Holiday angst

Happy holidays everyone! I know it has been a while, but I have been busy with school and whatnot. Luckily, all my finals are over and I am that much closer to graduation. All these months seem like a blur, as if just yesterday I started my "Jenior" year. I hope everything continues to go fast so I can leave already. However, I have not received my letter yet to tell me where I am going, and I am becoming quite paranoid. Ever since winter break started, I have run to the mailbox everyday to check. I know I should calm down though because I could get it as late as the second week of January. I did; however, get a card from my friend in poland. I didn't understand too many words, but I got excited that one day soon I might be able to completely read it(she wrote in english too though). I have been studying polish all my winter break, and I feel like I am grasping many things. Since teaching myself french I have learnt that sometimes it is better to not stress too much about grammar, and that it will come by itself. Also learning tip for anyone learning a foreign language: immerse yourself! I have even begun meeting with a local swimmer from the pool I work at. She is polish and so she helps me a lot with questions I may have. The only downside is she is about 70ish and hasn't lived there for quite some time, but it is better than nothing.
I have also been obsessing with videos on youtube that interview many different people who moved or are living in poland. These videos are great because they aren't just americans there are people from every around the world and all different ages so I don't get a biased opinion. They ask them questions that would really matter to someone going there and I am just getting super pumped. I really hope I go to poland. Here are some links:

Poland season 1



Also, it hasn't really hit me that this could be my last christmas break with my family. It just feels like any year. I don't know if I should feel sad. Everything is just kinda weird.

Happy New Years,

Angel Salas

Final Interview

Yay! My final interview for the RYE Foreign Exchange was completed today! It is such a relief and I can finally calm down. For those of you guys who do not know what interviews consist of, it is usually a panel of Rotarians, who ask questions concerning situations that I would face abroad.  While there exist no 'wrong' answers, It is really nerve wracking because I want to be able to answer right away, but I couldn't and then it was awkward having a bunch of Rotarians staring at you waiting for a response. In the end everything I said did not come out perfect, but the interview was great and a woman complimented me on my teeth, so hopefully that counts for something!:D

Also while it is possible they cut me at the district level interviews it is really rare, and I am pretty sure I have nothing to worry about. Rotary will notify me, most likely before christmas, where I am going, except it might take longer if they decide to send me somewhere "I never even thought of"!!!!
Who would do that? I know I would be very lucky to be an exchange student, but I honestly am not ready for an asian country, especially after all the blogs I have read. However, I would feel so ungrateful to say no, I am starting to really freak out. I just really hope they send me to Poland; I hope everything works out.

Other than that not much has been new, I have been trying to get through school, and I have not thought too much about the exchange yet––mostly because I need to do my senior project. It is a community project usually reserved for seniors, but one that I must do this year to graduate early, and I totally have not started! :(

On top of that Rotary has assigned me some more homework. Woo!

Next time I write, I should know my country, so let us all cross our fingers!

P.S I also received and finished reading The Exchange Student: Survival Kit today––the supposed bible of my exchange. While it is helpful and exciting, I just can't imagine me going through culture shock, seeing as I am so open-minded, but we will see. I also got a bit sad reading the return part; I have not even left yet and I already dread having to come back! haha:D

Well till next time,
Angel Salas

Nervous

I am pretty nervous seeing as my final interview is one week away. I will get to know for sure if I am going to be able to do an exchange or not. My YEO told me that it is not super likely they turn people away at this stage, but that it happens. I don't know what I would do if this happens; I would probably die. Just kidding. I know I would find a way, besides they only turn you down if they think you are not ready, and I know I am.  I  want this more than anything.

Meanwhile, It is already december, and I can't believe how fast my last year of high school is going. Pretty soon, I will be taking my SAT's, and I have decided to apply to college next year in my technically real senior year. I also experienced my possibly last thanksgiving with my parents how sad!