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.

Updates

       Since I had time today (I am staying home from school today), I thought I would let anyone who cares to know that I was contacted by AFS a few days ago about my application! Finally things are rolling. For everyone going on exchange it works like this: You turn in your preliminary application (which is just basic stuff and maybe where you would like to go and for how long), then you start working on your full application (which has basically EVERYTHING anyone would want or need to know in it), then you turn that in, THEN AFS contacts you saying specifically things they need clarification on/if they need any statements, etc. After that you submit your full app again and way to hear back. Then I believe they accept you, send your application to your first choice country to be reviewed and if you get accepted there, then try to find you a host family. Yes, it's a process.
         So now I am just waiting for them to contact me again and hopefully I will be accepted and they will be able to send my application to Italy! The reason it has taken so long for them to start reviewing my application is because they were busy working with the semester kids, but now a lot of the semester kids are leaving!
        On another note, I have been working on an essay for a 2,000 dollar scholarship!! I reallyreallyreally need and want this scholarship and I don't think that many kids are doing it and 6-12 will get the scholarship, so fingers crossed!

Arrivederci,

Nicole

Sitting, Waiting, Wishing

     That's actually the name of a Jack Johnson song and I felt that it goes good with what's happening in exchange world right now.(x So anyways as you can probably gather from the title I am sitting...and waiting for AFS to contact me about...anything. And I am wishing. I am wishing to get accepted by AFS and that the rest of this process will go (relatively) smoothly.
      On another note, I just received an email from my liason...

"Hi Nicole,

 

I wanted to wish you a Happy Holiday season!

 

Next year at this time, I will be writing to you in Italy.  That is pretty exciting stuff.

 

It won’t be long now and AFS will be reviewing your application and sending it to Italy.  And then you will wait ..... until they find you a host family.  And then you will wait ..... while you establish a bond with your host family.  And then you will wait ...... until it is time to start your trip.  Exciting times for you.

 

Best wishes for a happy holiday season."

 

 Haha yeah, so as you can see, exchange consists of a lot of waiting. But it is pretty amazing that if everything goes well, I will be in Italy in less than 9 months! Also, next Christmas I will be with mia famiglia italiana.(: 

Happy Holidays everyone.(:

Nicole

Acceptance you will come...

So just letting anyone who cares to know that AFS emailed me and others who have sent in their applications already saying that they will start reviewing applications for departures for fall 2012 in late January. So I will probably hear back in January or Febuary. It can't come fast enough!