Well, not a ton has happened lately.
A few small, somewhat insignificant things unless you're me.
I returned to Michigan a few days ago.
I got a new laptop for my exchange, from which I'm typing this post. :D
And my blog also reached a thousand hits!! Thanks guys :)
And I have continued to communicate with my host brothers on Facebook. :)
Another thing that I've done lately has been starting my visa application. And let me tell you, I was dreading this, because AFSers going to other countries had horror stories to tell about getting theirs.
But mine was so incredibly...EASY. 0_0
It consisted of the following: the visa application itself, which was actually just a one-sided piece of paper that requested only basic information, a check for $15 to the Egyptian Consulate, some new passport photos, and my current passport itself. And now it's done! I just need to figure out where it has to be sent, send it off on its merry way, and I'll be good to go!
And another thing I've been doing lately has been...worrying.
I mean, I'm incredibly exited to do this. This has been my dream for years and I can't wait to go. I want to go; I want to live in Alexandria with my host family, learn the language, become Eskendarawi and Egyptian, have my experience there become a permanent part of who I am, as I'm sure it will.
But I'm a bit worried about the language and school. I mean, I know some Arabic. But I simply don't know enough to express myself well. And that scares me.
I'm also a little scared of entering a school where I most likely will know nobody.
And I don't even really know what the language situation in that school will be. According to AFS, it could be mostly in Arabic, mostly in English, or a mix of the two depending on the classes.
But for now I'm trying to push all that worrying into the back of my head. :)
The other day I also had to fill out the "activity waiver" for Egypt that talked about activities that we might do, courtesy of AFS Egypt. And it included activities like snorkeling, scuba diving, CAMEL RIDING, camping, hiking, and swimming in a sea, pool, river, or lake.
This makes me happy to be going to Egypt. :D
I still have yet to book my ticket to New York City for the orientation or receive my host school information from AFS.
Hopefully the next time I post it will be because I have one, or preferably, both, of these pieces of information.
And from checking my email while typing this up, I now know where to send my visa documents! There's a start :)
Well, that's enough for now.
Ma as-salama!
A few small, somewhat insignificant things unless you're me.
I returned to Michigan a few days ago.
I got a new laptop for my exchange, from which I'm typing this post. :D
And my blog also reached a thousand hits!! Thanks guys :)
And I have continued to communicate with my host brothers on Facebook. :)
Another thing that I've done lately has been starting my visa application. And let me tell you, I was dreading this, because AFSers going to other countries had horror stories to tell about getting theirs.
But mine was so incredibly...EASY. 0_0
It consisted of the following: the visa application itself, which was actually just a one-sided piece of paper that requested only basic information, a check for $15 to the Egyptian Consulate, some new passport photos, and my current passport itself. And now it's done! I just need to figure out where it has to be sent, send it off on its merry way, and I'll be good to go!
And another thing I've been doing lately has been...worrying.
I mean, I'm incredibly exited to do this. This has been my dream for years and I can't wait to go. I want to go; I want to live in Alexandria with my host family, learn the language, become Eskendarawi and Egyptian, have my experience there become a permanent part of who I am, as I'm sure it will.
But I'm a bit worried about the language and school. I mean, I know some Arabic. But I simply don't know enough to express myself well. And that scares me.
I'm also a little scared of entering a school where I most likely will know nobody.
And I don't even really know what the language situation in that school will be. According to AFS, it could be mostly in Arabic, mostly in English, or a mix of the two depending on the classes.
But for now I'm trying to push all that worrying into the back of my head. :)
The other day I also had to fill out the "activity waiver" for Egypt that talked about activities that we might do, courtesy of AFS Egypt. And it included activities like snorkeling, scuba diving, CAMEL RIDING, camping, hiking, and swimming in a sea, pool, river, or lake.
This makes me happy to be going to Egypt. :D
I still have yet to book my ticket to New York City for the orientation or receive my host school information from AFS.
Hopefully the next time I post it will be because I have one, or preferably, both, of these pieces of information.
And from checking my email while typing this up, I now know where to send my visa documents! There's a start :)
Well, that's enough for now.
Ma as-salama!
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| It would be quite nice to make the obligatory visit to the Pyramids of Giza on camelback :D |
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| Lake Qarun, another potential destination for swimming - I've heard it's a petty nice place! |
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| the RED SEA, where I wouldn't mind the whole swimmming/snorkeling/scuba diving thing happening :3 |
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| Also, here's a nice picture of where I was in North Carolina! :) |
AFS always has the coolest activities! Take photos of the camel riding! In Finland, we'll get to have our very own reindeer driving licenses. :)
ReplyDeleteTHAT'S SO AWESOME!!! :D
ReplyDeleteI will!
Take pictures of the reindeer driving licenses ;)