ACCEPTED!!

This is just a quick post--I wanted to let everyone know that I've been accepted by AFS France, and the next step is a host family! I'm so excited, this makes everything real. Even though I know it's still almost three months away and I probably won't get a family until December, I can't stop thinking about how many great experiences I'll be having shortly. Thanks to everyone who helped me get to this point, and thanks to those who continue to support me. I know I'll have a great time thanks to all of your help!

France Update

It's been a while since my last post, so I just wanted to give a quick update. I finished my application and it's been accepted by AFS USA and forwarded to AFS France. I should hear about whether or not I've been accepted in a few weeks, so I'll be posting then. After that I should receive my host family and placement information. I'll be leaving in late January for the whole semester! My best friend is in Bourges, France for the whole year, and hopefully we'll be able to meet up once I arrive and she'll be able to help me out a little, but other than that I'll be on my own.

Here in the States, I'm taking AP French at school, hoping it will help prepare me for my arrival in France (though I know there will still be some pretty serious culture shock and the French speak a lot faster than my teacher, so I won't be completely prepared), I'm participating in the AFS club at school and building up my good exchange student karma. Last weekend I had a sleepover at my house with a few exchange students and members of the club, and while many weren't able to attend because of annual mid-September colds, we had a great time and I hope I was able to help them learn more about the American culture. We made t-shirts and watched movies and shared our cultures, and it was a lot of fun.

A few weeks ago there was also orientation for the students who are here in the United States from other countries. It was a sleepover as well, and they were allowed to bring guests. My friend Mary from Kenya invited me, and it was so much fun. We played games and listened to music and I was surprised at how little our cultural differences affected our friendships. Even after years of participating in AFS and planning to go abroad myself, it was inspiring to see how much staying up late, giggling and telling stories, and just sitting around talking when it got late, was just as great with foreigners as it is with my American friends. I hope that my experience with AFS France will be as great as my experience with AFS USA.

ChipIn

Just a quick post to say that I've added "ChipIn" to my blog, so you can help me raise money to go to France. The application is almost done now, so we'll be sending that off ASAP, and hopefully I'll have more information once I turn that in.

Interview and Sending Orientartion

Last Friday I had my AFS interview. A volunteer from AFS came to our house and talked to me about myself and what kind of family I was a part of and what kind of family I would like to be a part of in France. She was very kind and helpful, and I think she convinced my mom, who still wasn't sure, that going abroad would a good experience. :-) I just have to finish my application now and then we can send it off and hopefully get a host family.

Last Saturday I went to sending orientation for AFS. We got to sit in a meeting for six hours while the volunteers told me and other future exchange students about all the scary stuff about being an exchange student and how to deal with it. We talked about our hopes and fears and some fun stuff too, and we got to talk to other people from Ohio who would be going abroad at the same time. I met a girl from Shaker who will also be going to France next year and we were really excited. Maybe we'll meet up, but the best part is that we'll have our own host families and friends and make new connections. It's still a while until I leave, but I'm starting to get excited. I couldn't wait to leave for France after the meeting was over, especially since some of the students already had host families. We learned some really useful things and heard stories from former exchange students and I'm glad I met the people I did. We'll have a lot of fun.

Le petit triangle

On Sunday I went to Le Petit Triangle Cafe with my family for brunch. We ate crepes and I had a chocolat chaud and it reminded me of eating in my favorite cafe in Paris, Cafe Charlot. I remembered listening to the people speaking French, which I hardly understood at all (eavesdropping on others' conversations, I couldn't get past "Bonjour, ca va?") and eating delicious food. Best was the chocolat chaud. Being in Le Petit Triangle brought back the memories.
The crepes also reminded me of an experience everyone should have when they go to Paris. It was a cold, rainy day and we had been walking around all morning and all afternoon. We'd walked past Notre Dame a few times, trying to decide if it would be worth it to pack inside with everyone else. Our shoes and socks were soaked and we were about to just go home, when Maggie spotted a small, steaming crepe stand with nutella jars on display. We stopped to buy some and they brightened our rainy afternoon. They were the most delicious thing in the world just then.

Paris '08

So it's been about two years since my trip to Paris with my family. We had a great time and it was one of the things that inspired me to go back to France--even just the short amount of time we spent there showed me a whole new culture that I fell in love with.

I absolutely loved the entire trip, but probably the best part was the chocolat chaud at Café Charlot, which might be the best café in Paris.

Of course, we did all the Paris-y things, like the Tour Eiffel and the Louvre, too

All in all, it was a great experience and I can't wait to go back. Even if I'm not placed with a family in Paris I'll visit because it's a beautiful city and I adore it.

Almost Forgot!

...one of my *favorite* French songs, which reminded me of one of my best friends. I shared it with her, she changed her Facebook name, and suddenly everyone is calling her Lola. (She thinks she is comme un garçon.) Enjoy the song!

Et bien sur, la musique!

Another reason I really want to go to France is the culture--and, of course, the music. I love French music, whether it's Erik Satie, or something a little more modern, or something kinda strange.

Learning about other cultures is something I like to do. I like music especially because, even if I can't understand everything the singer is saying, I can sing along and enjoy myself. It's something you don't need to know a lot about to have fun. Violà! Appréciez!

Pourquoi?

So I haven't written in a while, mostly because not much is happening right now. I can start filling out an application, but I can't actually do much for a few months, when AFS will be ready for me. In this post, I'll talk about why I'd like to study in France.

I decided to take French in sixth grade, and, after starting in seventh, I've managed to make it to Third Year French with Madame Staron. Despite the amount of work (and grammar!) I've had to get through, it's been very enjoyable, especially learning about the French culture. My dad took me to Paris when I was in eighth grade and it was an unforgettable experience. Even though I was only half through First Year French, I loved seeing words and knowing what they meant. I also loved seeing the sights, the people, and the food. I've always enjoyed learning about other countries and cultures. For a while, I wanted to go to Japan. However, I decided that it might be better to go halfway around the world to a language I knew a little bit about. And good chocolate. :-)

The Plan

Alright, so I'm not in France...yet. But--if all goes as planned--I will be next year for a semester from about the end of January until July. I'd like to be an exchange student and get there through AFS. One problem--the cost. Fund raising and saving up until next year won't be easy, but I'm determined to get there. My family is also reluctant to let me go, but they're getting used to the idea of saying goodbye for six months. Being an exchange student is a life-changing experience, so I hear, and I'm inviting you to follow my blog and find out how the application process is going and after I get there, how I'm doing with my new life. We're planning on having several fund raisers so watch out for those coming up!