Here's where things stand

Alright, so here's what's up: today is March 27th, 2008, and tomorrow is the beginning of spring break. From this day on, I have only one quarter of school left until the end of this school year, and then a short summer, and then I am leaving for Switzerland for a year. I am going to be an exchange student there with AFS for my junior year of high school (how exciting is that?!)

This blog is mostly to keep everyone I know (and maybe some people I don't? who knows) updated about the events leading up to my departure, my arrival in my host country, and the unfolding of my life there. While I know it will be hard to be alone in a foreign country, and I am expecting all kinds of homesickness and loneliness when I get to Switzerland, I also believe I will have a worthwhile experience no matter what happens. I'll be forced to learn a new language, adapt to a new culture, figure out how to live on my own.. you name it. It's quite a scary thought, actually.

Basically, the information I have received thus far tells me that I have been accepted to AFS Switzerland and that my estimated departure date is around August 20-23. I am waiting for my host family placement, which could come tomorrow, or could come halfway through the summer. Since I don't know where I'm living yet, I'm not sure if I'll be studying French or German (or, I suppose, Italian, though I've never heard of those placements), but I'm prepared for anything.

So, to sum it up, this blog will probably be pretty sparse for a while. Until, that is, I know where I am going to live, have to start contemplating just how, exactly, I am going to fit my life into one little suitcase, and begin having breakdowns over not seeing my family and friends for a year.


Until then, Cheerio!