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Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Oh my god Host Family!

So, remember how I said I would update when I had my mind wrapped around it...

My mind has been re-blown! :D

Just four short hours after I received my acceptance e-mail from AFS-Belgium Flanders, while I was on my break at work(it was really quite amazing timing), I got the email for my 'permanent host family'! That has got to be the fastest turn around time for a host family ever! I can't even believe it, it's absolutely crazy.

I have a mom and a dad(35 and 43 respectively) and a little brother and a little sister(9 and 11 respectively) and a Jack Russell! I have to admit that I was kind of hoping for one sibling close to my age just for adapting reasons, but this is actually going to be a lot of fun. Little kids like me better than kids my own age most of the time, and I doubt that the eleven year old sister is going to develop that 'new girl envy.' Since I won't be invading her friends. :D I'm super pumped that they have an indoor dog, too, because I haven't been able to live with indoor pets for like, three or four years. I have two outside dogs at my dad's house, but three years ago when my mom lived in a much larger house, we had five huge dogs that were inside all the time! They were the most fun in the whole wide world. I really miss them. :( But yay for inside pets! Woo!

Also found out that I'll be in Beringen! Not that that really means a lot to me, but hey it even has a wikipedia page, so at least there's that! Apparently a lot of cities/towns that exchangers go to don't even have a wiki page. It's also just an hour and ten minutes away from Brussels, I think, and it's even closer to Antwerpen, although not by too terribly much.

I sent them an email as soon as I got home from work(Like 5:00 a.m. their time!) so maybe I'll hear back from them tomorrow, but no pressure if it takes them a while. I'm just really overexcited about the whole thing and can't wait to really talk to them. The only downside to the host family packet was that there were no pictures :( I was really wanting to see pictures of them. Maybe they'll email me some? I hope so!

Tot ziens!
Maggie

10 comments:

  1. Congrats! You're really lucky you have found out your host family so quick, I still dont know mine, hopefully I'll know by the end of the week

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    1. Thank you! :D I'm sure you'll get yours very soon<3
      Where are you going? Belgium as well?^^

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  2. I am so happy and excited for you! Your excitement has gotten me excited. Today I found AFS' website, and I've been reading so many different blogs; it's wonderful! I have considered foreign exchange, but I'm so unsure of it. My mother is totally against it. But, that's not that point. I want to hopefully follow up on your blog because I have been through so many other blogs, reading from beginning to end (sometimes near end). It's amazing how powerful these experiences are. It's... crazy, really. They make me feel emotions. The leaving, the middle, the coming home, the happy, the sad... I think your blog will be one of the best as well!

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    1. Aw, thank you so much! Please do stick around, but I promise I won't get hard feelings if you find it boring halfway through xD

      I think foreign exchange is a wonderful thing to do, for most people. Take your time deciding on whether or not you want to do it, check out more blogs, and even the Cultures Shocked website. If you want to do it, you'll find it's surprisingly easy to convince your parents that everything will be okay. Favorite quote: Don't let your fear of striking out, keep you from playing the game. This is going to be a crazy, amazing year for me, and terrifying as well, but it's the only chance I'll have to do it, and I know I'd regret it if I didn't. Would it be the same for you? Just some things to think about when deciding.

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  3. I totally won't. It's bookmarked pssh. I'm here to support you because just thinking about foreign exchange is so titillating and frightening, I kind of want to puke!

    I definitely agree with you. I support foreign exchange with a vehement passion. People always ask me to elucidate, but I never have good reasons. Maybe because I've never even been to a foreign country. I'm going to check that website out right after I finish this (or else I'll forget to post this...). I'm running on the quote, "Do something that scares you every day." or something like that idk. There are just so many factors that scare the crap out of me, I don't know how I would overcome them! There are minor things like, will they have hair gel? Will they think a guy that uses hair gel is weird? Will they make fun of me if I use hairspray, being that it really isn't very masculine? Will they accept me? Will I be able to use tumblr there? Will my laptop work there? and the list goes on. Maybe they are/aren't so minor. Also, if I go, I obviously can't go this school year but the following year, i.e., my senior year. Will I be able to graduate high school?

    SO MANY THINGS UGH

    but yeah i do plan on following this blog constantly. if i had a blogspot that i used regularly, i would follow or like or subscribe or whatever you do on blogspot. slkbjnsrtjhbtrsjkhb so yeah. EXCITED FOR YOU

    KEEP IN TOUCH.

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  4. Exchange Bucket List: Meet with Parker in Germany!!

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  5. Maggie! I'm, oi, ever so stoked for this upcoming year for you! Going to blow your mind, yo! The joys of being stretched in all directions and growing and then those times when you think, "Danng.... I'm in Belgium!" Never take anything for granted - down to the milk containers they use and the door handles.

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  6. An au pair should not be considered an employee, but rather an extension of your family. As such, give and take is important.

    babysitter

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    1. I'm sorry, but I don't recall saying anything about au pairs in this post, and my search didn't turn up any mentions?

      But on that subject, an au pair IS an employee, they're getting paid. Sure, they're important, and they live in the house, but it's important to remember at all times that an au pair is an employee. They get paid to nanny the kids and teach them a new language. They don't have a lot of free time. It is not like being a host child at all.

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  7. Hello, Maggie,
    Thank you for your sharing.
    I come from Taiwan, and plan to go to Belgium for a year of the Working & Holiday program.
    I searched the internet, and your information was came out.
    May I know how can I find a host family without via AFS?
    Because I probably don't have enough budget to join their programs.
    Thank you :)

    Cheers,
    Hannah

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