In a month...

In exactly 4 weeks I will be boarding a plane to a place that I have only seen in pictures and beginning a journey that doesn't have a clear ending. I will be saying goodbye to friends that I have known since grade school and hugging my parents for the last time until 10 months. I am still unsure of what exactly I am about to embark on but I am sure it will be something that I won't regret.

It's hard trying to comprehend what exactly I am getting myself into. As the days are winding down it is sinking in but, somethings you just can't fully understand until you are actually experiencing it yourself. Honestly, I don't think it matters how many articles, blogs, websites, pamplets, or books that I read that are about Germany and what to expect. Not saying that it isn't nice to be prepared for some of the possibilities but I am sure it still doesn't compare to the real thing.

This past week I recieved the Student Handbook and it talked about so much that I wouldn't know where to start, to be honest. Without a doubt it was helpful and has led to me being overly excited.

Oh and guess what I was so lucky to be able to do? Fill out ANOTHER packet. Or actually I should probably call it a survey and luckily it wasn't very long.

Third pre-departure is on Tuesday and then I only have one more left.... holy cow. The time is flying it is CRAZY! I am so excited.

Airplane Ticket and Slow Moments

I purchased my airplane ticket to DC today :)...well technically my dad did but yea same thing. Yesterday we had another pre-departure orientation, this one seemed kind of short... we talked about packing, host family gifts, etc.

You are probably wondering what the 'slow moments' in the title of the post means so here it goes. Well just about everybody I know that is going to Germany with AYUSA has gotten accepted by Partnership International... but I never got an e-mail saying I was accepted. So after the orientation I called Jeanne only to find out I have been accepted MONTHS ago haha. Yea, so jokes on me. Anyways that is pretty much all for now.

Bis später, Jenaé

Orientations etc.

So I had orientations 12 days ago it went well. It lasted for about an hour, we talked vaguely about what to expect and what is going to be going on once we arrive in Germany.

Here is a list of what we talked about:

• Travel to Germany
• Arrival in Germany
• Language Camp
• Mandatory Seminars
• End of Program

We recieved more details about our flight to Germany. Language camp is held in a former monastery/cloister. English is strongly discouraged from Day 1. NO English is a frightening idea but oh well its all part of the program. We got to see what our daily schedule would look like one word to describe it. Busy. Basically composed of classes and eating. I am totally ok with the second part, I mean who doesn't love food? We talked about some of the 'fun stuff' we would be doing which consided of a Talent Show, Dance lessons, Excursions (can I hear a woot woot for traveling?) We found out when Language camp ends :( but on a bright note we travel by train to our host family... Maybe it's just me but I have never traveled anywhere by train and the idea seems really exciting. Ok moving on... we have mandatory seminars the first one is in Januar (January) and will be held in Köln then at the end of the year in June we have one in Berlin and we get to visit the Bundestag (aka German parliament). On a not so exciting note we found out when we leave.

Well anyways, having this orientation has got me really exciting and actually I have another one tomorrow. I can't believe there are only 62 days left until I start this mind blowing adventure. It seems so far away yet so close but there is so much that I want to do before I leave. First things first I need to get an airplane ticket, hopefully within the next week. It's impossible to express how excited I am right now but at the same time it still seems surreal like when we had the orientation you just get so excited and then after it seems like everything goes back to 'normal'.

Hopefully this blog gets more interesting. Until then.

Pre-Departure

Pre-Departure is starting soon!! My first orientation is on June 2nd, I am really excited. I should also find out whether or not I got accepted by the German couterpart (Partnership International) within a week.

Well that is all I have as for information. There is something else I want to say though, there is a look I get from people when I say I am going to be an exchange student. Some people seem shocked, others are excited and occasionally I get a look like I am completely crazy. Everybody says it is such a big deal and honestly up until now I was just excited and never really thought about what going on an exchange year really means. School is coming to an end which means all I will have left is the summer and that's it. I frequently get asked if I am scared or nervous, occasionally I say yes but mostly no. As the countdown starts I have come to terms with how I really feel and honestly I am frightened. Not because I think that it will be horrible but it's such a drastic change. The first thing I say is how happy I am to get out of school early, but that isn't completely true. I love (some of) my teachers and I will miss my friends like crazy. Everybody is always so quick to be ready to leave (esp in this state) but this is still home. And I am leaving my home to make a home somewhere else. I tried explain this to my mom and the first thing she said was "You don't have to go" but that's not it, I want to go. I am going. This has been my dream for a couple of years now and regardless of the ups and downs that I come encounter with I am going to do this. I am going to give 110% to this experience that few get the opportunity have.

Right now feelings are just mixed. I can only imagine that they will become more confusing as the time to leave approaches quickly. Well, I am really excited and I can't believe I have been so fortunate to be given this opportunity.

I have started studying German grammar. I am actually currently reading a book that has German poems in it and has a translation on the next page. Shockingly, I can understand most of it when I first read it, I think the hardest part are the idioms because even though you know what it means technically it can be hard to connect the dots. Eventually I plan on starting a German blog just so I can see how my German has progressed. Not right now though because it is horrible just take my word on that. It will get better though. Hopefully.

Jenaé

Informationen

Today I recieved a lovely e-mail (ok ok I am exaggerating) but I did find out when I am leaving (officially) from what airport and at what time. :) Yes I am beyond happy. Airport: Dulles International Time: 9:59 pm ... I kid you not on that one. I must say it was rather clever the way they said 9:59. Oh and beware if you are a stalker reading this... there are 60 of us and one should not mess with exchange students with luggage :). (Friendly warning!) So that is all. Until next time, Jenaé

Life isn't Fair

Everything that is good for one person can very well be a nightmare for somebody else. I found out that a fellow AYUSAer was declined the scholarship after being told they would be going to Germany, you may wonder why I feel the need to post this well it's simple really. A lot of people read travel blogs and it always talks about how everythings are so perfect and some of the things that aren't perfect seem to get ignored. Not trying to be a downer but it's the truth. Not everything is perfect, it's not going to be perfect. But when you are thinking about doing an exchange you need to know that you are willing to take the blows because with every good opportunity there is always something that can go horribly wrong. I feel horrible that things like this happen. For somebody to be granted their dream only for it to be taken away in a blink of an eye. Don't get me wrong I am not bashing my company or saying that you shouldn't go on exchange just know it's not always going to be easy.

On a side note no new news... pre-departure is coming up soon and some people from different organizations are finding out where they are going. I want to know where on earth I am going. Keep your fingers cross for me.

Jenaé

Leading a Life of Quiet Desperation...

Out of pure desperation to get more news, I urged myself to call Jeanne Iverson (the coordinator for AYUSA). So I did and I got tons oh news! Yes I am proud, very proud. So now you might be wondering what I found out well here it goes....

• There are 60 people going to Germany with my group
• Pre-departure orientations start in May and we will have 3-5 of those
• The pre-departure orientations will be with 20 (yes 20) students via the telephone...how they plan on making that work I really have no idea (it will be split up by time zones)
• We will be finding out about host families anytime from May till the time we leave
• On August the 15th we will meet up at the airport in Washington DC and we will board the plan together (everybody from AYUSA) and we will take a group flight to Germany!!!
• We aren't having a formal orientation in DC like some other groups...at least that isn't in the plans right now
• Language camp is in a small town called Hedersleben, where we will be residing there for a month

Random information Hedersleben is in Sachsen-Anhalt (Saxony-Anhalt). The capital of Sachsen-Anhalt is Magdeburg. Sooo yea that is all for now.

Jenaé