The background story and anything else you want to know about the before-Germany-process

My want to be an exchange student dates way back, like... middle ages time, orrrr... 9th-grade-French.  The local Rotary Club was presenting their exchange program.  I had been so envious of all the people from the different countries exploring their globe but knew there was no way little me with a heart problem could ever do something so daring.  So.... that was the end of that. 

Then the end of 10th grade rolls around and I get my heart zapped back into shape- literally. So there goes that barrier of be not being to go on exchange (but at this time I had lost any and all interest of ever going abroad) 

11th grade.  I meet the love of my life...... yay!  A romance novel.  No.  But he was an exchange student which sparked my interest back into the Rotary program.  From there... all things go.  

Nope.  Rotary changed their rules and they were all of a sudden no longer sending seniors.  *sigh* that's okay, in reality I didn't have the $3,000 tuition anyway.  I was okay with just getting to know every foreign person that has ever had the slightest idea of possibly coming somewhat close to Oneonta.  (which explains the 4 billion Facebook friends I have from every country in the world)

Anyway some stuff happened yada yada and a classmate tells me about this Congress who-in-stag? program to get a full scholarship to study in Germany!  I COULD NOT WAIT TO GET HOME AND RESEARCH IT.  Bundestag.  Ohhhh!  The Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange scholarship, or CBYX for short. "The U.S. State Department funded Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Program (CBYX) is for motivated high school students who want to fully immerse themselves in German culture by living with a host family and attending a local high school. No previous language experience is required." Thank the Lord and Heavens above- no previous language experience is required. Jetzt, mein deutsch ist nicht sehr gut!  

Now within researching this scholarship I thought "hmmm, okay, now... I can do this!" but as I get deeper and deeper and see how perfect and to the T all of these accepted students have been, I lost complete confidence in myself. I didn't feel my grades were as outstandingly perfect as everyone else's. I hadn't had as many life changing experiences- sailing the seven seas on my yacht.  

Oh well, I wrote the essays, I wrote the letters, I got the recommendations, I filled out the health forms, I sent in my transcript and then.... I waited.  

I was just about to bowl a perfect 300 when my friend said my phone was ringing.  UGH.  I was about to be the next pro bowler, the next Jason Wasserman or Walter Ray Williams... Jr!  No one know's who it is so my friend answers the phone for me and speaks Polish to them.  (Oh Julia, I love you)  Well, it was CBYX................. I WAS A SEMIFINALIST and I would be having my INTERVIEW March 2nd in NEW YORK CITY. 

Now how I got there- my mom and I took a bus.  Me and mom.  Juntos.  In New York City.  That sure was an unforgettable experience in it self!

I waited down the street from my interview building in a cafe- terrified beyond belief to go in.  I hadn't even really prepared for it. I mean, I didn't know what to prepare.  All of the questions were how I would react in certain situations- situations in which I have already helped countless exchange students in my town overcome.  Oh well, I was still going to pee my pants.  I changed into my skirt and blouse (from my comfy bus clothes) in a small bathroom in the small cafe.  It was a cold day, and that cafe was SO warm.  That muffin and coffee was delicious but my nerves were too jittery to even eat. 

Oh god.  It was time to go in.  I was going to throw up.  I walked into that building and I came to my senses. I got my exchange student self back on and I was feeling as confident as ever.  I met the about 4 or 5 other candidates sitting at the table and the lovely Allen Evans (AFS CBYX specialist) at the front door. I was flying high!

We all interacted - Me, Emily with a B and Emily with a P, Sara, Alejandro (Teddii), Max, and Molly  <3 - one by one waiting to be called out for our interviews.  Max went first. I remember that.  He was dressed VERY well.  I was still kinda shaking in my shoes, waiting to be called out.  I finally was.  Oh. My. God.  Be calm.  I can do this.   I walked in and said hello.  I don't remember anything after that.  BUT there was an interviewer from China and one from Germany, I quite liked that.

After that we did a group activity where we built something without using words and then we had to reflect on it.  Easy.  I thought it was a cool activity- showing that if we are in a different country where we don't speak the language, how in the WORLD are we going to communicate what we need.  Now, I'm not sure using sign language and weird pointing is going to go over well with impatient Germans, but, we'll see.

So mom and I RUSHEEEDDDD back to our bus all the way across NYC to the Port Authority Station. Really, truly, an unforgettable experience.  I love you mom. <3  (and shout out the that random guy that showed us how to get out of the subway, you rock dude!)

I was going to stop typing here but then I realized I forgot that whole part about about me actually being accepted.  (sorry, spoiler alert, I got accepted) Yeah so that didn't happen for quite some time.  I joined an AFS CBYX hopefuls page and eeeeveryone seemed to find out what their status was like a week before me so I assumed they just forgot to tell me I wasn't accepted.  Understandable.  I was feeling pretty forgettable at the time.  I was going to just go to New Paltz in the fall and live a happy little college kid lifethenohmygodwhattheheckisthat.  IWASACCEPTEDOMG.  April 19th. I really wasn't expecting it because I had waited so much longer than the others!
"Congratulations! It is my pleasure to inform you that you have been selected by AFS-USA as a Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) scholarship Finalist!At AFS-USA we are confident that you have demonstrated many qualities that will make you an outstanding representative of the United States in Germany.Many outstanding students applied to this prestigious scholarship, and selecting 50 Finalists was a difficult task. Your demonstration of exceptional personal and academic qualities makes you a great candidate to receive this scholarship. You and your family can be proud that you have been selected as a CBYX Finalist. The CBYX program is an excellent opportunity to begin a life of global exploration, and to gain a stronger understanding of international affairs and U.S. - German relations. At the same time, we expect you to become an AFS youth ambassador for the United States, to learn the German language, to enhance your personal and cross-cultural communication skills, and to forge lasting bonds with new friends, host family and mentors."

Ja.

So the rest of the stuff is pretty "boring" (not for me, but for you as my- probably only- reader).  Conference calls telling us how things are going to go, non-existent orientations and in-home-interviews (since I do not have AFS in my area, everything was via the interwebs), more and more and more paperwork, another conference call and lots and lots of waiting for a host family.  I FINALLY FINALLY FINALLY got my host family after waiting about 80 days on August 22nd.  I will be living for the first month of my exchange in Stadtbergen Germany, outside of Augsburg in beautiful Bavaria.  I will attend my required and supplied via the scholarship- 80 hours of Deutsch lernen in Augsburg.  I will have 1 host mother, 3 host sisters, 1 host brother and a host turtle! 
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Well, ta ta for now, but stay tuned!  More great hits are coming your way. 
Bis bald!  Tschüss!