It is so crazy to think that in less than six weeks I will be living in Italy! As my departure approaches, I get more and more excited with each passing day. It seems that everything is going so very fast, and there is still so much to do! At this moment, I am feeling rather stressed, mainly because in the last few days my email has been bombarded with messages from AFS regarding things that I need to do and material I need to read. I have close to 100 pages of cultural information and safety tips that need to be read, (which I am much looking forward too!), I currently have a pre-departure meeting set up for December 22nd, and I desperately need to start getting my visa paperwork together. It has been such a hassle to schedule an appointment with the Italian consulate in Los Angeles, mainly because I don't understand how their online appointment system works! On Monday, I will call them and ask for help... hopefully the meeting can be booked in the time slot I need (January 5-13th).
I could never have guessed how difficult it would be to get a visa! there is an enormous amount of paperwork! Thankfully AFS gave me a packet of instructions and helpful information regarding the process... Students applying for a Study Visa have to apply in person with both parents at the consulate (The one which represents our county is the Los Angeles office) and hand in a load of papers. From basic application forms to extra passport photos to bank statements, getting a visa seems like a very threatening and stressful thing to do! I am going to get my nose to the grindstone because I don't want to have to rush around at the last minute... first thing is calling on Monday.
One of the many emails I received within the last week is one including my travel itinerary! I will be flying from JFK in New York on the 26th of January on Swiss International Airline, through Zurich to Rome. Once in Rome, there will be a few days of orientation for all the foreign exchange students and then we will all be sent off to our host families! My fingers are crossed in hope that the family I have been in contact with will be in fact be my hosts... I have not heard anything officially from AFS but it looks as if they are just waiting on my school enrollment in Trani, Italy. The family seems amazing! I would have a mother and father, a sister my age, a sister who is eleven, and 6 cats! (who live in the garden!) In Trani, the climate is much like San Luis Obispo, which will be fortunate for me because I will not need to get a new wardrobe!
On the topic of school, (a dreaded topic... haha) I am currently un-enrolled from San Luis Obispo High, and doing an independent study program through Olive Grove Charter school in order to get credits for Economics and US History part B, classes I will not be taking while in Italy. Thanks to the heavens though, I will be getting credits for all the classes I take while abroad, which will make my senior year much less stressful. In the beginning, I had thought that I would have to take all 12th grade classes as well as 11th grade part B courses during senior year, and the knowledge that I will get credits while abroad is wonderful news!
I will post as soon as I hear officially from AFS about my placement... Hopefully it will be any day now!
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