3 posts tagged “chile”
I went on the computer to check my email this morning, only to recieve one from AFS NZ to say that I had been accepted by AFS Chile.
That means that my next payment is due, and once it has been paid they will begin to find me a host family. I don't want to get my hopes up, but it would be awesome to be able to answer the question of "Where in Chile will you be?" with an answer other than "I don't know yet."
I've also been looking at a Lonely Planet for Chile, I don't know why but I have an obsession for the population size of places, and ANY of the cities/towns/villages there look wonderful. Mum tried to discourage me from Wikipedia-ing places in Chile, because 'I might be disapointed if I don't end up in a place that I like' but that is so not me! I like all of Chile at the moment. Once I find out my host family I might become slightly biased . . . but who knows? I'm just happy to know that AFS hasn't forgotten me.
I'm going to Chile! Yay!
A THICK envelope arrived in the mail today. As soon as Mum told me, I raced to the study, took it off her desk and raced back to the lounge, only to discover that it was adressed 'To the Parents of Anita *****'. I will not open anybody's mail without their permission so I went back to pouring myself a glass of milk. Mum asked if I'd opened the envelope, I said, no, then asked if I could open it.
Inside was a folder with two pockets and a LOT of paperwork/reading. A piece of paper showed the invoice for my first payment, another to ask for a scan of my passport, a health insurance booklet thingy, a student handbook, y mucho más.
I skimmed through the health insurance papers, re-read my acceptance statement, and knuckled down into reading The Student Exchange Handbook, which promised to be exciting but really scared me. Suddenly this is a reality; in February I WILL be at the airport ready (or not) to say goodbye to everybody, about to embark into the unknown...
What the SH (Student Handbook) basically contained was information about your schooling - don't slack off, let your school know, etc. There was also information on expectations - reasonable ones like no driving, flying on an unschedudeled flight (e.g a tiny 2 seater plane), obeying the rules of your host country and such. Nothing about No Dating . . . when I realised that I let out a sigh of relief in my head.
Reality hits
So far, I guess, going on an exchange has been a dream for me. And I say a dream because it has never been tangible until tonight. Even when I got my acceptance call, everything was still so far away that I had never really woken up.
My eyes are now firmly open . . . This is no longer a dream but a reality. Reading over the SH has made me realise a few truths about my exchange. I had always known that an exchange is going to be one of the toughest phases of my life. Tougher even than doing Level 2 NCEA a year early, and tougher than waiting to go into a flute exam. And reality hit me.
(Just a random side note, but when I imagine reality hitting me I always think of a brick dropping on my head).
I've never expected exchange to be plain sailing and I know, unless in some few cases, that its not going to be. I pretty much have no expectations, just unrealistic subconscious hopes that are so pathetic I won't even write them because they are unrealistic and stupid and not my expectations.
The town where I live has always felt like home to me, and even the country. Everything is somewhat familiar ... and I remember earlier this year when I went to Perth, the houses were different. None were made from wood, and they were just ... different ... and it felt strange, I felt very touristy. I want to be part of another culture, not an outsider, and whether is be in a poor family, und the Chilean desert, in the extreme South or in the Andes, I have a goal for myself. These are the six words that I will think of all year, through the highs and the lows and everything in between. No matter where I am, no matter how I feel, this is a unique oppurtunity that I am never going to have again. My words of wisdom are :
Make the most of every minute
And that is the only expectation I have. It is an expectation I have of myself, so I am fully responsible for doing it. And right now, I think I will.
This is the story of the afternoon when I was accepted to Chile:
I was sitting in my bedroom, on CS, when I heard the phone ring. I picked it up straight away, but my family's nanny had also picked up the phone on the kitchen. Her voice answered then phone, so I went to hang up my phone. But just before I did, I heard the voice of my AA.
I hung up anyway because it's polite not to eavesdrop.
A few seconds later, she came to my bedroom and said the phone was for me. So I picked it up, thinking to myself this is it! please please please please be Chile. And I can't remember exactly what he said, but it WAS Chile! All I could say was 'thank you!' 'thank you!'.
After I put the phone back, I turned to my younger brother and told him. (He was in my room looking at an I Spy book). "Matthew, I'm going to Chile!" I exclaimed.
He just grinned a sheepish grin and turned away. I asked why he looked to sheepish and his reply was "Cos you'll get me stuff".
...
So I texted two of my best friends and my mum then went on MSN and CS as well.
And today at school my friend told my whole Spanish class. And then it really sunk in how excited but nervous I was and I started to cry.
Nope, just kidding, I didn't cry :p
Today I was pretty excited though.
I saw my Auntie in the library after school and told her as well.
Right now it feels surreal, like this isn't really happening. I cannot see myself actually at the airport saying goodbye to my family. I'm sure this is how most other exchangers feel, so I'm not worried.
And my new favourite Spanish word - ¡Superfantastico!
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