I believe the countdown is now at 19 days for when I arrive in Miami! So that would make it 21 days until I leave for Costa Rica! I also have a new host family for health reasons within my old family. Fortunately, I am in contact now with both families! My old host mom gave me her number so that I will still have the opportunity to meet her and her family! Now I have 3 host sisters who all seem incredibly nice; two of which I have been talking to about what to expect and what life is like in Costa Rica. One of them told me my spanish was really good! Unfortunately, I had to admit that I had been using google translate in order to understand what she was saying and to help with words I couldn't find from spanish class..oh boy. Trying to talk to them really makes me realize how hard this is going to be! That just makes it all the more exciting, though! It is so great to have everyone's support and I still can't believe I have this opportunity.
Adios!
Tieta Keetle
Friday, June 29, 2012
Monday, June 18, 2012
Just Going Through The Motions
The countdown begins at 30 days! Only 30 days until I leave for Miami..!! As evident as it is in the title, I am just going through the motions of getting ready for the semester I will be spending abroad. The Health Form Addendum, Activity Waiver, looking for clothes and mosquito nets.. the whole package! Everyone asks me if I'm nervous.. but honestly it doesn't seem real yet. It most likely won't until I am greeting my family with a half frightened, half overly excited smile and a quick "Hola!" It's going to be so exciting!! Things are happening. Good things. It's amazing. This will be my first time flying on a plane without someone I know! It will also be my first time out of New England, let alone the United States and speaking Spanish consistently! Wow, lots of firsts..and that is definitely not all of them.
I can't wait to be uploading pictures of my host family and all of the animals and bugs I see! Haha, there will probably be lots!
I can't wait to be uploading pictures of my host family and all of the animals and bugs I see! Haha, there will probably be lots!
Friday, June 8, 2012
Host Family And School
I forgot to mention that I found my host family and school!! I haven't gotten a chance to e-mail them yet, since my Spanish isn't very good, and I'm waiting for my neighbor to help me who is fluent in Spanish. I have one host brother who is about 4 or 5 months younger than my actual brother who is 18, and a host mom, and a host dad! They all seem incredibly nice and I can't wait to talk to them! I will be in a rural town called Naranjo, Alejuela Costa Rica! Two months is not a lot of time to get ready, yet it seems like all the time in the world and I keep waiting for the day to come when I fly to Miami and meet everyone else going to Costa Rica as well!
Just A Little Over A Month
There is just a little over a month until I leave for my new life in Costa Rica! So exciting! I've been able to fund raise just about everything for the tuition of $10,000 and the money was sent in a few weeks ago! I've been researching, getting my plane ticket to Miami, Florida, getting vaccinations, and reminiscing with friends about everything I will be missing in the 6 months I will be gone, yet how much of a great experience this will be. I'm beyond excited, and a tad nervous. I try to subdue the nervousness by realizing how this will literally change everything I know.
Monday, May 7, 2012
ACCEPTED!
Today I got an e-mail from AFS reading exactly this:
"Congratulations! AFS-Costa Rica has just accepted your application!"
Immediately I started questioning it in disbelief, but this entire opportunity is finally feeling like a reality!! I honestly want to start packing right now, my departure will be coming up so fast!
Please keep donating money in the ChipIn! We just raised about $700 at a fundraiser, which is only a small chunk of the $10,000 needed but it adds to everything else that we have come up with! I have been hearing from family members, businesses, and family friends. Thank you so much to everyone supporting me!
"Congratulations! AFS-Costa Rica has just accepted your application!"
Immediately I started questioning it in disbelief, but this entire opportunity is finally feeling like a reality!! I honestly want to start packing right now, my departure will be coming up so fast!
Please keep donating money in the ChipIn! We just raised about $700 at a fundraiser, which is only a small chunk of the $10,000 needed but it adds to everything else that we have come up with! I have been hearing from family members, businesses, and family friends. Thank you so much to everyone supporting me!
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Getting To Know Me & Fundraising
Hi! My name is Tieta Keetle. I live in South Burlington, Vermont and
attend South Burlington High School as a soon to be 16-year-old
sophomore. As of now, the possibilities of traveling abroad are unreal
to me. Being a girl who has never set foot outside of New England,
(except for traveling to Florida when I was younger) my dreams have
grown bigger than ever.
I've always dreamed of traveling to every continent, experiencing everything it has to offer. In simple terms, studying abroad for a semester in Costa Rica will give me traveling experience that will later be needed in my life while being a completely eye-opening experience, providing me with a good education, and improving my Spanish skills.
If you're wondering about the program I will be studying through, it is a credible program that has been around since 1914 and goes by the name of AFS (American Field Service). It operates in more than 50 countries around the world, and focuses not only on sending kids to other countries to study, but to immerse them into new cultures, languages, and experiences. Once I arrive in Costa Rica, the other kids and I will be spread out through the country and taken to our new host family to see life through their eyes rather than a tourist's.
As for myself, I'm a girl who lives a relatively simple life in a simple town. I am a part of four extra curricular activities (Student Council and three community service clubs), I run track and play tennis, and I have a job as a waitress at a senior living community center. I have a 3.5 as my GPA average, which is rising through out the year. I take school seriously, as well as my friends and family. Participating in this program would not only benefit me, but benefit others in my community by sharing my experiences with friends, families, and schools.
Everything that I have made from my job has gone straight into the bank. I plan to use every cent towards this aspiration. At this time, I have about $1,000 saved, as well as $1,250 which was granted to me through a scholarship program. That leaves about $8,000 to raise! I am asking for help from family, friends, and businesses to help me achieve this dream. Through this website, I have set up a goal of $5,000, and every cent counts. Money has been tight in my family for a while now, but they are determined to not let lack of money stop me from pursuing my ambitions. If you would like to talk to me more about anything pertaining to this program or myself, feel free to e-mail me at pinkpanda34@gmail.com! To sponsor my AFS program now, please click the Chip In button on my blog.
Everything is greatly appreciated!
Sincerely,
Tieta Keetle
I've always dreamed of traveling to every continent, experiencing everything it has to offer. In simple terms, studying abroad for a semester in Costa Rica will give me traveling experience that will later be needed in my life while being a completely eye-opening experience, providing me with a good education, and improving my Spanish skills.
If you're wondering about the program I will be studying through, it is a credible program that has been around since 1914 and goes by the name of AFS (American Field Service). It operates in more than 50 countries around the world, and focuses not only on sending kids to other countries to study, but to immerse them into new cultures, languages, and experiences. Once I arrive in Costa Rica, the other kids and I will be spread out through the country and taken to our new host family to see life through their eyes rather than a tourist's.
As for myself, I'm a girl who lives a relatively simple life in a simple town. I am a part of four extra curricular activities (Student Council and three community service clubs), I run track and play tennis, and I have a job as a waitress at a senior living community center. I have a 3.5 as my GPA average, which is rising through out the year. I take school seriously, as well as my friends and family. Participating in this program would not only benefit me, but benefit others in my community by sharing my experiences with friends, families, and schools.
Everything that I have made from my job has gone straight into the bank. I plan to use every cent towards this aspiration. At this time, I have about $1,000 saved, as well as $1,250 which was granted to me through a scholarship program. That leaves about $8,000 to raise! I am asking for help from family, friends, and businesses to help me achieve this dream. Through this website, I have set up a goal of $5,000, and every cent counts. Money has been tight in my family for a while now, but they are determined to not let lack of money stop me from pursuing my ambitions. If you would like to talk to me more about anything pertaining to this program or myself, feel free to e-mail me at pinkpanda34@gmail.com! To sponsor my AFS program now, please click the Chip In button on my blog.
Everything is greatly appreciated!
Sincerely,
Tieta Keetle
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