Christmas!

Yesterday was Christmas day. It was awesome! Despite waking up on Christmas Eve to some torn up and destroyed presents, the "big day" itself was about as good as it gets. Everyone seemed to be in a good mood, and seemed really happy with what they got. I got some great things: a table-top easel, some canvases, a really nice jewelry box, a necklace and chocolate (plus other stocking goodies!).

Today, we went to Christmas with my dad's side of the family. We played a fun little white elephant game with things my Grandma wanted to get rid of. From my godfather, I got a $30 giftcard to Best Buy and a student travel guide to Europe! The book makes me even more anxious to find out where I'll be living next year! I also got some money from my grandma, which is great and really helpful!

Tomorrow, I'm going with my mom to use a couple of giftcards, return a belt I bought myself and get one more gift for a friend. Then on Wednesday, I'm going to a gift exchange/sleepover at a friend's house, and then to another on the 1st. Good times are in store!

Bis später!

Time

Wow, look at that. There are just 10 days left until Christmas. It's amazing how quickly these days are going. I'm happy for because that means it's not going to seem like very long until my exchange starts. However, how quickly these days pass worries me a bit. I mean, if this year is going by so quickly, how fast will next year go?

Just a thought I had...

Bis später!

Getting My Letter's Out!

On Tuesday after school, I went around and delivered five letters. Four of the five took my letter, and one of those four wrote me a check (that one was a friend of the family and she was just waiting for a letter to give me the check). I haven't heard back from any of them, but I do have a few more to give out. So, hopefully I'll get some response!

On another note, it's weird how far away and yet so close all this is. I mean, sometimes I'm sitting there thinking, "Eight months? That's so far away! I have so much time! etc." Then there are other times where it's, "Wow! Only eight months and I'll be in a completely other country, living with people I don't really know, trying to make a new life for myself (however temporary that life is)." Those latter moments are kind of nerve racking, both positively and negatively. I don't think it's really hit home yet what this is really means. I don't think it will sink in until I find out where I'll be or even until the day I set foot on that plane.

In any event, I'm looking forward to this adventure!

Bis später!

Corporate Sponsor Letter

Today, my mom and I went to Office Max where we got some nice paper and envelopes and had my letter to businesses copied. Which means I'll soon be able to get the word out. Hopefully, that'll mean I'll soon be getting closer to meeting my goal!

Bis später!

My Birthday!

Well, today's my 17th birthday! Which means I can now see R-rated movies without parental consent! Woohoo!

I'm going to be picking out my gift from my parents (a photo album) in a little while, and later tonight I'm going out to dinner with some friends and then to a haunted house. Tomorrow, I'm going to Six Flags all day, and Monday I'm going out to dinner with my parents. These next few days are going to be awesome!

It's kind of weird, though, to try to imagine what this time next year will be like. I think it'll be fun, but it's strange to think I'll be celebrating away from friends and family... Well, I guess only time will tell exactly how it will be.

Anyway, I'm really excited about the next few days!

Bis später!

Woohoo!

So, last weekend was Oktoberfest in Dheinsville. I had a stand set up to help fundraise for my trip. I sold some keychains I made, cupcakes, bread and cookies made by my friend Cassie, and masks and pumpkins for kids to paint. The total for the weekend? Over 550 dollars! I'd say the weekend was a total success!

Also that weekend, I received a packet in the mail from YFU. It had some informational packets and a couple of forms regarding receiving credit for my overseas schooling. I met with my guidance counselor, and it looks like I'll be all set as long as I take an English course! It's a great feeling each time a step toward my exchange is completed!

This past weekend was homecoming. My last homecoming. It's kind of sad, but I had a great time. Plus, I'll be going to prom in the spring, so I have that to look forward to.

Since that got me thinking about it, I think I'll list off the last major events before I leave.

My birthday
Halloween
Thanksgiving
Christmas
New Year's
Easter
Prom
Final day of school
4th of July

I think that's all of the big days I have left for this year. It's a pretty short list. That's kind of bittersweet.

Bis später!

Application Received!

I got a call today from my admissions counsellor! She told me I just have to edit and change some of my essays and write a new one because the on-line application is different from the print-out application, and some of the essay questions are different for the Congress-Bundestag Scholarship. So, she's going to send me an email with the different essay questions, I'll answer them and everything should be squared away! Or they should be in that department, at least!

It's so great to be at this next step!

Bis später!

It's Been Sent!

Well, I visited the post office today and sent in my application! I was told it would get there on Thursday, so we'll see how quickly things unfold! I've finally taken the second big step (the first being actually asking my parents!) in acheiving my goal. I can't believe this is actually happening!

Bis später!

Tomorrow, It Officially Begins!

That's right! I finally completed my application and I am sending it in tomorrow! Right after school, I'll be driving over to the post office and mailing this baby in!

It's hard to believe I've finally reached this point in the process. I just hope everything goes smoothly from here (and that I win that scholarship, of course)! Fingers crossed and thumbs pressed! :)

Bis später!

Update on Application

So, I've given the second educator evaluation to one of my teachers and I expect to get that returned soon. After I get it back, my mom just needs to fill out a bit more information on my application and it's ready to send in!

On a heavier note, I'm not too sure where the money for this trip is going to come from if I don't receive a scholarship. It's kind of stressing me out. Everything will work out in the end, though (I hope).

Bis später

Not Quite Sent

Well, I found out I need a bit more information than I thought I needed. Most important is a second educator evaluation. I was going to give that to one of my teachers today, but I forgot, and since Monday is Labor Day, I'll have to wait until Tuesday. Anyway, once I get that back, I've just got a bit more information to fill out on my forms and I'll be able to send in my application!

Bis später!

Almost Done! (with Application)

I've just got to take some pictures (which I am doing today), get those pictures printed (happening tomorrow), finish filling out a few things on my application and sending it all off (happening Wednesday before school). The time is finally coming! In just a few more days, I will officially have started my journey to becoming an exchange student! I'm pumped!

Oh, and I got my passport last week! All of this is just making my dream feel just that much closer. It's kind of hard to believe I'm actually going to do this. I'm sure it will get even harder to believe the closer I get, though!

Bis später!

Junior Year

I got back from a trip to Madison for my cousin's wedding on Sunday. I checked the mailbox and in it was my class schedule for my junior year! I can say I'm pretty pleased with it. I just have one class that I have to get to that's all the way on the other side of the school. I should be able to make it there okay, though.

Also, I just checked the YFU website, and they've got everything updated for the 2011-2012 exchange year. That means I can send my application in as soon as I get it all done! All I need is my passport info, some signatures, and some photos. It's hard to imagine I'm so close to finalizing this crazy dream of mine...

Bis später!

Tuition

I just checked out the YFU website and the cost of tuition has gone down $400 from last year! I know it's not a ton of money, but it means I'm $400 closer to meeting my goal!

Bis später!

School Starts Soon

I just got a packet in the mail from my school with forms and fees for this coming school year. Soon, I'll be getting class schedule information. Before long, I'll be starting my junior year at Germantown High. I've heard it's one of the hardest years in terms of workload, SAT and ACT testing, and college applications (or at least starting to look at colleges), but I'll be able to drive myself, I'll be going to prom, and I'm taking classes I think I'll enjoy. So, I'm sure this year will be great. I mean, it has to, right? It's my last year there. I have to make the most of it.

On another note, YFU stated on Facebook that tuition and scholarships are going to be finalized soon. That means I'll be able to turn in my application soon! I think the last thing I'll be wating on is my passport. So, as soon as that comes, out goes my application for my year abroad!

Bis später!

Craziness

I was just looking at the YFU website and saw that its program starts in late July. That means in just barely over a year, I'll be on my way to Germany. It's exciting, but at the same time, I'm getting kind of anxious about it.

Just a thought I had.

Bis später!

Application Date Update

I recently found out that I need to wait until September to send in my application. That's because YFU needs until then to figure out tuition, scholarships, etc. So, now I have to wait a bit longer to get these forms out of my hands, but I also now have more time to get pictures together and clean up my essays.

I'll probably update when I send in my application or when something else exchange-related happens!

Bis dann!

Thoughts

My sophomore year ended last week. Summer's just starting and I'm thinking ahead. There are times when my exchange seems so far away. Then it seems so close the next minute. At times, I start to get... nervous? excited? anxious? I'm not sure how I to name it.

It's kind of scary to think I'll be getting just one more school year with my friends. After this year, I'm off to Germany. Then comes college. I can't help but wonder who's going to be there throughout and after. Will the people I consider friends now still be as close as they were before I left? Will people I don't really talk to now become closer to me while I'm gone? Will I meet new people and make new friends in Germany that I can't imagine living without?

Already, I'm noticing differences in some of the people I once considered really good friends. They seem more distant, and that's probably because I didn't get a chance to spend much time with them this year. What does that say about the coming years?

What is it going to be like leaving my family? I know my mom will cry, and her crying will make me cry, but what about the rest? I don't know. I just hope everyone I care about is there to see me off. I think I'd like to be able to say a real final good-bye to them. But who are the people that make up 'them'? I doubt they'll be who I think they'll be at this point in time.

Anyway, that's just some thoughts I had to get out of my head. This is "Jaymee's Germany Journal" afterall, so I should expect to be writing more of this kind of blog post.

Bis später!

Essays

I just finished writing my essays for my application. I have to edit one, later, but they're done! One step closer to sending in my application!

Bis später!

Jaymee

About Counselor Meeting

Well, like I said I would, I met with my guidance counselor yesterday. It pretty much went as I expected it would. Seeing as I'm planning so early, my counselor couldn't do a whole lot except fill out the form and tell me to come back toward the end of June to pick up my transcripts.

I still have some of my essays for my application to write/finish. Maybe I'll do that on the days I would have had to take my exams. Hopefully, I'll get them done before the end of June!

Bis Später!

JAD

Guidance Counselor

Well, it's finally come time. This week I'm going to make an appointment to talk more with my guidance counselor about my exchange. I'll probably schedule it for Tuesday, because I have quizes to make up on Monday. I'm sure there isn't going to be a whole lot accomplished, but it'll be a good step forward. I'll probably post a description of how things went when I get home from school.

That's pretty much it except to say that I still am not finished with my essays, I still have a lot of my application to fill out, and I'm still really excited for this to happen. Anyway, I'll write more later.

Bis später!

JAD

Counting Down

I was just thinking, today, about all the events and days, between now and when I leave, that are numbered. It's nerve racking when I think about these things, but it's exciting just the same. Let me make a list for you of the things I'm counting.

16 Months
1 School Year (and some weeks)
2 Summer Vacations
2 Fourth of July's
1 Fall
1 Thanksgiving
1 Birthday
1 Winter
1 Christmas
1 New Year's
1 Easter
1 Spring

It's exciting to think that I have just so many big things to look forward to before. At the same time, it's kind of sad to think that I'll only have one more birthday to spend with my family and friends. After my year in Germany, I'll be in college. It certainly is not going to get easier to spend these things with the people I care about.

Just my thoughts for today.

Is it May, Yet?

Well, I talked to my mom and dad about the hair thing, and they seemed to think it was a good idea. I'll figure out more details for it, later.

In regards to the title, that's when I'll probably start the hair thing, and it's also when I'll make another appointment with my counselor to talk more about this thing. That's when I'll give him a form he needs to fill out for my application. I'm thinking I'll make an appointment for early to middle of May. I still need to work on my application essays. I should probably do that sometime soon...

It's weird. When I've told people about my plan to study abroad, I've gotten mixed reactions. Some people tell me it's really cool and wish me luck. Others look at me crazy when I say I'm going my senior year. Others tell me how much they are going to miss me. And still others give me a mixed reaction. I appreciate the well-wishes and when I'm told I'm going to be missed. It makes me feel like I've got support here. And who doesn't love being told they'll be missed? It makes one feel like people truly care about them. I just hope those who think I'm crazy realize this whole thing is worth it to me.

It sucks trying to explain myself to people. It seems like they just don't understand how important having this experience is to me. It is worth more to me than having the experience of senior year. True, people say it's the best year of high school (I'm sure some say it's even the best year of their life), but just think of how much better it would be in another country. Sure, I'll have to leave all my friends and every familiar thing behind, but I'll make a new life and make new friends. I'll get to become part of another culture, learn a knew language fluently, get a different perspective on things happening here. I don't know if I explained this well, or correctly. Maybe if there are other soon-to-be exchangers reading this, they'll know what I'm talking about. Maybe someone else could explain it better.

Anyway, I've still got along way ahead of me before this adventure will become reality. I just hope I can prepare myself, my friends, and my family adequately beforehand.

Waiting, Planning, Writing...

Well, as I'm sure you can tell, this is my first post here. I plan to update this once a week while I'm in Germany, but for now, I'll just use it to record my thoughts and the process prior to my departure.

Anyway, I guess I'll talk a bit about what I'm doing so far. I've decided to go with the Youth for Understanding (YFU) organization. The cost, location, and scholarship opportunities just fit to me and my needs best. As of now, I haven't submitted my application. I'm planning to wait until the end of this school year, in June. By then I will have written all the essays, gotten all the pictures, and filled out all the forms I need to.

Even though this program costs less than some others I looked at, it's still going to cost a butt-load of money. Right now, I have a job that might bring in a good sum of cash by the time I leave, but I will probably need to do more to make more. I'll probably look at getting a summer job (that's in addition to the one I have now, and the little job I'll have on Sundays) for both of the summers between now and when I leave. I might do some fundraisers, too. I've thought about holding a contest of sorts in which people can pay a bit of money and make a guess at to how long my hair will be at the end of the summer of 2011. I'll pitch the idea to my family and see how that goes...

I guess that's all for now. I don't know when I'll post again, but I doubt it's going to be a regular thing.

Aufwiedersehen!