All Exchange Students Do This

It's weird; I've noticed that every single exchange student does this one particular thing (something that I am doing as well). What is that? NOT KEEPING UP WITH BLOG POSTS! This happens to everyone: You'll start applying for the application and create a blog to write all of your feelings in. You constantly write everyday until you find out that you make it and you just about stop writing all together (unless, of course, you didn't make it and you delete your blog to wipe away the sadness).

I, honestly, did NOT think this was going to happen to me cause I thought I would have so much to talk about and say. The truth: once you find out, you are in absolute complete shock that you're speechless. For a while. Not to mention you don't really find out anything until about a month into finding out.

Anyways, just want to let you all know that I will be posting more frequently when there's more to talk about.

xoxo, skye

Getting Prepared

Time to completely rethink my wardrobe for junior year; While most of my class will be purchasing new shorts, tank tops, and flip flops, I get to search for jeans, sweaters, and boots. (Believe it or not, there is a huge difference in Arizona and German weather....) So I've been doing some searching for stuff. Comment and tell me what you thin of them all and if it's worth the buy, it would really help me out. :)

tan Ugg boots :

black Doc Martens:

teal rain boots

brown riding boots:

sweaters:

(It's) The Final Countdown (Dananana, Danananana)

Did anybody get that reference in the title? If so, bonus points for you. :)

Anyways, it is literally the final countdown. Since the start of applying for Germany, I had many countdowns: the day the application came out, the day the application was due, the day I found out if I was a finalist, the day of my interview, and the day I found out if I was a scholarship winner. Even though all of these differ in size, I have the longest countdown yet: the day I depart for Germany.

 Other things I have to wait for in that time is our orientation (to meet everyone in our region) at the end of May and waiting to hear about my host family.

So how long is it until I depart? Four months and two days or 126 days...SO MUCH TIME! It's incredibly hard to wait that long, now knowing that I will be going to Germany. But I think I can deal with it (after all, I get to chill at home for a month while all of my friends are at school). :p

The feeling of being accepted

It really is a hard feeling to describe. And let me just tell you, you have no idea how it feels until it actually happens to you. I remember watching a bunch of videos last year when everyone had been accepted and thinking, "that's definitely not going to happen to me. I'll be excited but I'm not going to be in a non-believing stage." But when I got accepted on Monday, I definitely had that feeling and took it all back.

You just get a feeling of wonderful excitement and spread tears of joy. It's a feeling of not accepting that this is really happening and that you're going to be in Germany in 4 months. It's crazy, but it's the best feeling in the world!

I'm going to Germany!!

OH MY GOD! Let me just say, the shock is like none other! I found out about 20 minutes ago and I still just absolutely can not believe it. My heart is beating so fast and I'm shaking! I just want to say that all of the waiting is worth it: you get to feel as amazing as this!

Here is my email I got congratulating me:

Hello Skylar,

Attached below is a letter from our Director, congratulating you on being selected as a Recipient for the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Scholarship Program for the 2013-2014 academic year. Please read the letter that is attached below. 

As stated in the letter, our staff will be in touch with you soon in regards to important dates and information. Once again, congratulations on being selected as a recipient and we look forward to speaking with you soon!

If you should have any other questions, feel free to contact me at anytime. 


Best wishes,

Luke Swope
Youth Exchange Specialist
F.L.A.G., Inc. - CBYX Program

And here was the attached letter:

Dear Skylar,

During the month of March, you were chosen as one of the 64 CBYX students who were selected and interviewed as a finalist for the 2013-14 academic-year scholarship. It is my honor to inform you that as of earlier today, you have been chosen as 1 of 50 students to serve as a U.S. ambassador in Germany during the next academic year. Congratulations, you've done it!

Members of the FLAG-CBYX team will be in contact with you in the near future, so that you and your families have a better grasp on what now lies ahead. When our staff contacts you, they will begin to prepare you for the future year abroad and guide you through a variety of critical dates and procedures.

Once again, congratulations! The FLAG-CBYX team is so excited for you and we look forward to seeing you again during out on-site orientation May 17th-20th.

Best wishes,

Tim