Almost This Year!

In about three days I can officially start saying "this year when I'm in Sweden..." Instead of next year. I'm pretty stoked to say the least.

In my last blog I mentioned something about how I turned in my application. Well, most of it was good except my academic record wasn't fully filled out and my doctors papers weren't stamped, so I got those fixed and sent them back in last week. Hopefully pretty soon I'll be accepted by AFS. Then I have to wait another month probably to be accepted to Sweden. So my goal is to hopefully be accepted by AFS and by Sweden by Valentines Day. I know I can't control when I get accepted but it gives me something to look forward to.

I'm really trying to work on some more fundraising ideas but it's kind of hard to come up with ideas that would work for me and I'd be able to benefit from. I really wish I could get a job but there aren't very many places around my area that hire 15 year olds. If you know anyone that needs a babysitter or some help with anything let me know. :)

& on a little personal note: Mom, thank you for supporting me in everything I do, and thank you for aways being here for me. I have the best mom in the whole world. I love you.

:)

Not much news.

Hola amigos.

I realize that was in Spanish and next year I won't necessarily need to use that but, I don't know how to say"friends" in Swedish, but I'll give it a try anyways next time. ;)
As for updates, honestly not that much has happened lately. I officially submitted my application yesterday, after thinking I had already submitted it a month ago. oops. But that's in now.
I just found out tuition next year is $11,500, $1,600 more than last year, but I'll find a way to make it work I'm sure. Just calls for more fundraising I s'pose.
Right this minute I'm working on fundraising letters to local organizations, such as the Sister Cities Foundation, not sure who else yet.
That's about all I know.
Happy almost Thanksgiving everyone.

Thank yous & such :)

Hola!
Well, I had my in home interview Thursday, and it went really well. It was mainly a bunch of questions about me and my family and what kind of person I am. Thank you Marie for taking your time to do that. :) All my stuff is due next monday (the 19th) so everything will be official in less than two weeks! It's crazy how fast everything is happening. I'm so excited and I can't wait to go. Also I want to say thank you to Mr. Tackling for writing my letter of reccomendation. It means alot to me that you did that, thank you for helping me. Also I need to thank Lisa A-A., for being here to answer all my millions of questions, and I'm sure many more to come. I can't think of anything else that is happening right now. oh, it snowed last night! haha. Anyways I think that is all I have to say. Alrighty.

#2 updates

Hello hello.
Just a few updates.

• On the left side of this there is a chipin widget. It's to help me raise money to go. Going abroad is never a cheap thing so any little donations to help offset the cost would be greatly appreciated and mean a lot to me. It's completely safe and everything donated goes directly to my tuition and is taken out of the remaining balance of what I owe.
• Pretty soon I'll have my in home interview, which I'm looking forward to. we're in the process of scheduling it so it should be pretty soon. basically what happens is an AFS volunteer comes over and talks with me and my family and then they go see my room to see how it reflects me and yada yada. :)
• For future reference, I will try to post a new blog at LEAST once a month but as it gets closer to me leaving I'll probably end up blogging more frequently and when I'm in Sweden it depends on my computer access but probably 1 or 2 times a month.

Well. I think that is it. I believe if you create an account you can comment this and what not. :)

#1 my journey so far.

Hello! I'm Amanda.

In August of next year, I will be going to Sweden for a year through AFS. I'm really excited, and I know this is an experience of a lifetime. It has always been my dream to go to Sweden and now I finally am. It seems unreal. I hope to be able to learn a lot about the culture and the people and be able to share my culture also. I think I'm most excited about meeting new people and meeting my host family and also just seeing new places. I'm really excited to gain new friendships and just more knowledge of the culture and how they live life.

As far as the support I'm getting on my decision to go to Sweden and become an AFSer goes, it's both positive and negative. My mom, has gave me so much support it's incredible, she's been so encouraging and has had nothing but positive things to say throughout this whole process so far. It's really helpful to have positive reinforcement I've gotten through her and some of my family and friends. But at the same time time from others I have gotten no support at all and it kind of hurts. But in the end, this is my decision and this is what I want to do and I'm going to do this for me.