This morning was my guidance meeting where I got to make next years schedule and talk about my senior year abroad. We made sure I had all the classes I need to take for junior year and made sure I would have enough credits to graduate. I need 22 credits and at the end of junior year I will have 22 1/2 credits! The classes that I need to take in Italy are an English class, economics and gym, which I think a lot of schools in Italy will have. I will also try to transfer some of my credits is possible. Last night I typed up my general email and sent it to everyone I knew with an email and asked them to forward it to everyone they knew. I also found some yummy looking recipes for Italian cookies that I will take pre-orders for.
Online I have started filling out the YFU application and I have the papers that need to be filled out by hand in a pile. When I complete the online application I will mail the rest of the application. The only thing that will take forever will be getting my transcripts and GPA from school, which I will have by uh August!!! Which seems forever. I just want to finish these applications and be accepted, but I will have patience because the wait is worth it.
So today I went online to check my email hoping something came in. The website said I had two new emails and my first thought was my exchange. I logged in and was excited to see an email was from AFS. I clicked on it as once and it was a page with a link and my user ID and password to start filling out my application! I was extremely excited and began reading everything. I printed all the documents that needed to be filled out in person and realized that this application had a ton of paperwork, just like the application for YFU.
I have been teaching my younger cousin, the one I am babysitting, Italian and it has been so much fun!! I feels great to test my knowledge and to speak it and make sentences! If my family were to host I would love to have an Italian host sibling cause then I can practice my Italian and help them with their English, plus they might know how to cook some amazing Italian meals.
Off to fill out some more paperwork!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
General Email
So today I am going to start working on that general email I was talking about before. I'm not sure what I'm going to write yet, but it will come to me. Today on of my friends from Switzerland is leaving to go to his last orientation in New York city. He came here for the year with AFS and I am going to miss him so much!!! And tomorrow my friend who came here for a year with YFU from Germany is leaving!! I'm so sad but know I will be in contact with them. They were so happy to hear that I started applying and they forewarned my about all the paperwork, and they were right. I am know where near ready to start the online application for YFU. I have not heard anything from AFS, hopefully I will be Wednesday if not I will have to wait till the following Monday when I come back from my vacation. My teacher finished my YFU recommendation and is going to be faxing it to them today or tomorrow, i think. I have also been talking to my mom about my birthday party which will most likely be at the end of August, yay!!! Hopefully sometime this week or next week I will be setting up a new account so I can start putting the money I have for my trip. Right now I have maybe $300 plus I will get some money at the end of the week from babysitting so that leaves about $11,700 to go!!!! wonderful :)
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Donations are now being accepted
I figured out how to add a donate button so now you can start donating towards my year abroad. I really need your help and any donations over $30 you can request to be put on my mailing list for my news letter!!! Thank you very much. I am one more step closer to my dream!
PICTURES!!!
I have been cleaning and reorganizing my room looking for old things that I don't want anymore and can sell at a yard sale. I don't live in the right spot for yard sales so I don't think a lot of people will come, but I have faith because the money I make at this yard sale will go towards my trip, no surprise there. I will also be selling some things on eBay as well, hopefully there will be more people interested on eBay.
Still no word back from my teacher Mr. J with the recommendations, but I know he will do them and let me know by tonight. With the YFU application you need to send in 8 2x2 pictures of yourself and 5 pictures of you and your family/friends/pets/hobbies/activities. I was not sure which pictures to do. I do not have many pictures where I look good. I was able to find five and I don't look to bad. I am smiling and having a good time. Most of the pictures are me and my friends only one is with my family and that's my older cousin.
I am still working on creating a paypal account on my blog and have to talk to my mom some more about it, maybe after dinner. Last night I finished writing my host family letter, but I know I need to add some things and make it better. With the YFU scholarships you have to answer five questions with at least 250 words for each answer, and I completed all five last night as well. Now I have to type them up and save them. I also need to type up an email to send to EVERYONE and let them know I am going to be studying abroad and in need LOTS of money and their help.
I don't want to forget about other things I have to do in my life and during the summer, but I also want to go and study abroad. I know next year will be hard with classes and anticipation for senior year and it is going to fell like forever!!! But once I am there it will be worth it. I finally complete one aspect of the application or print out pictures and take a breath and start thinking about what else I need to do and I just feel like I am running out of time. I don't know why, I know I have about a year before I would leave and like 5 months before the application is due and 2 months of summer to enjoy myself and relax so why am I getting all worked up?? It's driving my crazy!!!
I really want to host again this year, but I would rather get a boy for a few reasons that I will not go into right now. My older brother would have to share his room with our new foreign brother and he has not said yes to this idea, but he didn't say no either. I have talked to my friends who hosted this year and he seemed to get a lot out of it and that's what I wished would have come out of my hosting this year but our experience ended short and badly for a number of long reasons I can't explain right now.
Summer job (for now): BABYSITTING!!!
I will be baby sitting my cousin throughout the summer and making around $20 a day which is not bad at all. I will be starting up a new checking account and putting all the money I make and raise in there to go towards my trip.
I am just so excited and I am not over the fact that my parents said yes and I have started the application process of studying abroad!!!
Still no word back from my teacher Mr. J with the recommendations, but I know he will do them and let me know by tonight. With the YFU application you need to send in 8 2x2 pictures of yourself and 5 pictures of you and your family/friends/pets/hobbies/activities. I was not sure which pictures to do. I do not have many pictures where I look good. I was able to find five and I don't look to bad. I am smiling and having a good time. Most of the pictures are me and my friends only one is with my family and that's my older cousin.
I am still working on creating a paypal account on my blog and have to talk to my mom some more about it, maybe after dinner. Last night I finished writing my host family letter, but I know I need to add some things and make it better. With the YFU scholarships you have to answer five questions with at least 250 words for each answer, and I completed all five last night as well. Now I have to type them up and save them. I also need to type up an email to send to EVERYONE and let them know I am going to be studying abroad and in need LOTS of money and their help.
I don't want to forget about other things I have to do in my life and during the summer, but I also want to go and study abroad. I know next year will be hard with classes and anticipation for senior year and it is going to fell like forever!!! But once I am there it will be worth it. I finally complete one aspect of the application or print out pictures and take a breath and start thinking about what else I need to do and I just feel like I am running out of time. I don't know why, I know I have about a year before I would leave and like 5 months before the application is due and 2 months of summer to enjoy myself and relax so why am I getting all worked up?? It's driving my crazy!!!
I really want to host again this year, but I would rather get a boy for a few reasons that I will not go into right now. My older brother would have to share his room with our new foreign brother and he has not said yes to this idea, but he didn't say no either. I have talked to my friends who hosted this year and he seemed to get a lot out of it and that's what I wished would have come out of my hosting this year but our experience ended short and badly for a number of long reasons I can't explain right now.
Summer job (for now): BABYSITTING!!!
I will be baby sitting my cousin throughout the summer and making around $20 a day which is not bad at all. I will be starting up a new checking account and putting all the money I make and raise in there to go towards my trip.
I am just so excited and I am not over the fact that my parents said yes and I have started the application process of studying abroad!!!
Saturday, June 27, 2009
AFS pre-application!!!!!
So I have just completed the first part of the AFS pre-application and paid the non refundable application fee for AFS!!!!! YAY!!!! It will take about three business days for and AFS advisor to send me a full application. Tuesday I am going to meet with my guidance counselor and have the school fill out some other paperwork for YFU. I also have to make appointments with the dentist and doctor to sign papers, but I will wait till I have some of the papers for AFS as well.
I have also applied for the merit-based scholarship with AFS and its possible to find out the results within a few weeks I believe. I am waiting for my teacher to send me back the recommendation sheets I have sent him for both AFS and YFU. I have asked my biology teacher Mr. J. He has emailed me back and told me he will completing the sheets tomorrow seeing as it is a little past 10pm.
I am also looking for photos to send in with my YFU application. Last night I started my host family letter which needs to be over 500 words and I already have 529. I don't want to write a lot but I want to write enough so they know a great deal about me so I am paired with a wonderful host family. I just don't want to write to much and have it be to long and tell them everything because they would know all about me and that would be boring. Well I am a fun and interesting person so I don't think that would happen. When I was first reading about the host family letter I thought, "Wow! 500 words that's a lot!" but really you are just talking about yourself and its really easy, cause who knows you better than you??
I have also applied for the merit-based scholarship with AFS and its possible to find out the results within a few weeks I believe. I am waiting for my teacher to send me back the recommendation sheets I have sent him for both AFS and YFU. I have asked my biology teacher Mr. J. He has emailed me back and told me he will completing the sheets tomorrow seeing as it is a little past 10pm.
I am also looking for photos to send in with my YFU application. Last night I started my host family letter which needs to be over 500 words and I already have 529. I don't want to write a lot but I want to write enough so they know a great deal about me so I am paired with a wonderful host family. I just don't want to write to much and have it be to long and tell them everything because they would know all about me and that would be boring. Well I am a fun and interesting person so I don't think that would happen. When I was first reading about the host family letter I thought, "Wow! 500 words that's a lot!" but really you are just talking about yourself and its really easy, cause who knows you better than you??
Friday, June 26, 2009
Paperwork
WOW!!!!!!!
I never realized just how much paperwork I need to fill out and have other people fill out for applying to go abroad!!!! There are about 15 different sections just for the YFU application. I can't wait to see what the AFS application will look like. I'm printing out dozens of papers, which I know is killing trees, but I want to make sure I have everything and can keep a check list of what I need to write up or get signed.
*Although this year is going to seem long and task full between classes and preparation, I sort of want it to go by quickly. Summer is just begin and I sort of want it to go by faster, but I really don't! You know that feeling a week or so before Christmas, that sort of rush of excitement and anticipation, well that's what I feel and I have (lets count.....) a little over a year before I would be leaving!! Once I start enjoying my summer and starting on summer AP English work, hopefully it will calm down.* Random thought
After reading for both AFS and YFU application fees and when money is due, I realized that I need to start fund raising and getting a job NOW!!! I am working on that paypal account for my blog and I am writing up an email to send to everyone I know and my patents know. I think my total amount for which ever program I end up going with will be around $12,000!!! Give or take a thousand dollars. I need to fund raise a majority of that other wise I will not be going, so I am getting a head start as fast as I can!! I just need to remember to focus on school work, friend, family, and my exchange for the next 12/13 months and everything will be smooth sailing.
Near the end of summer, sometime in August, I might have a birthday party to celebrate my 16th birthday and for the most part all I want is money which will, as you guest it, go towards my exchange. Plus by the end of the summer you want to see your friends, but don't want to wait till the first day of school.
While writing this blog I have decided on an amount that I am going to list a goal I wish to reach, or higher to go towards my exchange (drum role please...)
$5,000!!!!!!
That's not to bad considering the total amount.
I never realized just how much paperwork I need to fill out and have other people fill out for applying to go abroad!!!! There are about 15 different sections just for the YFU application. I can't wait to see what the AFS application will look like. I'm printing out dozens of papers, which I know is killing trees, but I want to make sure I have everything and can keep a check list of what I need to write up or get signed.
*Although this year is going to seem long and task full between classes and preparation, I sort of want it to go by quickly. Summer is just begin and I sort of want it to go by faster, but I really don't! You know that feeling a week or so before Christmas, that sort of rush of excitement and anticipation, well that's what I feel and I have (lets count.....) a little over a year before I would be leaving!! Once I start enjoying my summer and starting on summer AP English work, hopefully it will calm down.* Random thought
After reading for both AFS and YFU application fees and when money is due, I realized that I need to start fund raising and getting a job NOW!!! I am working on that paypal account for my blog and I am writing up an email to send to everyone I know and my patents know. I think my total amount for which ever program I end up going with will be around $12,000!!! Give or take a thousand dollars. I need to fund raise a majority of that other wise I will not be going, so I am getting a head start as fast as I can!! I just need to remember to focus on school work, friend, family, and my exchange for the next 12/13 months and everything will be smooth sailing.
Near the end of summer, sometime in August, I might have a birthday party to celebrate my 16th birthday and for the most part all I want is money which will, as you guest it, go towards my exchange. Plus by the end of the summer you want to see your friends, but don't want to wait till the first day of school.
While writing this blog I have decided on an amount that I am going to list a goal I wish to reach, or higher to go towards my exchange (drum role please...)
$5,000!!!!!!
That's not to bad considering the total amount.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Finally a YES!!!
As some of you know, I have been very interested in studying abroad and finally my parents have said yes!! I am going to start applying Friday with AFS and YFU. Within the application you need to list your top three countries, but because I am applying with both AFS and YFU and they have different programs, I had to pick six. With AFS my choices are 1) Italy 2) Portugal 3) Latvia and with YFU my choices are 1) Germany 2) Greece 3) Poland. I know that some of the countries sound really random, but they are not and I have great interest in studying in all of these countries. All of these countries are well over $8,000 and I am going to have to do a lot of fund raising. I will be sending out a general email and having my parents post it up at their jobs letting people know what I am doing, and fund raising ideas I have, and latter in the year I will be able to say which exciting country I will be studying in. I will be keeping up my blog throughout my junior year as well as my year abroad.
I shall list some of my fund raising ideas for you now:
*Creating a blog and having people sponsor me. I will try to create a paypal account where people can sponsor me by donating money. I will also try to show the amount of money I have towards the trip and how much I still need.
*Making an email Newsletter: I will advertise that while I am abroad I will be creating a newsletter and sending it to people who subscribe via email, or US mail. In this newsletter I will talk about events, activities, people, places, the country, the town will be living in and some basic language that I have learned and used. I will send out this newsletter every two weeks or monthly. People will buy subscriptions to the newsletter before I leave so the money will go towards my trip.
*Pre-Orders for homemade food: I will advertise around holidays and random times throughout the year telling people to please support my dream to study abroad by pre-ordering foods that I will cook/bake at home and hand deliver to them.
*Getting a job: hopefully companies will be hiring so I can start working and putting that money away for studying abroad.
I shall list some of my fund raising ideas for you now:
*Creating a blog and having people sponsor me. I will try to create a paypal account where people can sponsor me by donating money. I will also try to show the amount of money I have towards the trip and how much I still need.
*Making an email Newsletter: I will advertise that while I am abroad I will be creating a newsletter and sending it to people who subscribe via email, or US mail. In this newsletter I will talk about events, activities, people, places, the country, the town will be living in and some basic language that I have learned and used. I will send out this newsletter every two weeks or monthly. People will buy subscriptions to the newsletter before I leave so the money will go towards my trip.
*Pre-Orders for homemade food: I will advertise around holidays and random times throughout the year telling people to please support my dream to study abroad by pre-ordering foods that I will cook/bake at home and hand deliver to them.
*Getting a job: hopefully companies will be hiring so I can start working and putting that money away for studying abroad.
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