The suspense is over! (Sort of)

Sooo...I just got word from AFS-USA that I've been accepted to the program I applied to! I got a voicemail on thursday night when my mom was driving me to the Harry Potter midnight premiere after our shift at Cape Arundel. (Side note: If you haven't seen the movie yet, go now. run. don't walk.) but anyway, it was a voicemail from AFS telling me that they had reviewed my application , everything looked fantastic, and that they wanted me to call them back when I got it. So, of course I start screaming in the car, scaring my mother, and quite possibly causing a road hazard...but YES! The weeks of driving my family crazy are over! I obviously wanted to call them back right that second, but it was almost eleven at night...which, unfortunately,  falls just slightly outside the socially acceptable calling hours. So I waited in AGONY until the next morning, when I called the representative who left me the voicemail...Long story short, I was accepted! Now, all I have to do is wait for them to send my application to Argentina so they can review it and guarantee they have a spot and a host family for me, which should be a few more weeks. So I've been off the wall for a few days, and now all we have to do is play the waiting game again until we hear from Argentina!

First Steps

Hi! My name is Avery Barros and I'm from a small town in Maine called Kennebunk. Right now, I am a Sophomore at Kennebunk high school, and I recently submitted my preliminary application to AFS to become an exchange student in Argentina for the second half of my junior year. I've chosen to travel abroad because I love the idea of experiencing other cultures and ways of living ouside my comfort zone. With this trip, my hope is to absorb as much Argentine culture as i possibly can, become more fluent in spanish, and have an experience that I'll remember for the rest of my life. I also hope to give back a little bit of American culture to my host family, and I would love to give prospective AFSers advice upon my return.
To make this wonderful opportunity a reality, I do need some help. In total, I need to raise roughly $9,000 for my trip tuition. I am currently fundraising, doing miscellaneous work, and keeping a job at Kennebunk house of Pizza, but I still need a little assistance in making this wonderful experience real. I thorougly appreciate you taking time to look at my blog and taking an interest in my exchange. If you would like to make a secure, non tax-deductible donation to my trip, please click the chipin button at the top right of the blog. No amount is too small, and every penny is vastly appreciated. If you know anyone who might be interested, please forward them this link: www.averytoargentina.blogspot.com . Thank you so much!