AFS Guide for Participants

Today my mom told me that I got a huge thick envelope from AFS today. Naturally, I got super excited and was practically jumping off the walls. Good news: I got a giant booklet with a whole bunch of information about what I can look forward to before and during studying abroad. Bad news: I still haven't been accepted by AFS-Spain. I think it's safe to say that that I will most likely be going to Spain next year, but I don't want to say that and then end up not getting accepted. How bad would that stink? Welp, since nothing new has really occurred, I guess I'm right back where I started: waiting.

Hasta luego.

Lilly 

P.S. 

If anybody is also going to Spain, wondering about the process or is in the same position as me, feel free to email me! lillianraecook@gmail.com

I guess all there is to do is wait.

I feel stupid checking my email every 25 minutes. Every single time I click to open the app I think "My acceptance into AFS-Spain is going to be there." But then I look and it isn't. I know it's only been 2 weeks and it could take 4 weeks longer, but I just hate having to wait. I feel like I'm normally a pretty patient person ( I don't know ask my parents) but I feel like this whole process is bringing out the worst in me! I've been reading blogs constantly. I've finished all of the blogs of the kids in Spain so I've kinda been doing Italy and Portugal and others. 

Foreign exchange students only ever post about all of the good times they've had. They tell about their awesome family and how well they're doing in school and how easy it is to learn Spanish. When I come across a blog that speaks about all of the difficulties and problems and worried thoughts, I am most intrigued. I want to know the truth about how difficult it is to adapt to a family that you may not feel comfortable with or how clueless you feel when people talk to you and how you feel helpless. I plan on writing about how I am really feeling because I don't want to dress up the experience like it is a vacation and like there is no extra work that needs to be put into it.

Now, I say all of that like I'm looking forward to the challenges. Not necessarily. I'm more looking forward to the calm after the storm, not the actual thunder and lightening. While a nice thunderstorm can be beautiful, they're actually really scary when you think about it. I've always been one to love rain and love falling asleep to water on the roof and thunder. Likewise, I love being put up to challenges. I love proving people wrong and showing people that I am the best at everything I put my mind to. (Which is gonna be really difficult when I can't understand anything anyone is saying.) I'm gonna be honest I'm scared. I'm scared that I will fail every class regardless of how hard I am trying. I am scared that I will be put with a host family that doesn't meet my needs and I'm going to have to move. I'm scared that even after 10 whole months, I still will have no idea what I am saying. I am going to miss my family. And my pets. And my best friend and her family. Luckily I know that they will all still be here when I get back and they all support me 100%.

Below are some picture of my family, pets, and friends.

Need closure.

My name is Lilly and I am from South Pennsylvania. I started the AFS application process around mid November. It may have been the single longest process I have ever gone through, but in the end it was all worth it. 

I submitted my completed application in January before the priority deadline. After having it sent back twice with all of the corrections I needed to make, I was finally accepted into AFS-USA. I was also awarded a full scholarship to study abroad. When I got the call, I literally screamed and felt so many emotions rushing through me. Long hours and four extra essays later, my hard work finally paid off. I got the scholarship which meant that I was going to Spain... free. Shout out the Speedwell Foundation for the awesome opportunity by the way. 

The only thing I have left that will guarantee me the program is that I have to be accepted by AFS-Spain. It has been 2 weeks since my application has been sent overseas, but it feels like it has been months. The email told me that it will probably take 4-6 weeks to be accepted, but I hate waiting. So many of the blogs that I have read, the people found out about their acceptance within 2 weeks! All I really need is the closure that I am for sure going abroad next year. I need all of the time and effort to be worth it. How bad would it suck if I was awarded a $15,000 scholarship, and then wasn't even accepted by the program? Yeah, it would suck horribly. Ugh I feel like I'm whining but the waiting just sucks! 

I'll post again as soon as I know. Too eager for anybody to understand. 

Adios! Lilly