Why I Decided to Be a Foreign Exchange Student

Last September, in the first week of school, I started searching for study abroad programs online. Before I even thought of studying abroad, I wanted to go on a mission trip over the summer but wasn't going over well - with my parent's. Since the beginning of my freshman year, I knew that I was going to live in Spain someday, and for some reason, I knew I would be fluent in Spanish someday too. This thought was before I even started Spanish 1, and I didn't know when or how I was going to live in Spain and speak Spanish, but I knew it was going to happen. Actually, my first year of Spanish school was horrible! I hated the class. I never really hated the language, but learning it was hard when you never studied! I quit halfway through my year but I knew I was supposed to learn Spanish. That summer I went to Ecuador on a mission trip with my church and I fell in LOVE with Spanish! When I got back I started studying every day, and I still knew that someday I would be fluent in the language. So when school rolled around (last September), I thought it would be a cool experience to live in a foreign country. At first I was looking into 4 to 6 months, but after a little research I decided a year would be better! And I found AFS and liked that program the most, so I signed up!

More Documents!

I recently got a TON of information! I am still working on my FBI Background check - it has literally taken a couple months - mainly because it is a government thing. But, now I have to get my official transcript from the school office, have it signed by the principal, stamped by the school, translated into Spanish by an "Official Translator" and authenticated with Apostilles! I know it is all worth it so I am able to live en España next year, I am just wondering what else everyone needs to do before we leave!