While eating Pancakes...

"Remember, the greatest gift is not found in a store, not under a tree, but in the hearts of true friends"

Cindy Lew

This past Friday I was at IHOP with my friends and we were joking around having a good time taking pictures and stuff (mostly for the secondary application and also for my scrap book that I am going to make for going away). I couldn't help but think how much I am going to miss everybody (well ok not everybody but my really close friends). No this isn't a blog about how I don't want to go or anything but it's just like, this is real you know. This year coming up will be exciting, nerve-racking, fun, sad, scary and ultimately well worth it. I am sure that I will experience so many mixed emotions. I know before I knew that I was going I would sit looking at my computer reading blogs about people that are already in Germany or any other country and wishing that was me. Pretty soon it will be me, it kind of already is me. Sorry to rant. I talk to other exchangers with CBYX and it is exciting knowing that in about 5 months or so I will be flying out with them to Germany. I have heard people say that an exchange is a 3 year thing; one to prepare to depart, one on the exchange, and another after you get back.

On another subject now, I don't want to say I can't wait to find out were exactly I am going but it would be nice to know because everytime I tell somebody that I found out I am going for sure they always reply with "Where in Germany are you going?" and all that I can say it "Well... I am not really sure yet." That is a conversation that I have had a million times already. Oh and random but apparently a student from my school hasn't went on an exchange in 124346543 years but this other girl from my school is also going on an exchange 2010-2011 but she is going with Rotary to Romania. So ironic. huh?

I am finally done with my secondary application after about a million years no just kidding more like 6 days. But I must tell you it has been a stressful 6 days because I was worried about getting all this stuff done such as:

• getting a copy of a valid passport
• TB Test (Oh and the lady at the health department gave me the TB shot...only to find out I needed the test...hooray for an extra shot)
• an official transcript
• another teacher recommendation (By the way thanks Frau Sislo for answering the question on such short notice)
• parent letter to future host family (the paper didn't even say what to write about...go figure)
• a doctor sheet (talking about if I am allergic to anything all that fun stuff...)
• a copy of Immunization records
• 5 passport pictures
• photos of important people in my life (they said of family and myself so the host family gets an idea about me...so I put 5 photos they asked for 4-8...with a brief description with them)

So that was fun to do oh AND I had to sent that to the AYUSA office before the 22nd of March (they have to recieve it by then, it can't just be postmarked before then). Thank goodness that I had a passport or else I would be screwed. Majorly. Anyways so yea I am excited, not trying to dwell to much on Germany because I have so much more to worry about right now with school and fitting in online classes after school. The things one will do for what they want.

Stay Classy, Jenaé

PS That signature isn't completely original but I thought it was so clever I had to steal it. xP