When She's Tired, She Screams.

Before anything else, can we PLEASE take notice of that lovely gadget to our right. Yep, that’s correct. You are reading clearly. SEVEN. AWESOME. PEOPLE. have put me $320 closer to my goal. YES, that means 26% of my $1,230 is already covered! Mind-blowing! Crazy! Outrageous! Heart-warming! Splendid! Whoa. Grazie, grazie, grazie :)

Fun Fact: AFS doesn't waste time. An adviser called recently to say they have already found a perfect host family match! He mentioned, like mine, that their family was, "not so traditional." Each member has their own interests and does their own thing, but they all come together for dinner and Sundays to spend time together…how sweet! The mother and father are both in their fifties; they have been married for 24 years. Luca is wheelchair-bound and seems to be a very patient man. However, his English is fairly broken so reading his letter left some things up to interpretation. When describing his wife, Carla, he said that she was a social worker, liked making creative things, and……..when she’s tired, she screams. Uhmm, what? I can’t wait to see how true that really is! I’ll be sharing a room with their 17 year-old daughter, Bianca, and they also have what seems like an adopted or foster son – Federico, who is eleven. They appear to be a great family and AFS has just authorized me to begin contacting them.

The Pieri family lives in a small city of about 300,000 (still reasonably larger than the big bad world of Watertown) called Bologna. My first instinct was of course to pronounce it like the deli meat, but my Italian classes have taught me that it sounds more like this – “Buh-loan-ya.” It’s ending sounds the same as in “lasagna.” Oh look at me, I sound so knowledgeable. Feeling a little bit creepy, I even took the extra step to Google Earth their address. It looks so clean there and is conveniently located near everything I could ever need. However, I’m already mentally preparing for the times I get lost in the confusion of taking trains…yikes.

In five days, I managed to raise $320. I am hoping that in the next nine days, I will be able to fulfill the remaining $180 offered for the AFS dollar-for-dollar month. Sponsors – find your wallets! It means that five dollars is really like ten dollars, so you look double generous/friendly/incredible. The enthusiasm people have about my trip and willingness to help has really overwhelmed me. Seeing such kindness has been truly unbelievable; it took me by surprise and I appreciate every little bit.

That’s all for now, folks! 

Dollar-for-Dollar Month? Jackpot.

When my first tuition bill arrived, I wondered how the finances of a non-profit organization could add up so quickly! For the first time (other than my mom of course...), I have an academic advisor at my disposal. I gave her a ring, and she broke the costs down simply. AFS tuition includes host school placement, orientations, international travel, suitable host family placement, the assistance of an AFS guidance counselor, blah blah blah...the list goes on! My parents have generously covered most of my tuition and I have been working hard to support myself the rest of the way. Luckily, AFS recognizes April as their "dollar-for-dollar" month! This means that every dollar donated to send me abroad this month will be matched exactly by AFS. I would be so thankful for help towards my goal this month of $500. Just think - your support could help buy my Italian textbooks for public school, match me with the perfect family, or even fund a weekend trip to Rome, Venice or Florence.  Excuse me while I go sharpen my fundraising skills to their finest. Grazie!

To become one of my sponsors, simply click the "Chip In" gadget on the right to be redirected for donation options.

Looking for a better explanation about what it takes to complete the study abroad process? Check out this link provided by AFS: Where Does My Tuition Go?

Everyone's First Questions....

So what is AFS? The simple answer would be to say the love of my life, but it is really a non-profit study abroad organization. AFS matches students with the perfect family in their host country. It has a giant network of volunteers and advisers that are the friendliest, most helpful people I have encountered in an application process. Their job is to help me adjust while I'm abroad, while my job is to make my best effort to be respectful to my host family and culture. This has succeeded with over 300,000 students! 
Why study abroad right now? When I started planning for fall 2011, a study abroad advertisement caught my eye. Some serious soul searching led me to AFS and I knew this program had won my heart. There is no doubt that I am a victim of wanderlust - I'm ready to go wherever and whenever I can. The timing could not be better because I feel ready for that next step, in both my life and education. And really - if not now, when? 
Why pick Italy? Since AFS provides so many options, choosing just one country was a little heartbreaking. I spent a few days there back in summer 2009 and absolutely loved it. But how could I appreciate this culture in all its glory with such little time? Immersing myself there will give me a chance to love every little beautiful thing about Italy. 
Does the language barrier intimidate me? I guess I would be lying if I said it didn't. Settling on my “bring it on” attitude has kept me from scaring myself with those details. I thought I would look silly trying to communicate by playing charades for ten months, so I have jump-started my Italian learning! I have enrolled in a basic language course and my next step is tackling the Italian Rosetta Stone lent to me. Just like Americans speak with different slang and accents across the country, Italians do too. These are adjustments I cannot prepare for, but I expect to just learn as I go. 

The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page