It's Official!

For the past few days, I have been obsessively checking my e-mail account to see if AFS-France had decided to accept me or not. I was checking my e-mail multiple times an hour waiting for something, anything, from AFS. The lovely AFS-USA staff had told me that the acceptance to AFS-France was just a formality, so I didn't really worry.

I only started to worry when I saw other people from my AFS chapter getting accepted into their host countries, and I was just anxious to get any news!

I checked my e-mail, not expecting to find anything, as I had just looked a few moments ago, but there it was! My official acceptance into AFS-France had finally come!
The part that seems so surreal is that I can't talk in 'if's any more. I can't say "If I'm in France..." I now have to say "When I'm in France..." Just that slight word adjustment changes my outlook from indefinite to definite, which is phenomenal!

I was starting to think I'd have to abandon the blog because of the title!

AFS Potluck Dinner

Usually, I try to avoid the term "potluck" whenever I can! The work "potluck" reminds me of a function only attended by dedicated, elderly women that play bingo religiously. But, because the potluck dinner on Saturday was an AFS event, I decided that I would attend with an open mind and a positive attitude because this would be an excellent learning opportunity.

You will be pleased to know that the group at the potluck dinner was NOT composed of elderly bingo players! There were people there that are involved with all sides of AFS. There were exchange students from other countries that are currently in the United States with AFS, returnees, volunteers, parents of students currently abroad, parents of returnees, host families, and students that will be going abroad with AFS. This lovely assortment of people made the event to be unforgettable!

I can now say I have friends from many different countries, including Denmark, Norway, Belgium, and Germany. I have friends that will be going to Spain and to France next year at the same time I will be. Seriously, I believe that exchange students are possibly the coolest people I have ever met! No one understands a future exchange student's stress like a current exchange student!

When I decided that I am going to study abroad, I only expected that I'd make friends in my host country. Now I realize that with a program like AFS, one will meet people from every corner of the globe.

Even though I only spent a few hours with these people, I have created friendships. Who knows? Maybe I'll visit other European countries and the exchange students within them while I'm in France!

The picture to the left was taken at the potluck. It is quite awkward, but I thought I needed a visual for you.  The boy in the red plaid is Aidan, and I am in black and awkwardly laughing. The picture was taken by Cosi, an exchange student from Germany. Aidan will be going to France with me in September on the same scholarship. Aidan isn't very fond of the way I describe him, as the message on Facebook reading, "Why didn't you describe my awesome personality or great sense of humor or charming good looks???" would suggest. He has yet to offer a better description of himself.

The dinner also caused my little brother to think about studying abroad, but he's in seventh grade and has plenty of time to think it over! He is contemplating going to Ghana!

Featured on School's Website!

My school posted an article about my friend and me going abroad with AFS! It's great that my community accepts it so much! If you want to see the article straight from the source, click this link: http://www.raiderweb.org/blog/2013/04/08/bailee-koncar-and-natalie-souders-to-study-abroad/

My school may not keep this page up, so here is a screenshot of the article

It's unreadable, but it exists! Ignore my brothers' bookmarks along the top!

And because you can't read the article in the screenshot, here is a readable version!

I'm the one in the orange that is cheesing really big and squinting my eyes

Click on the picture to view it better! If you still can't read it, here is what it says:

"MAHS sophomores Bailee Koncar and Natalie Souders have received full scholarships through AFS Intercultural Programs USA to study abroad for the 2013-2014 school year. Bailee will be in Spain, and Natalie will be in France. Each student will live with a host family and attend a local school where classes will be taught in the language of the region. The MAHS World Language Department congratulates Bailee and Natalie on this tremendous accomplishment!"

I'm so proud that my small school is sending two students on full scholarships with AFS!

FAQs

When telling about being an AFS Exchange Student, one better expect to be barraged with questions! Other AFSers surely hear these questions all the time. Future AFSers should prepare! There are certain questions that will always be asked when talking about AFS. Here are the FAQs of studying abroad with AFS! This is what I want to say, not what I actually say!

     Question: Where in France will you be staying? 
     Answer: I don't know yet! It all depends on where my host family lives, and I don't know that information.

     Question: Are you going to be by yourself over there?
     Answer: Yes and no. I will be leaving my family in the United States, but I won't be alone. I'm living with a host family.    

     Question: What if you get kidnapped?
     Answer: Somebody has been watching too much Taken!     

     Question: You mean you're going for a whole year?!?!
     Answer: That's technically not a question! Well, almost a year; about ten months. I'm sure I'll want it to be longer, no matter how long that time period seems!    

     Question: What will I do without you?
     Answer: What really gets me with this question is a lot of people have only taken interest in me since they know I'm leaving. In that case, the same thing you did before you knew I existed. In the case that you're one of my close friends, then I will say "I'm not dying! I'm only going halfway around the world for 10 months! We'll keep in touch through Facebook and Skype and my blog." Of course, I'm not going to be readily available to drop everything and Facebook chat or Skype, but I'm not going to drop off the face of the earth and lose contact with everyone!

     Question: What if your family consists of axe-murderers?
     Answer: Someone has an active imagination!

     Question: How far away is France?
     Answer: I've only ever been asked by my five year old cousin, so I have only ever answered "really far".    

     Question: Why do you want to study abroad?
     Answer: This question is probably the hardest! Of course I have my reasons, and I wrote a whole essay on the subject, but I can't determine if you're asking because you feel like you should or if you're asking because you're actually interested.

If anyone has any more questions, comment and I'll update the post to answer them!
À tout a l'heure!
-Natalie