I decided I wanted to go to Japan, for various reasons, but mostly to learn Japanese so I don't have to wait for the subbed anime : )

So, I got on my handy comp and typed in "Japan student exchange" into google. It took a lot of digging, but I finally found one worth trying for. So, the program I picked is AFS. They have apparently been around for many years, and I know some people who have met people using the program to come here, and gone other places, so it is real.

They wanted an application fee, but I didn't have the money. I found out that if you got recommended for a certain scholarship that the application fee is waived. So, with only 10 days left till the deadline I had my mom call the person in charge of my acredidation. She got the recomemdation in and I completed the initial application.

I then had one month to recieve, fill out, and send back a 30 pg application, including essays, letters, and one peice of artwork, before the deadline. We had several medical tests to complete, and a lot of scrambling to get it all done in time. We finnally managed to get everything organized and sent in, using overnight mail, the day before the deadline.

All of this was rushed because I found the program so late. Normally people have months to fill these things out, but we were on a tight deadline. I have to go next year, or it will be to late. I want to do the highschool program, and next year is my last year of highschool.

I also had a phone conference about fundraising for the tuition somewhere in there.

After all of that was done, I had half a month to schedule and in-home interview with an AFS volunteer... The problem was I had no idea that this was going to happen until I finished all the other stuff. My house is a pigs-stie. So I spend the next few weeks trying to find a time when the volunteer could come, and cleaning like mad. It ended up going rather well. The volunteer, I will call her K, brought along a girl how went on the year exchange program to Japan last year, will will call her S.

K and S met my father, mother, and middle sister, as well as both our cats and my bird. We talked about what to expect after I return, the likelyhood of getting a full or partial scholarship (a nesecity for me to go), what Japan is like, what I am like, what my family is like, how we interact, my volunteer work, school, ext...

S and I went to my room for a while and we talked about Japan and anime. Overall it was an O.K. interview, and kind of fun.

Right now I am having to twidle my thumbs while I wait to see if I got the scholarship. They anounce it March 4, so I will know soon.

I have to have the scholarship, at least partial, to go on the program. Because we have no money, I had to deffer the payment until scholarship money came in, but if I do not get the scholarship Japan never sees my application. So I REALLY need it.

I want to go on the year program in Japan. My second choice is the semester one, and third is the summer program. The application said it is good if you destination choice is flexible it is better, but I am not that interested in other countries. I know what I want, and I am going to get it (please!!!!!!). This is a rare thing for me, because I cannot normally make up my mind. The tuition for the year one is a little over $10,000. Semester half that, and Summer half THAT. I really hope I get the full tuition scholarship, but only 10 out of 500 people get that, so my chances are not that great, but I can hope.

That is all that has happened so far, hope you keep up with the fun! See you again March 4th!