii. Only a few are staying in small towns. Everyday at least 5 times I check my mail to see if I have any news. I don't know if I can wait any longer...

I'VE BEEN ACCEPTED!! :D

2009-06-13T16:27:00.000-07:00

I JUST GOT THE E-MAIL SAYING I'VE BEEN ACCPETED INTO AFS-ITALY!!! I'M SO EXCITED!!! :DDD

Waiting to get accepted...

2009-06-13T16:24:00.000-07:00

I'm waiting to see if I've been accepted to AFS Italy. I went to Europe two summers ago and had an AMAZING experience. Ever since then every place I go, I compare the countries I went to, to it. But nothing compares. I heard about AFS and thought maybe they could help me relive my dream. I was looking into going away my second semester of my sophmore year to Australia. I wasn't so interested in Australia as other countries, but I wanted to graduate on time, so I had to go to an English-speaking country, and by that time I just wanted to go to any country other than America. They ended up being full and I decided that applying to go away at any point in my Junior year would be a bad decision (college planning, SAT's, Prom, getting my license). I thought about it since, every now and then and wondered what it would be like, but I figured I would just go away for a semester in college. Then for April Vacation, I went to my family's timeshare in Florida, and met these people from South Africa, and England. Being around the foreigners made me miss Europe so much, I began to think about going abroad again...soon. But I would have to do it my senior year and then come back and complete a semester- meaning I'd have to stay back a semester (be a super-senior ) and not graduate with my class. But I'd changed alot since sophmore year and I didn't care on what I'd be missing anymore, and I don't even like many people in my grade. I'm on a completely different wave-length than them. I have goals and dreams other than where's the next party to get trashed at. Don't get me wrong, there are alot of great people in my grade, but I feel like I'm not completely being myself with them. I kind of morph into a junior teenager at school, when I'm really different than that. I don't mind it, but I'd rather be in Europe living my dream then staying here in Guilford. By the time I decided to apply most of the programs were full. There were only about 6 left to chose from. Two of them happened to be Belgium and Portugal. I was familiar with these countries because earlier in the year AFS contacted me and was wondering if my family would be interested in hosting foreign students- OF COURSE! Two girls from Belgium and Portugal were staying in West Haven and were having a horrible time. They ended up staying with us a weekend to see if we got along well and we did! I had so much fun with them! Unfortunately, my new principle, who I do not like, rejected the idea of foreign students attending classes at GHS. I was devastated. They ended up going to different homes throughout Connecictut. I contacted the two girls (thank god for facebook!) and asked about their opinions on their countries and If they suggested I go to one of them. They were pumped and were so excited for me. They made their countries sound so fun! Belguim and Portugal were the two countries that sounded most interesting to me out of the countries that were left. But then, thanks to my interviewer (THANK YOU SO MUCH DR.GERTNER), my "afs representative" called me and wanted to let me know that something happened and a few more spots in Italy opened up and wanted to offer it to me before the announcement went public because my interview was so impressive (:D!!!) Italy was one of the countries I went to when I went in the summer. I will admit, It was not one of the countries that stuck out to me over the others, but looking back, I did enjoy it very much. So, I ended up applying there. Now, according to my "AFS representative" I'm definitely going to get into the AFS-Italy program, but I haven't heard the "official" word yet! I am getting more and more anxious everyday! : )

ITALIA 09-10

Waiting impatiently for my host family

I'VE BEEN ACCEPTED!! :D

Waiting to get accepted...