I can say it's Italy. :D

So today I received some very exciting news! I was accepted to AFS-Italy!! A woman from AFS called me, but I missed her call. I listened to my voicemail a few hours later and I was just like "oh, okay...I probably have to fix/change something.." And suddenly she says "I have some very exciting news--you have been accepted to AFS-Italy". I was in the kitchen with my mom and I just start going "omg...omg" and my mom was like "What?!" and then I started crying (of course xD).

This came as such a surprise to me because 1) I wasn't supposed to hear back for 4-6 weeks after I recently got accepted from AFS-USA and 2) I thought AFS-Italy would need more information on things, I don't know what on, but sometimes it feels like you have to keep changing more things, filling out more forms, etc. I think I'm finally done filling out forms...Oh wait. Visas... Ehh that'll come later.

So I called the woman back and was very happy (to say the least) and I told her how I was very surprised I heard back so soon and she said "I guess it was just an easy decision for them..(:" Yayyy. :D And then we talked about my next steps, pre-departure orientation in a couple months, etc. Being accepted also means that at any time from here until my departure I could get my host famiglia (though she said most people don't hear 4-6 weeks until they leave...I have faith I'll hear back sooner ;))

Ciao,

Nicole      

Finalmente!

    So at 12:00 today I received an email saying that I was accepted by AFS-USA and my application is being sent to Italy! This is probably not very excited news to anyone, but it does mean that I will know if I am accepted to AFS-Italy in 4-6 weeks. I am glad everything is finally happening at least. :D Also, I will know if I got the Viaggio Italiano scholarship in March, so that's also exciting. All there is left to do now is wait pretty much. Exchange contains a lot of waiting...

Arrivederci,

Nicole

F.A.Q.s

     I have time tonight, so I thought "Why not?" I have been thinking about making a post about frequently asked questions I (and I am sure other future exchangers) get asked a lot. So here goes.

Q: Do you even speak Italian?
A: Well obviously I am not fluent, but I know some and I learn more almost everyday.

Q: Won't you miss your family?!
A: Of course I will! But I have been away from home countless times for weeks at a time and when I go abroad, I will hopefully get a host family that becomes like my other family.

Q: So you'll go to a school where they speak Italian?
A: Lol yes...

Q: Do you know where you'll be living/Do you have a host family?
A: HA. I wish. That seems like years away. (Probably a couple months away but still.)

Q: So you don't even know where you're gonna be living yet?
A: (A lot of these questions get annoying -_-) Nope.

*This one my mom wanted me to put up here
Q: How can you let your child leave you like that for so long? She's so young.
A: This is her dream that she has pursued and planned for without hesitation, how could I not let her go?

Q: Why are you doing this..? (people think I'm crazy and don't understand)
A: To become fluent in a new language, I have always wanted to travel, to gain a cultural perspective, to gain friends and a new family, and it's the experience of a lifetime, I would be crazy to turn it down...

Q: Did you hear about that Amanda Knox thing?! You could end up like her...
A: *laughs* I don't think so...xD

I can't think of anything else right now but I'll add more when I think of it. So there you have it.