Hello! If you've been reading this for any amount of time, you'll know that today is the day I am leaving.
Before I talk about that, I want to talk about Sunday! Sunday was my eighteenth birthday. I would like to thank everyone who was part of that, especially my parents and sister. You really didn't have to get me all of those. It's hard to believe how far I've come in one year. This time last year I was watching the Euro Cup, enjoying comfort in the great familiar and studying abroad was only a dream. Now it is a reality.
Anyway, leaving. For those of you who have been reading you will know that six days after I get back from Turkey I will leave for college. Normally leaving for six weeks wouldn't be a big deal, but it is. This is the reason why my blog is called Turkey and Everything After because this, this journey, adventure, whatever you want to call it marks the beginning of change for me. When I get back life won't be normal, all of my friends will be getting ready to go to college and so on.
Leaving, part of me really wants to leave another part doesn't. The part that doesn't is the part that wants more time in the familiar before my life changes completely. And so it is in this way that I am stuck in a paradox of wanting to leave, but not wanting to leave. I can't really explain the feeling.
Another thought is, even though I am leaving today it still feels like this adventure is far away. It feels like I will never leave Anchorage, Alaska and that Turkey is still a distant thought. I guess it hasn't hit me yet, I am still in disbelief that this amazing opportunity is actually going to happen and I don't think it will hit, not until I'm at the airport, maybe not even until I am in D.C.
I guess I am writing this, not only because I said I would write another post before I left, but because no matter how much you read, you can never imagine what exactly it is like to study abroad. I still can't and I won't until I'm there. It's impossible to imagine going into the complete unknown.
By this time tomorrow I will have touched down in D.C and might possibly be at my hotel. Do I know what is going to happen? Of course not. Am I ready? Not in the least, but nevertheless this moment is here. This moment I have been dreaming of for over a year and I still can't believe this is happening. In ten hours I will board a plan that will take me from Anchorage to Chicago and I don't look at it as a six hour plan flight. I look at it as the beginning.
I can't promise or tell you when or where my next post will be from, that all depends on how much time and internet I have, but the next time you read this I will be somewhere different, having an adventure.
As always thanks for reading.
Till next time,
-Sarah
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Host Family!!!!!
Here is the post, most if not all, exchange students who blog write about. I got my host family!!!! I have a host mom and dad and a sixteen year old sister!
I am so excited, I can't believe I leave for D.C in a week.
I will write more about this week and pacing and leaving and stuff like that. I can't wait!
Till next time,
-Sarah
I am so excited, I can't believe I leave for D.C in a week.
I will write more about this week and pacing and leaving and stuff like that. I can't wait!
Till next time,
-Sarah
Monday, June 17, 2013
Turkey and Everything Before
Hello my lovely readers!
Hope it's been a wonderful week for you, as it has for me. As I said, I didn't do much last week, I was hoping to be more productive, but...
Anyway, so this is a post that I really wanted to write. This post will describe how I am going to Turkey, virtually for free, why Turkey and how I found out about exchange programs in general. So here we go.
I guess my first experience with learning that I wanted to be an exchange student, was the end of my sophomore year. Rotary exchange came and gave a presentation. I really liked it and really wanted to do it, but I couldn't because it was to late to apply and go abroad as a junior. I didn't think much of it, because that summer we were going to Portugal. At that time it was an idea that I excepted that wasn't going to happen. I also could have easily applied for a different program my senior year, but I really wanted to graduate with my class, I can't explain why, I just did.
It started last April, I don't know why or how, or what was going through my head, but I decided to look up gap year programs, I really wanted to go on a gap year and thought it was a great opportunity for me. I spent so much time looking for an affordable program and found one. I wrote an essay, consisting of financial proof as to why my dad should let me go on a gap year exchange program. Unfortunately I missed one very important and expensive financial detail unique to our family situation. The point was that I couldn't study abroad for a year after I graduated high school and I could only go abroad in the summer if it was free. This wasn't the end, though, it was just the beginning.
When I first started searching is when I started reading exchange blogs. Even though I couldn't go abroad, I still kept reading blogs, all summer long and even when school started again. In September I was reading a blog, from the beginning and the girl made a post about all these free exchange programs. One of them included NSLI-Y. When I found out that NSLI-Y had summer programs that were open to high school graduates, I asked my dad if I could apply. Both of my parents let me apply because they thought there was no way I could get it. If you're reading this and thinking about applying for NSLI-Y do it, but be aware it is a really competitive scholarship.
To those of you who don't know NSLI-Y offers programs in Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, Korean, Persian (Tajik), Russian, and Turkish. On your application you are allowed to put down your top three choices. Why did I put down Turkish as my first choice? I wasn't really that interested in Chinese, Korean or Russian while I would love to visit those places I didn't really want to go right now. I also feel I wouldn't be ready for Hindi because English is so common in India, I thought it'd be really easy for me to use English if I was frustrated. Anyway, so that leaves Arabic, Persian and Turkish. I'm not sure why, but I didn't put down Arabic as one of my choices at the time. My dad told me to put down Turkish as my first choice, I put down Persian as my second and any as my third. I put down Persian because I really want to visit remote places and Tajikistan is so remote, but I am so glad to be going to Turkey and so excited.
Obviously, I applied, but it wasn't that simple. Before I did the NSLI-Y application, I had to finish all of my early action college application. I think I submitted my application, the day before it was due. Anyway, my essays weren't as good as they could have been because I did them last minute. Then I waited.
During this time of waiting, I read NSLI-Y blogs. Reading these blogs didn't help much. Everyone who wrote a blog seemed to have more international and/or language experience than I did. That made me really nervous. However on December 18, 2012. I got an e-mail saying I was selected as a semi-finalist. I was so happy.
Again, for those of you who don't know, if your selected as a NSLI-Y semi-finalist you have an interview, which counts for 20 per-cent. I had been doing interviews with colleges all year, so I think I was prepared. Anyway, the interview itself was interesting. To be honest that was the only interview I had where I wasn't sure how well it went. After the interview I was expecting not to get NSLI-Y, not because of the interview, I just wasn't expecting to get a NSLI-Y scholarship. Because I wasn't expecting to get NSLI-Y and I really wanted to go abroad, I applied for two full scholarships to go to Japan with YFU-USA.
After my NSLI-Y interview I waited. If you ever become an exchange student, be prepared to wait, a lot. Thankfully I had a lot to distract me during this wait. Then on March 25th, 2013, my dad called me from school and said "Congratulations you're going to Turkey!". I was so excited. After that I cancelled my YFU application. And started writing this blog.
That's pretty much the story. I just wanted my readers, especially if you are thinking or will apply for NSLI-Y next year to do it. Yes it is competitive and be prepared not to get it, but if you really want it, you can and will get it.
With that being said, I have eight days left before I leave. I'm not sure when I'll be posting next, if I will post this week, again, or next week. I do promise to write another post before I leave. And since I'm feeling productive I want to go through everything today, so I can just worry about packing. I also need to learn more Turkish.
That's about it for now. As always thanks for reading.
Till next time,
-Sarah
Hope it's been a wonderful week for you, as it has for me. As I said, I didn't do much last week, I was hoping to be more productive, but...
Anyway, so this is a post that I really wanted to write. This post will describe how I am going to Turkey, virtually for free, why Turkey and how I found out about exchange programs in general. So here we go.
I guess my first experience with learning that I wanted to be an exchange student, was the end of my sophomore year. Rotary exchange came and gave a presentation. I really liked it and really wanted to do it, but I couldn't because it was to late to apply and go abroad as a junior. I didn't think much of it, because that summer we were going to Portugal. At that time it was an idea that I excepted that wasn't going to happen. I also could have easily applied for a different program my senior year, but I really wanted to graduate with my class, I can't explain why, I just did.
It started last April, I don't know why or how, or what was going through my head, but I decided to look up gap year programs, I really wanted to go on a gap year and thought it was a great opportunity for me. I spent so much time looking for an affordable program and found one. I wrote an essay, consisting of financial proof as to why my dad should let me go on a gap year exchange program. Unfortunately I missed one very important and expensive financial detail unique to our family situation. The point was that I couldn't study abroad for a year after I graduated high school and I could only go abroad in the summer if it was free. This wasn't the end, though, it was just the beginning.
When I first started searching is when I started reading exchange blogs. Even though I couldn't go abroad, I still kept reading blogs, all summer long and even when school started again. In September I was reading a blog, from the beginning and the girl made a post about all these free exchange programs. One of them included NSLI-Y. When I found out that NSLI-Y had summer programs that were open to high school graduates, I asked my dad if I could apply. Both of my parents let me apply because they thought there was no way I could get it. If you're reading this and thinking about applying for NSLI-Y do it, but be aware it is a really competitive scholarship.
To those of you who don't know NSLI-Y offers programs in Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, Korean, Persian (Tajik), Russian, and Turkish. On your application you are allowed to put down your top three choices. Why did I put down Turkish as my first choice? I wasn't really that interested in Chinese, Korean or Russian while I would love to visit those places I didn't really want to go right now. I also feel I wouldn't be ready for Hindi because English is so common in India, I thought it'd be really easy for me to use English if I was frustrated. Anyway, so that leaves Arabic, Persian and Turkish. I'm not sure why, but I didn't put down Arabic as one of my choices at the time. My dad told me to put down Turkish as my first choice, I put down Persian as my second and any as my third. I put down Persian because I really want to visit remote places and Tajikistan is so remote, but I am so glad to be going to Turkey and so excited.
Obviously, I applied, but it wasn't that simple. Before I did the NSLI-Y application, I had to finish all of my early action college application. I think I submitted my application, the day before it was due. Anyway, my essays weren't as good as they could have been because I did them last minute. Then I waited.
During this time of waiting, I read NSLI-Y blogs. Reading these blogs didn't help much. Everyone who wrote a blog seemed to have more international and/or language experience than I did. That made me really nervous. However on December 18, 2012. I got an e-mail saying I was selected as a semi-finalist. I was so happy.
Again, for those of you who don't know, if your selected as a NSLI-Y semi-finalist you have an interview, which counts for 20 per-cent. I had been doing interviews with colleges all year, so I think I was prepared. Anyway, the interview itself was interesting. To be honest that was the only interview I had where I wasn't sure how well it went. After the interview I was expecting not to get NSLI-Y, not because of the interview, I just wasn't expecting to get a NSLI-Y scholarship. Because I wasn't expecting to get NSLI-Y and I really wanted to go abroad, I applied for two full scholarships to go to Japan with YFU-USA.
After my NSLI-Y interview I waited. If you ever become an exchange student, be prepared to wait, a lot. Thankfully I had a lot to distract me during this wait. Then on March 25th, 2013, my dad called me from school and said "Congratulations you're going to Turkey!". I was so excited. After that I cancelled my YFU application. And started writing this blog.
That's pretty much the story. I just wanted my readers, especially if you are thinking or will apply for NSLI-Y next year to do it. Yes it is competitive and be prepared not to get it, but if you really want it, you can and will get it.
With that being said, I have eight days left before I leave. I'm not sure when I'll be posting next, if I will post this week, again, or next week. I do promise to write another post before I leave. And since I'm feeling productive I want to go through everything today, so I can just worry about packing. I also need to learn more Turkish.
That's about it for now. As always thanks for reading.
Till next time,
-Sarah
Thursday, June 13, 2013
It's a Go!
So, normally I wouldn't be posting right now, especially since I haven't been doing much this week.
Anyway the point of this entry is the I am going to Turkey!!!!!
I know what you might be thinking, that I already was going to Turkey. Well yes, that is true; however there have been protests and clashes with police in Turkey, these last few weeks. But today I got a confirmation e-mail saying ACES and the U.S Department of State is going through with the program!
I am so excited, I just thought I would share this with whomever reads this blog.
As always, thanks for reading.
Till next time,
-Sarah
Anyway the point of this entry is the I am going to Turkey!!!!!
I know what you might be thinking, that I already was going to Turkey. Well yes, that is true; however there have been protests and clashes with police in Turkey, these last few weeks. But today I got a confirmation e-mail saying ACES and the U.S Department of State is going through with the program!
I am so excited, I just thought I would share this with whomever reads this blog.
As always, thanks for reading.
Till next time,
-Sarah
Monday, June 10, 2013
Lunch and Renaissance Fair
Hello my lovely readers!
I know I haven't been blogging much, but there isn't a lot going on in my life right now that is interesting. However I am writing this because there were two things that happened, that I consider interesting, so I am going to write about them.
First of all, on Friday I had a lunch for a scholarship that I won. This lunch was a big deal. I'm not exaggerating. There was the mayor of Anchorage, the Governor of Alaska, and the Secretary of the U.S Department of Commerce there. Now because I won a scholarship, I had to give a speech. Normally I am not really nervous about public speaking because it's something that comes naturally to me, but I was. Aside from those people that I just listed above there were a lot of important people from a lot of different companies there, as well. Needless to say I was nervous. My speech only had to be about a minute. I did really well apparently, someone from BP came up to me after and told me that I did a really good job, which was flattering. I am really happy that that is something I got to experience because by winning this scholarship (it was for high school graduates and college undergraduates who want to/are studying International Relations.) I can really see my life coming together. I don't know how to explain that further, but I can see all of the potential I have and I can see the direction my life is headed in and that's a really good feeling.
Aside from the lunch, yesterday I went to the Renaissance Fair with my sister. It was really fun. We probably would've stayed longer had it not been so hot. Keep in mind, hot to Alaskans in 70'F. I'm going to die in Turkey, when it's 80 and 90 everyday, having to where long clothes. Oh well, it is so worth it. I also got to see two of my friends who were volunteering there and I really want to volunteer there next year. It looks so much fun, although they were dying because it was so hot outside. I also got my fortune told, which was an interesting experience to say the least.
Aside from that, working, learning Turkish, reading and practicing my viola is all I've really been up to. Vowel harmonization is awesome! I wish the English language did that.
As I write this, I have 15 days left before I leave for D.C! I'm really excited, actually that's an understatement. This week I plan on going through everything, clothes, toys, etc... And then next week will be packing week. Next week will also be more exciting because I'll be doing more. Next weeks post will be Turkey specific, explaining more in-depth about why I am going to Turkey because, as you can tell I really haven't been doing that much and this week I have nothing planned. I also really want to write a Turkish specific post, so that will be in seven days.
I think that pretty much covers everything for this week!
Till next time,
-Sarah
I know I haven't been blogging much, but there isn't a lot going on in my life right now that is interesting. However I am writing this because there were two things that happened, that I consider interesting, so I am going to write about them.
First of all, on Friday I had a lunch for a scholarship that I won. This lunch was a big deal. I'm not exaggerating. There was the mayor of Anchorage, the Governor of Alaska, and the Secretary of the U.S Department of Commerce there. Now because I won a scholarship, I had to give a speech. Normally I am not really nervous about public speaking because it's something that comes naturally to me, but I was. Aside from those people that I just listed above there were a lot of important people from a lot of different companies there, as well. Needless to say I was nervous. My speech only had to be about a minute. I did really well apparently, someone from BP came up to me after and told me that I did a really good job, which was flattering. I am really happy that that is something I got to experience because by winning this scholarship (it was for high school graduates and college undergraduates who want to/are studying International Relations.) I can really see my life coming together. I don't know how to explain that further, but I can see all of the potential I have and I can see the direction my life is headed in and that's a really good feeling.
Aside from the lunch, yesterday I went to the Renaissance Fair with my sister. It was really fun. We probably would've stayed longer had it not been so hot. Keep in mind, hot to Alaskans in 70'F. I'm going to die in Turkey, when it's 80 and 90 everyday, having to where long clothes. Oh well, it is so worth it. I also got to see two of my friends who were volunteering there and I really want to volunteer there next year. It looks so much fun, although they were dying because it was so hot outside. I also got my fortune told, which was an interesting experience to say the least.
Aside from that, working, learning Turkish, reading and practicing my viola is all I've really been up to. Vowel harmonization is awesome! I wish the English language did that.
As I write this, I have 15 days left before I leave for D.C! I'm really excited, actually that's an understatement. This week I plan on going through everything, clothes, toys, etc... And then next week will be packing week. Next week will also be more exciting because I'll be doing more. Next weeks post will be Turkey specific, explaining more in-depth about why I am going to Turkey because, as you can tell I really haven't been doing that much and this week I have nothing planned. I also really want to write a Turkish specific post, so that will be in seven days.
I think that pretty much covers everything for this week!
Till next time,
-Sarah
Monday, June 3, 2013
Hiking, Yogurt, Goodbyes and Dinner
Hello everyone!
I had a lot going on last week, that I wish to tell you about.
To begin:
The weather in Anchorage was really nice, so on Wednesday I went hiking with my sister and a few friends. It was great fun and really pretty. I want to do more stuff like that before I leave. I got a few pictures, but I don't feel like posting them because I'm lazy. I promise that won't be the case when I'm in Turkey!
Then on Thursday I had frozen yogurt with some friends as a goodbye party. It was really fun, the yogurt was yummy and the weather was nice.
On Friday, I went to the airport to say goodbye to one of my close friends who was going back to Germany. She was an exchange student this year. That was really emotional and I miss her already. Also the next time I go to the airport I will be the one that is leaving, which is weird to think about. After saying goodbye I had dinner with my sister and a friend. The dinner was good and I had a nice evening.
That's about it. I don't really know what is going to happen this week. I only have a few things planned. I know I need to do more Turkish. I really want to be busy everyday, which is why I wish school was still in session. I know I'm crazy, but I do because then I could see my friends everyday and time would move so much faster. Oh well. This free time I have is necessary because I probably won't have much free time once I leave until Christmas break.
Also one more thing, I found out last week I won a scholarship. The scholarship is for high school graduates and college undergraduates who want to study International Relations. I have a lunch on Friday for that so I will post about that.
When I said one more thing, I lied. If you have been following world news then you will know that Turkey is having protest right now. There have not been protest in Bursa and on Sunday they seemed less violet than on Friday and Saturday. This shouldn't have an effect on whether or not I can go to Turkey. I think/hope I'll still be able to go. All in all it's really interesting, but I'm not too concerned.
So, that's about it for now. I still need to write more specific Turkey post and that sort of thing, but I'm sure I will the closer it gets. I am leaving this month, which again is odd for me to think about. There will be more post soon! Oh... And 23 more days until I leave!
Till next time,
-Sarah
I had a lot going on last week, that I wish to tell you about.
To begin:
The weather in Anchorage was really nice, so on Wednesday I went hiking with my sister and a few friends. It was great fun and really pretty. I want to do more stuff like that before I leave. I got a few pictures, but I don't feel like posting them because I'm lazy. I promise that won't be the case when I'm in Turkey!
Then on Thursday I had frozen yogurt with some friends as a goodbye party. It was really fun, the yogurt was yummy and the weather was nice.
On Friday, I went to the airport to say goodbye to one of my close friends who was going back to Germany. She was an exchange student this year. That was really emotional and I miss her already. Also the next time I go to the airport I will be the one that is leaving, which is weird to think about. After saying goodbye I had dinner with my sister and a friend. The dinner was good and I had a nice evening.
That's about it. I don't really know what is going to happen this week. I only have a few things planned. I know I need to do more Turkish. I really want to be busy everyday, which is why I wish school was still in session. I know I'm crazy, but I do because then I could see my friends everyday and time would move so much faster. Oh well. This free time I have is necessary because I probably won't have much free time once I leave until Christmas break.
Also one more thing, I found out last week I won a scholarship. The scholarship is for high school graduates and college undergraduates who want to study International Relations. I have a lunch on Friday for that so I will post about that.
When I said one more thing, I lied. If you have been following world news then you will know that Turkey is having protest right now. There have not been protest in Bursa and on Sunday they seemed less violet than on Friday and Saturday. This shouldn't have an effect on whether or not I can go to Turkey. I think/hope I'll still be able to go. All in all it's really interesting, but I'm not too concerned.
So, that's about it for now. I still need to write more specific Turkey post and that sort of thing, but I'm sure I will the closer it gets. I am leaving this month, which again is odd for me to think about. There will be more post soon! Oh... And 23 more days until I leave!
Till next time,
-Sarah
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