February 2010 Archives

I have learned that everything in Ghana is pay as you go. You buy a certain amount of credit then punch in the magic numbers, and then you get what you paid for! But it's crazy to think that TV and home internet is even pay as you go! It's so weird! On the televisions, if you don't touch the remote for more than 20 minutes, then a message pops up saying that the TV will turn off. Very interesting stuff. Read more.

AFS offers year, semester and summer programs to Ghana.

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So I have been with my family now for a week even though it doesn't feel like its been a week. It feel like a blink and much much longer. I'm happier now though. There were a few hours that were really tough. And I have come up with another "D" for AFS in case you don't know AFS has the 2 big "D"s that will get you sent home in a heartbeat, they are driving and drugs (and hitch-hiking and drinking if your under the legal age of your host country.) But my D is Downtime. Read more.

AFS offers year and semester programs to Austria.

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We had our mid year orientation with AFS in Trondheim recently! I wasn't really looking forward to it honestly, but it turned out to not be that bad! Only because I got to spend time with Afsers of course :)

We left from Molde around 14:00 and arrived in Trondheim finally around 19:00, it was such a long bus ride! But Vanessa, Javi, Chiara, Brenda and I were quite entertained. We listened to music and talked. But let me explain, we are quite loud when we are all together, always laughing and having a good time. Read more.

AFS offers year programs to Norway.

It´s taking me a while to type because the keyboards in Costa Rica are different than the USA...actually, a lot of things are different here.

Something weird: when you go to the bathroom, you can´t throw the toilet paper in the toilet; it goes in the trashcan. Something good: I understand more Spanish than I thought I did and can get my point across when asked something. Something bad: while I know more than I thought, I know WAY less than everyone else here, so it can be embarrassing sometimes to feel like I don´t understand the people when the speak to me.

The weather here is FANTASTIC if you love the heat; every day feels like 80 degrees (Fahrenheit) or more and it´s sunny even though it´s only February. Read more.

AFS offers year, semester and summer programs to Costa Rica.

For the two-week semester break Dilsad and I had enough time to go on a little trip. Dilsad's dad lives and works in Ankara, so we took the bus-about six hours-to go visit him. We left early on Saturday the 23rd and stayed until Sunday the 30th.

Ankara became the capital city of Turkey when Mustafa Kemal Ataturk remade, and modernized the city. Though it is lacking some of the charm of many of the older cities in turkey is a nice town full of chic cafes and shopping. We spent a lot of time walking around the city, which was a good way to see it but Ankara was freezing! The weather in Adana is bordering on summer right now. I liked being in the cold though, I feel like I need that difference to appreciate the warmness of Adana and summer.

Read more.

AFS offers year and summer programs to Turkey.

My New Zealand Dictionary...

• tramp= long hike
• knackered= tired
• mackers= mcdonalds
• awesome etc= sweet as
• chilly bin= cooler
• rubbish= trash

Read more about Trenor's first week in New Zealand.

AFS offers year, semester and summer programs to New Zealand.

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From the instant the first snowfall hits the Alps, half the Swiss population starts unpacking their skis and snowboards and preparing for their upcoming voyage out to the nearest mountain. Within a week, the slopes are swarming with skiers of all ages, dauntless octogenarians whizzing past caravans of brightly-dressed toddlers who weave down the runs with enviable grace. The tourists arrive soon thereafter, and the ski stations suddenly become a hodgepodge of languages and nationalities, with broken English predominating over French or even German. But the Swiss still remain the majority. Read more.

AFS offers year programs to Switzerland.

So, as you may have noticed, I haven't posted anything for quite some time! However, here is the summation of my experience, in the form of a letter.

It is often said that a picture is worth 1000 words, but I prefer to think that an experience is worth more than words -- more than any number of words. To be an exchange student is an experience of a lifetime, they tell me; but, I tell them that to be an exchange student is a lifetime of an experience. While I only stayed in Argentina for a duration of five months, the five month experience will be forever present.

From the exchange, I gained a family, memories, friends -- a separate life -- completely apart from that of the U.S. Some may ask: "Was it easy?" no; "Was it fun?" not always; but, "Was it worth it?" it was worth every single moment. It teaches you about more than simply a language. It teaches you about life in every meaning of the word; it teaches of maturity, acceptance, diversity, personal worth -- what it is to live in a just and decent world.Read more.

AFS offers year, semester, and summer programs to Argentina.

I have just heard news of my permanent placement with a Chilean family! I live in Parral, Chile, about 200 miles south of Santiago. I have 5 siblings; four sisters and a brother. Alejandra is 16, but is on foreign exchange in the USA, so we're kind of switching places! Read more.

AFS offers year, semester and year programs to Chile.

(Photo: Norway - Nicole rock climbing with AFSers)

This is a post dedicated to my AFS friends! Let me just explain this.

When you go to another country with AFS your closest friends usually end up being the other AFSers. Because you are all going through the year together, they are the first people you meet, and they understand everything you are going through. There is just an understanding between all of us. I absolutely love the other Afsers here. Some of them are like family to me! Read more.

AFS offers year programs to Norway.

Hannah and I decided to go on an adventure yesterday. I wanted to explore and Hannah needed a book so, we decided to go to the Cairo International Book Fair. We really had no idea where it was besides the fact that it is somewhere in Nasr City. We had planned to leave around 4, but Egypt being Egypt we left around 5.

Read more.

AFS offers year and summer programs to Egypt.

The weekend went well, and I am now well into my second week with my host family. On Sunday we at lunch with my host mom's sister's family. We then went as a group to the city of Ponte de Lima (literally: the Lima Bridge, the Lima is a river in Northern Portugal). Read more.

AFS offers year and semester programs to Portugal.