Hi everyone!
I have to apologize for such a long time of not writing, but I’ve had quite a busy time. Anyways, after such a hiatus there is pretty much new stuff to report!
First off, here are the pics of my host family etc. I wanted to post earlier but just needed my family’s permission which I got now.
So first off, this is my host family. My host dad, my host mom with my host brother’s child, my host brother, his wife and last but not least, my host sister. I really love this picture, because it’s such a typical family picture.. and I like the Christmas tree in the back, haha.
This will be my room. It has a dresser, a queen-size bed (omg yay!), a closet, a little tv and Kacy said she will put her old desk in my room so I can use it for several tasks like doing my homework.
Here you can see our house. I absolutely love it since it looks really country-like and pretty comfortable. Can’t wait to get to see it all live!
Well then, another thing I gotta tell y’all about is that I skyped with my host mom and dad some week ago.. and it was absolutely fantastic! It was so great to talk with them in person and to hear everyone speak! At first I was immensely excited and thrilled, even a little bit frightened. But after some connection problems everything worked out really well and we spoke for about one hour and a half! I had a blast talking with them and I thought it was the sweetest thing ever when my host dad told me that my host mom will care for me like I was her own daughter. I felt really flattered and I gotta say once again that I’m more than happy to have such a nice host family! The day after I skyped with my host sister (and partly also with her boyfriend; I could hear him in the background which was the most hilarious thing ever haha!), but since the connection sucked pretty much, we couldn’t talk and ended up just writing and hearing the other type, haha. But nonetheless, it was awesome and I hope I’ll be able to skype with them again before I leave!
Additionally, I had my appointment at the embassy for my visa about 3 weeks ago. The preparation for the visa was a huge, huge effort and procedure; my mom and I had to fill in so many sheets and had to get plenty confirmations and everything, but luckily I had every sheet I needed when I got there. In fact, they just wanted 3-4 sheets and confirmations out of the bunch of papers I’d carried.
When we walked to the building I met Chiara, one of the girls I’d got to know at the preparation meeting in Würzburg; she was just returning from the embassy and had already got her visa. It was great meeting her again and I can’t wait to see all of the girls from the meeting in Würzburg and from the internet in only 14 days!
Anyways, having arrived at the building, I lined up in the queue and after I had to go to two counters I had to go inside and me and an American-speaking family were advised to walk through a check-up. It beeped when I went through it (I hate these things), but the beeping had no consequences (don’t ask me why, never understood the systems) so they told where to go and I headed to another building. Entering the room, I saw about 300 people waiting and 15 counters where people were called to go. You had a number and there was a screen on the wall where your number appeared two times, and when you had been at both of the counters, you could leave. It was a really complicated and weird system, I don’t think anyone got it. Gradually, I was called to go to the counters, had to answer a few questions and that’s it. Having spent there about 2 hours, I was finally free to go and met my mom outside who’d gathered up with some other waiting parents. Afterwards, my mom told me that she was so glad this was finally done and that it’d been terribly tearing at her seams, which I hadn’t known and felt really sorry for. But having been told that my visa will arrive during the next 7 days, I was also happy and in the end also relieved. Another step was done and time was floating by quickly.
When I checked my mail on Saturday, I found a huge envelope from Kaplan. A huge grin suddenly spread over my face and I immediately opened it when I got inside.
In it I found my flight ticket (which is an electronic ticket), a packing list (just suggestions), other flight information and last but not least our NY schedule. On August 10th we all meet at the airport at 11:00am and my flight leaves at 1:20pm. Then, after spending 3 days in NY, I have to leave at 8:00am to fly to Oklahoma. It’s pretty early in the morning, but the earlier I fly, the more time I’ve got in Oklahoma. My flight back was preliminarily booked for June 1st, but that can still change.
Concerning the schedule when being in NY – it’s absolutely awesome and reading it raised my anticipation even more! So, the first day we’ll get there and will be transported to our hotel. Then we may go swimming or shopping and in the evening all of us will have a pizza dinner together. On Thursday there is an orientation meeting after breakfast where we’re going to discuss all sorts of topics concerning the exchange year. In the afternoon we’re going to spend our time with sightseeing, for example going to Lower Manhattan, the Statue of Liberty and so on. And in the evening we’re going to have a chicken dinner. On Friday our group is going to make a NY City- and Shopping Tour and at the end of the day we’ll have our last dinner at the Hard Rock Café. (my uncle already said I have to bring him a Hard Rock Café Shirt from New York, haha!) On Saturday we’re going to head to the airport after we all breakfasted, each flying to their city. During this trip we’ll apparently have a guide, whose name is Chris. He looks really kind & funny, and from what I was told, he’s awesome!
Oh and, by the way, I’m done with the invitations for my farewell party and I’m going to spread them now. I wanted to send them earlier, but during the last days there had been complications referred to the location and on top of that, my internet didn’t work. I hope everyone will be able to come!
I also thought of visiting my friends at school during the break the day before my departure, I don’t know whether I’ll end up actually doing it yet but it would certainly be fun.
In addition, I had troubles thinking of what to do the afternoon/evening right before August 10th. I’ll probably go see my grandma again and meet up with some of my friends, respectively just spend time with my mom and my cat. Oh my, I really can’t realize all of that! I still have to make a packing list, or let’s say continue the one I started during school time (lol) and I have to buy a protective bag for my laptop which I’m going to take with me. As for the suitcase, my uncle’s girlfriend gave me hers since it’s really big and she rarely uses it.
Regarding presents for my host family, I already got almost everything and I’m really glad about that!
Besides, I’ve started passing a book within my friends where they can create some pages themselves and write whatever they want to tell me concerning my exchange year etc. Everyone is being really creative (I’ve only seen the first couple of pages) but they told me not to look at the other entries unless I’m inside the plane, so I won’t. But it’s hard not to, I’m really nosy and eager to see what they wrote! And I’m sure once I’ll be in that plane and actually read it, I’m totally gonna start crying.
Being on holidays, I’m spending much time with my friends and we’re having such an amazing time. It makes me realize even more how much I’m going to miss all of ‘em, though, and I still can’t imagine not seeing everyone for about 10 months. I know I almost say that in every entry, but it’s true. It’s so surreal and insane, but still, it’s the BEST THING EVER. Two weeks from today I’ll already be in the air, flying all the way to my dream. (This sentence somehow reminds me of the song “Free Falling” by Tom Petty; don’t ask me why, haha.)
So I’m going to end this entry now. All I say is 14 days: Rad, insane, awesome. Can’t wait!! There’s still so much to be done, but after conquering so many obstacles I’ve got no doubt my mom and I will manage this pretty well, too. She’s the person I’m going to miss the most and I’m feeling kinda guilty leaving her alone (okay, she’s still got our cat, haha.).. but I’ve got confidence in her that she’ll get past this time, too.
Okay, Imma just stop talking and rambling now.
I hope to be able to write on this blog again before I leave, but if this isn’t the case my next entry will be made from the US.. Thrilling!
Kbyee,
Anja
