Senegal

Note: This is a really poorly written post that I wrote at approximately 1 in the morning, but read it anyways.

Senegal is like when you walk down a new street in a new city and the sky is incredibly blue and the sun is shining and you're humming "Viva la Vida", and you go in every building that looks interesting because you don't care about the amount of time you spend wandering.

Senegal is a place where people are genuine - perhaps that is the best way to describe it. They will welcome you with all of their heart, and take you in like they've always known you. Senegal is the place where every stranger on the car rapides will help a lost tubab (what Senegalese people will often call you, as a foreigner) get where they need to go.

Senegal is a place in which wealth does not determine happiness - it is a place where relationships, where family, and where community determine happiness. In the US, I feel as though one mistake many people make is to confuse comfort with happiness - in America, people strive for a nice big house with a white fence and a couple of flat screen TVs - but where does that get that you? How many people in this country lose themselves to materialism and work culture? How many people forget the value of prioritizing friends, family, and community?

In my host family's neighborhood in Dakar, I was able to feel like a part of the community after only a couple of weeks. The kids in the garden played with me, and the girls taught me all of their clapping games - I still find myself humming the words in French to a few of them. The guys in the garden gave me my Senegalese name. The man in the boutique on the corner knew me and we greeted each other like old friends, and the same goes for the security guard down the street (though I don't quite know what he was guarding, so don't ask). Senegal is a place where communities are tight-knit, but so incredibly welcoming.

At night, the city lights illuminate the clouds over Dakar. They shine like pieces of gold, and even from the city you can see stars. Looking downtown, the city lights blur - a reminder of the example of modernity that is downtown Dakar, with lights and nightlife and billboards, like every other major city in the world but still unique to Senegal. The night smells like the air off the ocean, and after dark, people go and meet their friends and visit the boutiques and supermarkets to buy ingredients for dinner.

This post is so disconnected, so all over the place, because it is such a challenge to describe a whole month in a wonderful country - one that occupies such a special place in my heart (could I get more cliche?). Senegal is an intersection. It is where people drink ataya, a type of traditional Senegalese tea that you drink socially, and check Facebook in the same hour. It is where trucks are Yuejin, pickup trucks are American brands like Ford and Chevy, and there's a Tata down the street from my host family's house. It's a place with both Samsung stores and Huaweis, with both shopping malls and bustling markets.

Before I left for Senegal, people would ask me if I was going to "help" the people of Senegal. I thought that was silly to begin with - I was going to complete community service, but I was first and foremost going to Senegal to learn from the people of Senegal, not to "save the poor Africans" (as many people around me implied in their questions that I should be doing). Now, I have a clear answer to those who would ask me such I question. I truly hope I helped someone - I hope I helped my wonderful English students by giving them the conversation practice they needed. But, overall, I must have learned so, so, so much more in Senegal than anyone in Senegal learned from me.

I learned about community, and what it feels like. I learned about patience and sharing. I learned to dance and I learned how to learn about a culture. I learned about car rapides and getting change for 10,000s and how to bargain and how a simple, genuine interaction really does make me happier than anything I can hold in my two hands. I learned that the call to prayer is most beautiful when it's the first thing you hear in the morning. I confirmed that public transportation is definitely the best thing ever.

I love the people I met in Senegal - Serigne and Gamo at CIEE who are just so incredible, genuine, and generous, my host family - shout out to my amazing host siblings and host family who put up with my generally confused exchange student nature, to my enthusiastic English students who taught me so much about Senegal, and to everyone I met along the way.

I'm going to just finish here with a couple of pictures so I'm not tempted to talk in circles about Senegal all night.

I struggled getting good pictures of the cityscape, but I got some when I visited the African Renaissance Monument (it's on a hill, so I was able to get some pictures of the cityscape). I'll have to upload more later. 

My host family's house!

A car rapide! It's like a bus, except it doesn't have designated stops - you just tell the guy on the back, the appronti, where you need to stop, or tap a coin when you need to stop. It works like magic. 

A picture my little host brother took of me on my last full day in Senegal when we were playing around and attempting to take pictures of one another looking "cool".

I guess I should go to bed now - I just logged off of Facebook, where I was talking to a Senegalese friend in Spanish. Ahh, language, communication, friendship! The joys of life! 

Drops of Jupiter

The best thing about my Pandora is that it knows me really well and always seems to play my favorite songs immediately when I'd like them. Hence the title.

LET US CELEBRATE THE MOMENT IN MY EXCHANGE LIFE WITH SOME NICE NUMBERS:

Days I've waited to go on exchange: 405

Days I waited for a Speedwell notification: 40

Days I waited to be accepted to be accepted by Argentina: 33

Days I waited for a host family: 22

Number of essays I wrote: 13 

Number of sugary Rutters' iced teas I've had because of the excuse "Well, I won't get to have any for eleven months": 12

Number of countries shot down by my mother: 7

Number of countries that were at one time my first choice (across scholarships): 4 

Number of countries my mother suggested that I didn't apply to: 4

Plane rides ahead of me: 3

Number of times I used biome differences to determine country rankings: 2

Number of fuzzy stuffed animals I'm taking to Argentina: 2

Numbers of times I attempted video-logging the application process: 2

Number of times I've felt amazingly greatful for this wonderful opportunity: too many to count

Days left before departure: 6

Regrets: 0

"...We've got a lot to learn; god knows we're worth it" - not from Drops of Jupiter. Oops. 

Packing

Senegal was amazing - I'll have to write about it later. But the people were the friendliest and most welcoming I've ever met, the spicy food was some of the best I've ever had, and the city of Dakar was the most beautiful city I've ever been in - it looks like a mix of Paris and what I imagine of Tunis, and with sand everywhere, so it reminds me a bit of Ocean City.

But now, I might as well share some pictures of packing for Argentina!

See? I started packing!

My carry-on suitcase (left) and my checked suitcase (right). Also pictured with Simba and Baby Cundiff, who are both coming with me.

Yes, I know - "Baby Cundiff"

Oh, and those bags are still fairly empty! Oh well - I have nine days!

29 Hours

In the grand scheme of things, I barely have any time at all in Senegal, but I hope I'll be able to see at least some of the beauty so eloquently described by this author. 

For years, I have imagined Africa. When I was very young, it was the continent I always wanted to visit, and my admiration for the continent, and the desire to understand the lives of those who live there, only grew as I aged and learned about the unique cultures, countries, and languages of Africa. However, going to Africa was something I never knew I could actually do: for years, I dreamed about the vast savannas and colorful coastal plains, the mountains, the valleys, the churches and mosques and cities where traditional and modern lived on the same block, never knowing whether I would experience it for myself. I dreamed about the downtown markets, bustling with activity, not knowing if I would ever visit one. I dreamed about the west coast of Africa, so much unspoiled, without knowing if I would ever see for myself the African sunset over the eastern Atlantic. 

But now, I leave in 29 hours; one day. Destination: Dakar, Senegal. Africa. 

Viva la Vida

Like my title?

I have the right to be hyper - I woke up at 4:28 this morning after approximately four hours and 28 minutes of sleep.

DC rocked, as always. I'm going to miss my regular trips to DC while I'm in Argentina - as soon as I get back, I'll want to take a trip to DC. The city is amazing, purely amazing. It's full of cafes, well-dressed professionals, beautiful architecture, rich history, international influence, and government buildings that shine orange and yellow in the morning sun. Every time I walk around DC, I marvel about how well-put-together the city is: monuments to influential figures, fountains, squares and circles, and parks are artfully placed between beautiful unique buildings. Every building in the city is uniquely decorated and/or created with elements of abstract form: because the buildings have a height limit (so they don't overshadow the Capitol and White House), they demand attention through unique form instead of imposing heights. I've been to a variety of cities in the mid-Atlantic: Baltimore, NYC, Philadelphia, Wilmington, Harrisburg, and Annapolis, and DC's atmosphere is much, much different from any of these other mid-Atlantic cities. It's truly one-of-a-kind. If you've never been to DC, go.

Here's the report of my day, and, well, my conclusions from the day!

If you ever go to DC, eat lots of pastries. I ate an unhealthy amount today. Yum. No regrets there! Considering there are, oh, only six or seven little cafes and bakeries every block, that shouldn't be a problem. And eat pastries at the bakeries with the comfortable lounge chairs. No explanation necessary. Don't worry, you'll find them.

I made a rather ridiculous mistake. Lesson: if you have an appointment to submit something, make sure you have the document you need to submit (and did not leave it in your scanner the day before). Long story: so, I came to DC with my dad (he had a meeting, and my sister and I tagged along) because I had an appointment about the Department of State to submit my FBI background check. In the morning (before 5AM, remember, and I got less than five hours of sleep), I grabbed my folder with my visa documents, including (I thought) my FBI background check and the ID and check I needed for the appointment. After lunch, my dad brought the folder down from his office, where I'd kept it in the morning, and I checked to make sure the background check was there before I headed to my appointment. It wasn't. After a few minutes, I realized where it was - still in the scanner, where I'd accidentally left it after scanning it to send to the translation service. I called the DOS and rescheduled my appointment to Tuesday. Second lesson: if you want a second day in DC, leave what you need for your appointment at your house. Hey, that's what I call a bright side.

DC nap tip: the grass on the mall is extremely comfortable to lie on. It's, uh, rather bumpy, to say the least, and there are random patches of dirt, but when you get past that, it's incredibly soft grass.

I call DC "the city of cranes" because there is always construction. For example, today, besides the array of cranes one can always see in the skyline, I passed three construction sites with roaring jackhammers, not to mention the fact that part of the mall is closed off because a new museum is being built, and that the Washington Monument was surrounded by scaffolding. So if you go to DC and everything is covered in scaffolding, don't be annoyed. It's part of the experience. 

Now, finally, here's the song this blog post was named after! And, yes, this does fit in with the theme of the post, because this song reminds me of DC; I'm always tempted to hum it when I'm wandering the city.

Patagonia, Rio Negro, Mi Espanol, DC, and Danza Kuduro

If you can't tell from the title, this isn't going to be a very focused post!

I should be going to bed right now - I need to wake up at 4:30 tomorrow to get to DC early. You won't hear me complaining about getting up early to go to DC! I love that city - I usually spend the day walking around, though tomorrow my itinerary will be interrupted by the fact that I have an appointment to get an apostille of my background check from the Department of State for my Argentine visa. Ah, well, I still have plenty of cupcake-getting, traffic-dodging, and metro-riding time even with my appointment!

I love DC - I love it because I've had unique adventures there (to say the least: ending up in Uruguay, silly and interesting tourists, crazy drivers, bad and wonderful Chinese food, creepy strangers, and the like). It's interesting to see, thinking of places that I have made connections with, places I have a unique relationship with, that the most important factor in determining whether a place is a place I "love" is whether I've had unique, everyday experiences in that city. Besides the places I've lived, DC and Ocean City, Maryland, are the places I have the strongest connections to - both cities in which I've had many "everyday" experiences in, such as walking around and getting hot chocolate. It's too late to truly think properly, but I think what I'm trying to say is that the best way to get to know and love a place and to truly "take a piece" of that place with you when you leave is to have everyday experiences in that place, not to visit the coolest attractions or run around trying to see the entire city.

Anyway...a change of topic, brought to you by random Patagonia pictures I found on the internet!

GENERAL ROCA! Mi ciudad nuevo! Says the internet - for all I know, this picture could be of some city in Nevada, as there aren't really any specific identifying characteristics. Isn't the sky beautiful though? I posted on the 2013/2014 Argentina exchange students group on Facebook at one point, saying I was going to General Roca, and someone who lives in General Roca commented saying " Welcome to the best city in the world". Seeing pictures of General Roca makes me so excited to see the city for myself!

I realize that this paragraph had no transitions between thoughts and probably didn't make sense to anyone's brain except my own excited brain. Oh well. 

A penguin - which can only be found in the southern Andes, the very south of Patagonia, and the southeast Atlantic coastal regions of Patagonia. Therefore, there are no penguins in General Roca.

Lastly, because I need to get off here, finish an email, and go to bed to get up at 4:30 AM, I'll leave you with one of the theme songs of my outbound life: Don Omar's "Danza Kuduro"!

The Alternate Species Called "Outbound Foreign Exchange Student"

Before I begin the bulk of this blog post, I'd like to share an image:



To the trained and/or, more likely, squinting eye, this image may represent the unpredictability of the modern world, or commercialism in society. To me, this best represents the Argentine visa process. It's interesting. Yeah, interesting is a good word for it.

It can also be called "an educational experience" or, just as accurately, "sticker collecting". Ah, but to an extent, it's good fun! It's an excuse to drive all over the tri-state area and go to DC a couple of extra times.

Now to the bulk of this post:

Telling others that you are an outbound foreign exchange student, especially those whose only experience with foreign exchange students has been through "That 70s Show", can be interesting. In rural south-central Pennsylvania, where foreign exchange students are a rare species and even international travel is uncommon, I've been looked at like I have sprouted three heads for planning to go abroad as an exchange student. Here's a list of some of the questions and comments I've gotten, both normal and abnormal:

1. "Why would you want to do that?" Well, there are these things called other countries, and other cultures, and other languages, and they're pretty darn interesting! Not to mention the benefits of being fluent in two languages and cultures, gaining insight on your own culture and other cultures, reducing stereotypes about your home country and your host country, being able to look at life with the values, attitudes, and views of two cultures, growing as a person, and making lifelong relationships.

2. "Will you be going to school?" Well, actually, I was planning on staring at clouds all year while my peers attended school.

3. "Do you speak Spanish?" No, solo un poco espanol mal. Actually, my usual response is, "Nope! But I've studied German and Chinese!"

4. "When do you arrive in Italy/Spain/Germany/Europe?" Me: *blank, confused look* "Do you mean Argentina?"

5. "You're going to be in Buenos Aires (or a city that isn't in Argentina: I've gotten Rio de Janeiro and Santiago), right?" Me: Uh, no, though I'll fly into Buenos Aires! I'm going to General Roca. Them: *confused look* Me: *talks excitedly about the size and location of mi ciudad nuevo*

6. "11 months, that's a long time!" Me: Depends how you look at it.

7. "You must be excited." Me: YES YES YES YES YES YES!!!

It's Not About the Money, Money, Money

Yesterday, I made another visit to the town bank. Thankfully, this time, it was not to get something notarized and to order money while pressed for time - though I must say, I lucked out with ordering money, as I was able to get the currency I needed. A note for the future: any currency you need can be provided by your local M&T bank, even if there are only a thousand people in your town. The bank simply orders the currency from wherever the currency is stored. This is something I heard from a Senegal-bound student and then tested myself - I was surprised that, one, I was able to get West African francs in the US, two, I didn't have to go to Baltimore to get them, and, three, it only took them three business days to come. Anyways, I headed back to the M&T bank yesterday to pick up the francs I'd ordered.

I received 100,000 francs, which is roughly equivalent to 200 USD. I know, the exchange rate is interesting: it's much different from the Euro, which was only worth a bit more than the USD. I received 10 bills worth 10,000 francs each: each was basically the equivalent of the 20-dollar bill here in the US.

Here's a picture of one side of the bills I received:



The other side has a wooden mask and symbols indicating a theme of telecommunication. The bird design on this side of the bills indicates that these are relatively new bills, issued in 2003 or later.

Along with Senegal, the francs are the official currency of Benin, Togo, Niger, Mali, Guinea-Bissau, Burkina Faso, and Cote D'Ivoire.


This map shows the countries that use the West African franc in green. They also show the countries that use the Central African franc in red.

It's interesting to read about different countries that use the same currencies and about the currency of other countries, since the Euro is the only international currency typically referenced in the US.

Speaking of interesting, that would probably be the best word to describe the look on my face when I realized that I really, actually was going to have to spend all of these francs in a month. However, I can't say that I don't know how I'm going to spend my 200 USD: I'll be incredibly frugal in the first couple of weeks and end up frantically buying presents for my friends and family in the last week. I'm frugal, to say the least - here in the US, I rarely shop (I dislike shopping; I find it rather pointless), and only buy things when I need them AND they're cheap. However, I think exploring the markets in Dakar should be exponentially more exciting than being dragged into Forever 21 by my sister! I've always pictured the typical African city market - full of life and color, so I'm incredibly excited to explore.

On another topic, I was in Annapolis today (yes, in the pouring rain). My main mission was to acquire an apostille for my birth certificate, which I need for my Argentine visa. My second mission, which I daresay was much more exciting than acquiring an apostille, was to purchase host family gifts for Senegal. I bought a variety of adorable crab-themed and Maryland-themed goodies to give to my host family in Senegal - therefore, another item was crossed off my to-do list for Senegal!

I have to say, I'm crossing off items from my to-do list much too quickly. When I've got two days left in the US and I'm already packed, have my plane and bus tickets, and don't have to rush around getting currency or a credit card (last year, for Europe, I thought I might have to go to the Arundel Mills Mall, an hour and a half away, two days before I left, to get Euros), I don't quite know what I'm going to do!

Packing and Arriving

There are only 11 days until I depart for Senegal and, in 32 minutes, there will only be 10 days. Therefore, I naturally should be thinking of logistics at this point, shouldn't I? I'm a bit behind schedule from where I was eleven days before I went to Europe - heck, I was probably packed by then! Oddly, while I remember vividly making my packing list for Europe, I remember very little of the actual packing, except that I packed my clothes in ziplock bags that kept breaking and worried about having enough contact lenses solution. 

Anyways, if you're reading this blog in preparation for your own month-long trip to Senegal, you may find my  packing list slightly helpful (though you will most likely find my commentary completely useless)! If not, you might want to keep scrolling. This may or may not be helpful if you're going on a CIEE Leadership Academy to a country besides Senegal.

Packing list:

• Important documents - passport, passport copy, etc; you know the drill
• International Certificate of Vaccination - considering it's required to get through immigration in Senegal, this is something you might not want to forget
• American cell phone, which will be turned off for the duration of my time in Senegal
• 3 long skirts - striped, blue, and grey
• Pants made from light fabric
• Black shorts that cover my knees - Head tennis shorts. I love these things, and they're great for travel  because they have, well, huge pockets meant to fit three or four tennis balls each! 
• 5 shirts - haven't decided what shirts I'm taking yet, but at least one long-sleeved one for mosquito protection purposes
• Jacket - haven't decided which one yet
• Two nightgowns
• 5 sets of underwear/socks (can't you see, I have a theme of "5" going on here)
• One-piece swimsuit
• Flip flops
• My tennis shoes for everyday wear
• A pair of flats for "dressy" occasions (if one has flip-flops/sandals/tennis shoes that can pass for "dressy", I'd recommend packing those instead)
• String bag for weekend/day trips 
• Camera
• 5 fully charged batteries for camera (should hold about 800 pictures, which should be enough)
• Contact lenses - the pair in my eyes, obviously, plus maybe two or three extra pairs (better be safe than sorry when it comes to contact lenses)
• Glasses
• 2 or 3 travel sized contact lenses solutions (6 or 9 oz total)
• Tiny French phrasebook. Minuscule.
• My new, ready-to-use notebook (once I finish my current one)
• Little book of photos of my family, my area to share with people I meet
• Homestay gifts, Baltimore themed. Yet to be purchased! 
• Anti-malarials (malarone) - copy of prescriptions
• Other medication - copy of prescriptions 
• Sunscreen (in 3oz containers)
• Travel umbrella
• Travel alarm clock
• Bug wipes
• Archtek toothpaste tablets
• Shampoo and conditioner in bar form
• Bar of soap
• Passport Health water bottle with filter
• My West African francs
• Enough American money to get me to the airport in one piece 

Writing this down, it seems like a lot of stuff, but looking at some of it in my backpack (I'm only taking a carry-on), it's not THAT much. Thankfully. 

Speaking of American money, let me excitedly mention my airport arrival plans. I'm not going to do this in too much detail, obviously, in the name of safety and security (I'll post more about my arrival plans, well, once they've already taken place). I leave at night to Senegal out of New York. During the day, because I don't live far enough away to warrant flying (plus, way too expensive), and nobody wants to drive to the New York area (a hassle, and way too expensive), I will be taking a bus and then public transportation to the airport. It should be, well, exciting, and I'm leaving PLENTY of time to get there. 

Oh, and speaking of West African Francs - I pick them up from the bank tomorrow! I can't wait to post pictures. Surprisingly, ordering West Africans Francs (as I'm sure you can imagine, not the most popular currency ordered in my small American town) was easy, and I could do it from my local bank. 

In Pictures: Where I'm Going

I thought I'd share some pictures of General Roca and Rio Negro Province.

First and foremost:

 The Argentine flag!
The flag of Rio Negro Province!

Mi Ciudad Nuevo (my new city), General Roca:


At night:



Pictures from Rio Negro Province:
Rio Negro! For all of you non-Spanish-speaking readers, "Rio Negro", which the province is named after, translate to "Black River". This image shows the river!
A flat road (I'm not sure where it is in the province). The sky is so blue!
A beautiful picture from the salt flats in the eastern part of the province, near the ocean.
A beautiful picture of Rio Negro.
A road - I'm not sure where this is in the province.
An amazingly-colored landscape near Neuquen.

Senegal Countdown: 14 Days

Time flies.

I don't think I've expressed this before on my blog, but do forgive me if I'm repeating myself: in September of 2012, when I was waiting for exchange applications to be released, everything moved so slowly. It seemed like ages before I would apply, get an interview, or receive an acceptance or rejection. However, once I received interview notifications, everything seemed to move so quickly! In late January, I received interview notifications; in early February, I had interviews; in mid-February, I submitted my Speedwell application; in mid-February, I learned about the CIEE Leadership Academy scholarship; at the very end of February, I submitted my CIEE app; in mid-March, I received my CIEE scholarship award notification; in mid-late March, I received my Speedwell notification; in mid-April, CBYX notifications started; in mid-late April, I received my CBYX alternate notice. Everything seemed to move so quickly - it seemed like, for a couple of months, something major was happening with my applications every two weeks or so. The point is, time has been flying.

Now, it's only fourteen days until I depart for Senegal.

Wow.

I'm doing a round of practice packing now, to make sure everything fits in my backpack. It definitely should - I just have to figure out some small details of packing and what to bring now, such as what to do about adapters and camera batteries. I added my bug wipes to my bag today - they came in the mail this afternoon, which was surprising, as I only ordered them two days ago.

I'm prepared though, to leave for Senegal. I have my Megabus ticket to New York, and besides those few items I still have to buy/figure out what I'm going to do about them, I'm basically ready to go. The only thing else I need to do is sort out my debit card (as it's much easier to get Senegalese currency once in the country as opposed to trying to order it from the US).

However, though I'm prepared to leave for Senegal now, it's good that I still have two more weeks here - because of the Argentine visa process! I have to get documents notarized, drive to Annapolis for an Apostille stamp, sending a form to Harrisburg for an Apostille stamp, and get my birth certificate and FBI background check translated before I leave. Then, my parents will only need to take care of a couple of things while I'm in Senegal - sending documents off to Harrisburg and DC for Apostille stamps - which will enable us to get an appointment at the Embassy in DC to submit all of these documents and hopefully promptly receive my visa. It's an extended process alright - I've heard the Argentine visa process is one of the most difficult for exchange students, and, well, that seems to be true! On the contrary, my exchange friends headed to Germany only need to go somewhere once they get to Germany (I know, how vague), to get a visa.

This post has gotten a bit off topic (not sure if I had an intended topic to begin with), but, hey, it's an update on how the process is going - it's moving along, slowly but surely.

GENERAL ROCA, RIO NEGRO!

Plenty has happened since I last posted (I've been neglecting this blog for over a month now)...I was accepted by AFS Argentina, made an alternate for CBYX (I turned down that slot), made it through most of my finals, SATs, and AP exams, poured through AFS Argentina chapter pages trying to find where I was going, and...I GOT A HOST FAMILY! I have a host mom, host dad, two older host brothers, and I am going to General Roca, a medium-sized city in Rio Negro, Argentina, in northern Patagonia.
 Rio Negro Province:

 As you can see, I am in Patagonia! Before I got my placement, I knew I would be extremely enthusiastic about being placed ANYWHERE in Argentina (or Uruguay), but I knew that, if I had a regional preference, it was Patagonia, thanks to its unique history and geography.

Disclaimer: Do not take any of the following statistics as fact! This is simply based upon the best information I had at the time, and I really do doubt that the 15 number I was going off of was right.

Before I got my placement, I spent an almost embarrassing chunk of time going through, individually, the AFS Argentina chapter pages. A few weeks ago, some of us on the Argentina 2013/2014 Facebook group were tipped off that some of the AFS chapters had been posted little chunks of info about students in order to try to find host families. There wouldn't be much info, but a lot of chapters had posted first names and countries of their incoming students (coming to an area pending on receiving a placement in that area, of course). I went through each page individually - I had heard that there were 15 Americans arriving in Argentina in August (I don't know if this is correct, so don't take this as fact). I found two Americans going to Rosario, two to Santa Fe, two to Tucuman province, one to Ushuaia, and one to General Roca (not me), meaning, according to my shaky statistics, I knew where 8/15 Americans were going. I also found references of unnamed one American going to Sampacho (near Cordoba), one going to Mendoza, and one going to Corrientes province. On the Facebook group, a significant number of people (probably maybe ten or eleven by now, I know that I personally found two people from the Facebook group on chapter pages) had found out where they were going from the chapter pages. When I couldn't find myself, I figured that, since my application hadn't been in the pool for long, it was probably true that no chapter had picked me yet. But, that was an incorrect assumption, as in fact, I already had a host family!

Last Tuesday, around 12 in the afternoon, while I was doing some research for a school project, I clicked on some Yahoo link. In the top right corner of the page, I had a little "new email" icon. I don't know why I checked it so enthusiastically - I wasn't thinking about host families AT ALL (I figured I wouldn't get a family at least until I returned from Senegal), but when I opened my email, the new email said something along the lines of "AFS: Placement Information".

The email directed me to open my AFS global application page, where there was new information on my host school and host family pages. Opening my "host family info" page, I saw a list of the members of my host family - my two older host brothers (one who is 21 and another who is 15, only ten months older than me), and my host parents! It registered in my mind that I had a host family, and that I was going to have older host brothers! Being the oldest of two girls, I was so excited! I then proceeded to look at our location on the bottom of the page: General Roca, Rio Negro province. This name sounded familiar to me, but I remember racking my brain, trying to picture exactly where General Roca and Rio Negro province were (I thought maybe in the Pampas). I pulled up the wikipedia page for General Roca, and saw that I was going to Patagonia!

I've exchanged a couple of emails with my host family (In Spanish, can you believe it?) since then, and they are wonderful. My host parents are so nice, and can you believe it, my host brothers are tennis players like me! I've learned a bit about my school, too - I'm going to write an update of my school and city soon.

Or, well, "soon" in blogging time.

Quick Update

I keep meaning to update this blog but it hasn't really been happening, since I've been so busy! To give you an idea of my schedule for the next couple months…

April: Prepare for May

May: SATs, holding a bake sale, four AP exams, Speedwell Orientation, preparations for Senegal and Argentina, would like to draft my UWC essays/application materials, rank UWCs, finishing my AP classes and the school year (that's going to be quite the task), production for dance show, go to New York for National Scholastic Art and Writing awards ceremony, a birthday party, get shots and Malaria pills for Senegal, Philly field trip

June: pack for Senegal, finish UWC materials, get things to pack for Argentina and write Argentina packing list, New York reception at Parsons, and regional Scholastic Art and Writing Awards ceremony in Philly, leave for Senegal

July: Senegal

August: Go to Argentine consulate in DC to submit my application materials, pack for Argentina, say goodbye to everyone and everything for a year

Oh, and I have to (hopefully) get officially accepted to Argentina and keep working on the Argentine visa process, which is definitely a cultural experience in itself experiencing South American bureaucracy! Hopefully, I'll get my Senegalese host family in early-mid June, and…well, it would be nice to get my Argentine host family before I go to Senegal, but I have no idea when that news will come.

Also, the results of CBYX are coming out today or tomorrow. So far, from the Harrisburg interview location (I am under the impression that about two people will be chosen from our session), two people have been rejected, three of us (including me) haven't heard anything, and the status of three people is unknown. I must admit, I'm still very curious about who gets CBYX, though it's not stressful because I have Argentina, but just exciting! Everyone at my interview session was great, and there are so many qualified applicants, but everyone I've met has definitely deserved a spot!

Examples of my 2013 photography

The truth is, I don't have one artistic bone in my body when it comes to drawing, painting, or carving things, as much as I've tried to be the next Picasso. However, I enjoy photography - when I was in Europe, the question I was most often asked was "Evan...what are you taking a picture of?" I have to say, sheepishly, that I took one picture from the front of the Eiffel Tower, but 27 pictures of pigeons. No subject is too mundane for me. Oh, and probably about 70 pictures of transmission lines, but that wasn't really about capturing the beauty of transmission lines (Hey - a girl's got to be able to compare European and American transmission lines, and she's not doing it from memory). I was ecstatic to receive a new camera for Christmas, so now I can take even higher-quality pictures of transmission lines (oh, and, well, I guess a famous monument or two thrown in there ;)).

Anyways, these are some of the pictures I've taken since the start of the year:

What can I say? My sister is VERY photogenic.

The product of camera effects and a side table.

Taken on a tiny walking bride in Virginia

Tree bark in PA

Blue winter sky!

Made from zoom, assisted by the presence of a bird feeder

The bank of a tiny creek

Reflections on the Application Process

Applying for foreign exchange scholarships is a challenging process – it’s not as idealized as you read on foreign exchange student forums and in Facebook groups. I know that, when I first became interested in applying for foreign exchange scholarships last summer, I would read discussions on forums between applicants that were so exciting. They were full of passion, intrigue, curiosity, hope, optimism, and reward. I have to admit, I read every discussion online between applicants that I could find, and I was extremely excited to go through the process. I wasn’t ignorant of the challenge of the process when I first read about it – I was simply willing to overlook the challenges the application process would provide in order to focus on what the final result would hopefully be.

The most difficult thing about the process is the waiting, which seems endless at times. You wait for the application to come out. You wait to hear whether or not you’re a semifinalist. You wait for your interview. You wait to receive either a rejection or an acceptance. Sometimes, it feels as though it’ll be years before you know whether or not you've received a scholarship.

Logistically, the process is time-consuming and challenging. I had to ask for five letters of recommendation, fill out two VERY thorough medical forms, which involved multiple pokes and prods from needles (keeping in mind this was before I knew whether or not I’d received a scholarship), and I wrote thirteen essays and created one video response. These things are far from the most challenging part of the application process – the not knowing is the most challenging part. You want this probably more than you’ve ever wanted anything, but you’re up against a great set of applicants and not everyone who deserves a scholarship can receive one. This really is true. At my CBYX interview, there were four of us. Just from talking to everyone about exchange and travel and working with them in the group activity, I could tell that all of my fellow applicants were passionate, ambitious people, and I wanted to give every one of them a scholarship. However, from that interview session, likely only one of us four will receive the CBYX scholarship.

It’s an uncertain process, but it’s every bit worth it. You meet some amazing people – both in person and through Facebook groups online, who introduce you to new opportunities and share your passion for cultures. You spend time dreaming about wonderful places that you might actually have a chance to go to. You follow your dreams and take a step that most American high school students never dare to take. It’s an uncertain process, but one that I would do again in a heartbeat even if my story ended with a handful of rejections.

While I applied for foreign exchange, dreams of foreign places became a reality. Exotic lands most people never venture to became books just waiting for me to open. I can say proudly, that I seriously considered or applied to the following countries: Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Senegal, Ghana, South Africa, Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Senegal, Jordan, Turkey, Oman, India, China, Japan, Thailand, Mongolia, Ukraine, Moldova, Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Dominican Republic, Germany, Portugal, Latvia, Denmark, Belgium, or Norway. I would have considered Iceland, Malaysia, and Indonesia, but unfortunately was not eligible for those countries. By considering those 30 countries, I was able to discover things through research about those countries that I never would have known before, things that make me more aware of the politics and culture of the world around me. 

You know what the funniest thing is? I’m most likely going to two countries that I never considered I could or would go to, and I'm so incredibly excited about these countries that I can't believe they weren't the first I thought of. In my very first blog post, I ended up by making a list of the countries I was planning to apply for scholarships to and thought I might end up in, and Senegal or Argentina aren't on that list. Neither is Portugal, or even Slovakia, which are wonderful second and third choices for me, truly countries I'd be ecstatic to go to. Senegal, where I received a CIEE Leadership Academy scholarship to exchange to this summer, was a country that wasn’t even on my radar, simply because I didn’t know of any program that offered in, until February. Argentina, my first choice country for Speedwell, where my application is now being sent, is a country on a continent that I never fully considered for months. When I looked at the 11 or so AFS countries I was eligible to for Speedwell, Turkey was my first choice, Egypt my second, and Argentina was the third choice I added because it was the country on that list that seemed the most “out of the way” besides my friendly Mideast countries. Before that, I hadn't given any thought to South America. Of course, I eventually ended up applying for Argentina as my first choice, Portugal as my second, and Slovakia as my third. Back in July, my absolute first choice country across all of the scholarships I planned on applying to was Oman. I never would have guessed that I now will likely be spending a year in Argentina! I must say, after all the consideration of countries, I feel like, whether I end up in Argentina or Portugal, my second choice, I'll be in a country that seems to be a great fit, and one that I am ecstatic to get to know the culture of! I couldn't be happier about the countries I'm going to (ask my family or close friends - I struggle to start sentences that don't begin with "In Argentina..."). 

Originally, I planned on applying to YES, NSLI-Y (if I was eligible, I was unsure whether or not I would be), and CBYX. I ended up not being eligible for NSLI-Y or YES. Instead of being disappointed about this, I focused my energy into my other applications. I ended up applying to AFS Speedwell (finalist), CIEE Leadership Academy scholarship (finalist), and CBYX (unknown; semifinalist at this point). 

Overall, applying for exchange scholarships is a challenging process, but you bet it’s worth it. My advice? Don’t hold back, apply to everything you’re eligible for, and keep an open mind about country choice, because you won't regret it. 

Looking to the Other Side of the Equator

Can you guess what this picture means?

Last summer, when I first found out about YES and decided I need to apply for a foreign exchange scholarship, I made a deal. When I knew what country I was going to or had a scholarship for a year program, I’d cut my hair. At that point, my hair hadn’t been cut in a bit over two years.

Since last summer, my hair’s grown a significant bit more. My old ends turned basically blonde, and my hair reached my waist, took forever to brush, and even got stuck in my tennis racquet often during my follow-though. Despite that, it was pretty, I have to say – a long, flowing waterfall of wavy, sometimes messy hair. Looking at my hair in this picture, I think you can make a guess as to my scholarship status.

I received the Speedwell scholarship. I was notified of my scholarship status on Wednesday, March 19^th, at approximately 5:50 PM. I was on Facebook, sending a message to a fellow Speedwell and CBYX applicant, saying that applicants to another AFS scholarship were beginning to hear back, so maybe we Speedwell folk would be next. The phone rang, and I hurried to get it – not because I thought I’d hear back about Speedwell, but because I have a habit of answering the phone quickly, or figuring out who’s calling. When the lovely volunteer told me she was calling from AFS, I immediately knew the purpose of her call.

I must say, during these months, I frequently thought of what it would be like to receive a call of acceptance. I imagined myself feeling relieved, like the burden of uncertainty of the past nine months had been lifted off my shoulders. Instead, I felt as excited as I did the first day I learned about foreign exchange.

Later that night, still slightly in shock, I wondered, “So what do I do now?” For the past nine months, I’d been counting down dates, hoping for acceptance, dreaming of notifications. What was I supposed to do now? Now, I was in the next stage, and the life of applying – of worrying about essay responses and interview questions, was over. Several times today and yesterday, I’ve caught myself starting to think, “How many days until I know?”, simply because thinking that has become immensely familiar.

Now, I feel as though I’ve transitioned into this new stage. Now, I’m hoping for acceptance to Argentina but thinking it’s fairly likely. I’m not holding back my dreams of exchange, I’m dreaming of Argentina, I’m dreaming of the life I could live and the people I could meet while recognizing that the life I live and the people I meet will be completely different from anything I could possibly imagine. I’m thinking of second passports, of visas, of packing, of Speedwell orientation in May (so, so excited), and of departure city orientation. I’m talking to my friends about going now, not about maybe going. We’re dreaming about places that will become real to us, not just exotic lands, because we have an opportunity that so many people won’t even think of as a possibility.

I am fourteen years old. I’m going to spend a year in a foreign land and a month in another foreign land. I’m going to learn so much and change so much and become so much more than I am.

I realized, assuming I am accepted to Argentina, I will have been to four continents by my 15^th birthday. For a thoroughly middle-class kid from a rural district of southern Pennsylvania, this is a dream come true, a dream that wouldn’t be possible without the wonderful Speedwell Foundation, AFS, and CIEE. I am always and forever grateful to these three organizations because they’re making my dream into a reality. When I think about becoming part of another culture, going to another country, and learning another way of life, there are so many people who say “No, you can’t!” These three organizations have shown me, “Yes, I can!” I’d like to thank everyone at these organizations. Words can’t describe the extent of my thanks and appreciation.

I would also like to thank those around me. To those who always thought I could, you helped give me strength. To those who thought I couldn’t, you helped give me motivation. 

A new phase of my life is just beginning.

Dream of Africa

I can't believe it.

I'm still, four hours later, kind of in a state of shock. I am, assuming I can thoroughly convince my mother that CIEE is reputable, going to Senegal. Dakar. Africa.

Amazing.

If all goes well, I'm going to Africa. This is a difficult concept to process.

When other kids dreamed of Britain and France, I dreamed of Africa. Egypt, Tunisia, Ghana, Nigeria, Namibia. Cairo to Algiers to Dakar to Kinshasa to Abidjan to Windhoek. I, must admit, for a long time, dreamed of a Lion King-style Africa, one with savannas everywhere and oddly shaped trees. Now, I dream of an Africa filled with diversity, cultural and religious diversity. I dream of quaint churches and roadside mosques, of highways, of savannas but also rainforest, of coastal plains. Now, if all goes well, I'm headed to a friendly West African land, filled with French and Wolof words.

I am so thankful for this scholarship. It's making Senegal possible for me, someone who, before today, could only dream of Africa.

54

"Give me freedom, give me fire, give me reason, take me higher" - Mando Diao

In 54 hours, I'll know whether I've been offered the CIEE Leadership Academy Scholarship. This is my designated beginning of the Speedwell Foundation Scholarship waiting period, as I have until the end of March to hear whether or not I've been offered this scholarship. For the past three days, I've been doing the hourly (that's a bit conservative - more like every 45 minutes) email check, and I'm rather exhausted with it.

I've been waiting eight months (just tallied that up) to know whether I've gotten a scholarship. It's hard to believe it's been that long because, as time has absolutely flew, though it's stood positively still at some points. Eight months of dreaming, waiting, planning, saving money, devising backup plans, of being disappointed, of being excited. Eight months of phone calls, emails, forms, essays, and recommendations. Eight months.

Through the beginning of December, I would ride my bike, probably about a mile to the Saubel's to buy some pastries, ride around town a bit, and ride bike. Sometimes, during these rides, my mind wandered to exchange and to the thought of the scholarships I applied to. A few days ago, it was finally warm enough to bike to Saubel's again, and once again my mind wandered to exchange. At that moment, I realized just how fast this year has gone by, how fast every year goes by, how fast my exchange year will go by. But, really, it feels like just yesterday that I googled "study abroad scholarships" by chance, back in early July, during the week between Chinese camp and my departure to Europe.

I've been waiting eight months. Now, I'll know CIEE by Friday, Speedwell within the next couple of weeks, and CBYX within a month. It's easy to be overcome by the excitement of this, the fact that I could be notified for two of my scholarships at any point.

I JUST CHECKED MY EMAIL I GOT A SCHOLARSHIP TO SENEGAL WHILE WRITING THIS OH MY GOD OH MY GOD I WAS TRYING TO BE CALM. I'm going to write later.

I Survived...My Interviews

As the title states, I had my CBYX interview last weekend and my AFS interview the weekend before! I thought both of them went rather well.

AFS interview:

• Lasted probably an hour
• I wore a skirt, leggings, and a blouse and was, if anything, overdressed.
• Most of the questions were simple - choosing from two options or answering questions about your life/family/friends
• There were a few situational questions, but nothing crazy, just basic exchange situations
• If you're having yours, RELAX!! Don't be nervous - it's actually just pretty fun to get to talk about exchange with a volunteer. 
• Do think of WHY you're applying to the countries you're applying to

CBYX Interview:

• It was a three hour event: individual interviews first, and then a group interview
• They ask more challenging questions, as, unlike AFS, they are trying to narrow the number of people down
• Lots of situational questions and a few questions just designed to see how you react. For example, I was asked to mime something. I don't think they cared as much about my miming talent as how I reacted to the unexpected challenge of having to mime something.
• They may ask you questions about things you say on your application, so be familiar with your application. If they ask you a question based off of your application, think about WHY they're asking you that question: to clarify something, to make sure something (like very close family relationships) won't be a problem on exchange, etc.
• Don't worry about giving the "right" answer to situational questions - for most of them, there are many viable answers
• WORK TOGETHER in the group activity - they want to see teamwork, not domination
• Be outgoing and offer more information than may be needed
• Smile. Act approachable.
• In your interview and group interview after the group activity, remember that it's not as much about what you say as it is about the tone in which you say it.

I'm not going to post any CBYX interview questions until at least after the 23rd, when AFS CBYX interviews have to be finished. I know that, with AFS, interviewers are asking 5-8 questions from a sheet of maybe 20 or so questions, so if you know what questions other AFSers were asked, there is a likely chance that you can prepare yourself for questions they'll ask you. While practicing interview questions in general is, I think, a good idea, I think posting the actual interview questions and other AFSers practicing from those specific questions would be crossing the line. 

The political blame game

http://politix.topix.com/homepage/4308/results

This link is aggravating. It outlines, unintentionally, a major issue in American politics today: the tendency to blame opposite groups for our issues. This specifically rises when you ask people, as did this question, why America is so divided. This survey, showing a rhetoric that's echoed throughout opinion articles nationwide, shows Americans' tendency to blame "the big guys": Obama, Bush, the Democrats, the Republicans, etc.

It's amazing how, instead of looking for answers and solutions, ways to unite America, people are so willing to just throw the blame on someone: Bush, Obama, liberals, conservatives, the media. It's ridiculous. You can't just blame a group and cross your fingers that suddenly the issue will go away. You've got to look for a solution: blaming liberals and conservatives and Obama for America's polarization isn't going to unite us, just divide us more. We've got to be working, instead, to find solutions, to find ways to unite Americans once again by the things we all most value.

It's fourth grade group project logic: you're behind, the teacher shows up, and you and your partners point fingers at each other. The teacher, most likely, will laugh at you and encourage you to come up with a plan for your solution, because blaming one another, of course, isn't going to solve it. Why can't we be more mature than fourth graders and look for a solution?

Scholastic Art and Writing Awards 2013

Exchange and end-of-the-semester stuff has, thankfully, distracted me from the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. In December, I submitted three photos (taken with my old, not-great camera, so I'm not expecting anything) and a handful of writing pieces (poetry collections and short stories). Last year, I won a few awards, so I'm interested to see whether I'll be able to win anything in the high school category this year. I'll find out if I've won anything by the end of the first week of February - it feels like time has flew since I submitted my pieces!

I'm not expecting much, as my short short stories were kind of mediocre. It would be nice to get some sort of recognition for at least one of my poetry collections, though, because I edited them for weeks.

I'm just going to share, now that I'm rereading them, a couple quotes from my Scholastic Art and Writing Awards entries:

"your ideologies are weaponry,
near concealed by the wings of society,but where is your dignity?"    - From the poem "Hypocrisy" 


"they are gods of cold metal machine guns and
semiautomatics in a world where
they will call you prisoners"   - From the poem "Song of Bagpipes" 

"i am
predictable stealthy darkness and
you are young; kingdom come, i
dream the same dream every night." - From the poem "I Dream the Same Dream Every Night"

"your hurricanes would
have been lost to me behind
edges of rational thought poured
into my mind from outside sources
you ignored" - From the poem "To My Martyr Sister From Before"

"I am believer, in your nonexistent God,
 united we are by blood" - From the poem "There Are No Second Chances in My World"

"3. (microscope and a map)
i explore faith
(Brahman, Shiva,
God, Mother Nature, Allah)
with deities stolen
from strangers and
swiftly returned"  - From the poem "Autobiography"

I have a real interview date!

Yesterday, I got a wonderful email telling me that my CBYX interview is in Harrisburg on the 9th. I'm so excited! Plus, I scheduled my Speedwell interview (it's on Super Bowl Sunday)! I'm so excited for both of them!

I've already chosen my CBYX interview outfit, I think: black leggings, a pretty light blue skirt, and a dark blue blouse. I'll probably wear a headband, some unique piece of jewelry, basic earrings, and dark flats. It'll be unique, but not too too formal.

Now, I'm preparing by practicing interview questions. Of course, I don't know exactly what questions I'll be asked, but I have a general idea of the kinds of questions I'll be asked. I'm not trying to prepare for every question I'll be asked - I'm just trying to get a general idea of what sort of answers I'm going to give.

AFS Speedwell and Flying Time

It's kind of amazing that it's already late January - back in early July, when I learned about exchange, I felt as though time was going to pass so slowly until I received my destination. In September, during tennis season, when I was waiting for CBYX and YES applications to come out, I felt as though late winter would never come. But, now, my Speedwell application will be submitted in three weeks, I'm waiting for my CBYX time and date, and time has FLEW, probably thanks to all of the schoolwork I've had to distract me in the past few months.

It's amazing that, in two months, I'll receive either my rejection or acceptance to Speedwell. That seems like a really long time - 60 days, but when I think about how short the time between now and this time last month has felt, it seems like no time at all. This time next year, I'll be about halfway through my exchange year, whether I'm in Germany, Argentina, Portugal, or Slovakia. I'm past the halfway point between when I learned about exchange and when I'll find out which program I'm going with (either one of the scholarships or my ASSE backup).

Now, I'm working on my Speedwell essays and finishing my CBYX full application. These AFS Speedwell essays are a bit longer than the CBYX essays, which is a good thing, because I felt as though the 250 word limit for CBYX was a bit too short for me to be able to adequately address the topics to the extent I wanted to. These essays are really, really important, and I hope to finish them soon.

Tips For the AFS Photo Collage

I spent a portion of the afternoon today completing my AFS photo collage after panicking slightly because I couldn't think of any pictures that had been taken of me, my family and I, or my friends and I in the past three years except for the picture of me hitting a tennis ball that was on the front cover of the sports section of the York Daily Record where I had a rather...unique facial expression. Definitely not the impression I want to give my potential host family.

Tips

• My first instinct, when looking for pictures, was to look through the pictures on my camera. As an amateur photography, my camera was full of shots, but mostly of landscapes. The only shots of people were artistic shots of my sister that weren't particularly useful for the collage. LOOK ON YOUR PHONE and the phones of your family members for pictures. This is where I hit the jackpot - if you're out with your family or friends and say "Hey, cool sign, let's get a picture with it", you're more likely to use your phone than your camera anyways. 
• Keep in mind, when choosing pictures, that pictures on smartphones or that are accessible with smartphones are super easy to send to a PC, and much easier than having to load the SD card onto the computer.
• Keep a balance of subjects in your pictures. I don't know how much merit this actually has, but I've heard that host parents would possibly be wary of someone who has too many pictures of themselves alone, too many pictures of themselves with their families (because you don't want to seem TOO attached), or too many pictures with friends (because you want to look interested in family). I really don't know how much weight photo choice has with potential foreign host families, but I included a good variety of photos anyways: three solo pictures, three with family members, and two with friends. 
• Include a good solo picture of yourself: something a host family can get an idea of what you usually look like from (not just from when you're far away from the camera or laughing your head off at a friend's joke). This might seem like common knowledge to most people, but for those homeschooled/cyberschooled people who don't have school pictures, this is important to remember. 
• Don't include too many pictures with friends. After all, a host family is curious about you and probably a bit curious about your family: honestly, they probably don't care very much about what your friends look like, as they'll likely never speak with most of your friends. However, include at least one picture with friends, just to show that you have them. 
• If you're applying as a freshman or young sophomore, don't include pictures with any friends who look too young. I considered (and actually uploaded before deleting) submitting a picture of me and a few friends who are my age/a year younger, but I rejected the picture because my friends looked really young in the picture, more like middle schoolers than high schoolers (even though most of them were high schoolers at the time). 
• Include a memorable picture of you, something host families can refer to ("I liked the girl with the picture with the snake") and remember. Don't include anything TOO terribly wacky, but include something unique. For example, I included a picture of me from Chinese camp where my face is covered in traditional Chinese opera makeup. 

SEMI!

I'm a CBYX semifinalist! I'm going to receive an email soon with my interview date, time, and location. I got the email this morning, and I'm just so happy they haven't decided to cut me because of my young age (I'm 13 days from the cutoff to be too young for CBYX).

I feel like my age is a weapon that can be used against me at any point in the process: choosing semifinalists, choosing alternates, choosing finalists, ranking alternates. At any step of the way, someone could say, "Oh, this girl is so young," so it's a bit nerve-wracking, as while I have some level of control over my interview, I have no control over how people react to my age. I'm unsure as to whether or not I want to make some sort of statement about my age at my interview (I know some organizations don't like 15-year-old CBYXers because of the extra laws applying to them, such as no drinking, 10PM curfew, but to be honest, I would be annoyed if I were rejected for THAT reason). I've heard AFS isn't as discriminatory against younger exchangers as certain other programs...hoping that's true!

I'm also working on my Speedwell application, for which I am applying to Argentina/Portugal/Slovakia. I've decided that I'm not going to worry about percentages and acceptance rates, just work on rocking my applications and interviews. I'm done worrying about paying for ASSE Portugal as my backup for now - I don't want to revisit that option unless I'm rejected from Speedwell (which I'll find out in late March). I'm just done, because it's SO frustrating attempting to have that conversation with my parents about paying for exchange. I've got a plan, so I'm just trying to put it out of my mind for now.

Anyways, now I'm starting to practice questions to prepare for my CBYX interview. I hope I'll receive my date, time, and location soon!