Hey a departure date! ...What?

Hey, I've gotten a departure date! It's...August 20? WHAAAAAAAT? Looks like NZ is very...particular...about their visa process, so AFS thinks the visas won't be ready in time, so they delayed stuff. Well, that's good and bad. Good: I get to spend more time here, and since I will also leave NZ later, I'll have more chances to ski. Bad: I'll barely have any time for summer when I get back. But hey, I actually have an idea of when I'm going! That's something good! Of course, knowing my luck, it will change again, but at least I have more of my current summer to enjoy! Now I just need a family...

Dental Normality Somewhat Acheived

I have just gotten my braces off, just in time for my exchange! I now just have to get used to speaking with a retainer, but that will be much easier as time goes on. I am so glad to finally have almost no metal in my mouth after six years of this...

Why "almost" in the title? Well, that'd be because I have this retainer on top, and I have another small bottom retainer that stays permanently. But at least it's better than having some really really annoying brackets poking me.

Hope and Frustration

All right, I've finally gotten a message back from AFS. As I look to open the message, I hope to finally get some sort of information, something about my family, departure, anything concrete... So I open it, and I see...

"I've asked the Travel Department for confirmation of Andy's Travel,and hope to hear back soon. I will let you know about this. Regarding his hostfamily, AFS-New Zealand is currently exploring various options for his placement, and I will let you know when they are able to tell us more."

Ok...let me get this straight...

I was one of the earliest people to get my application in or so they said, thanks to the fact I was first trying to get to Japan. Other people in my New Zealand group have gotten families, departure dates, all that stuff. I was one of the EARLIEST people to apply, and yet I have...NOTHING??? What is going on here!??!?!?! I mean, I understand things can be kind of hard, but if they're hard, then why are other people in my group getting things, while I have NOTHING AT ALL?? I just hope this gets better at some point, and I hope that "some point" is before the end of June. I don't want to make my parents spend another $2000 just because AFS never got my departure info to me.

In short, I'm still in the dark. That was my rant for today, thanks for reading.

SUMMER!!!

FINALLY!!! This mindless busywork that they call finals is over! Right now, I don't really care what my grades are, but I will once they actually come home... Now it's only a month before I can finally get to NEW ZEALAND!!!!!!!! However, I don't know if I'll get there if I have no idea what family I have, or when my arranged flights are... YOU HEAR ME, AFS? I would like to actually be informed at least a little bit!!! Can't you at least give me an update on what you are doing??? You can't leave me in the dark forever!!!

Ok, that's my usual AFS rant for the day...
W00t for summer vacation!

Anticipation FTW?

Oh for crying out... It's getting near finals, and a month after that is around the time I leave. So WHY IS IT THAT I HAVE GOTTEN NOTHING YET??? I've sent in the stuff for my visa, I've gotten the cash in, I've been to the orientation, etc., and yet while some of the other people in my group apparently have gotten either family or travel information, I have gotten NOTHING! I mean, I know I'm usually ignored in school by various people, but has my reputation been spread to AFS as well and they decided not to give me this stuff? Yes, I'm kidding by the way. I just want to be out of the complete darkness.