Visa Application and Things of That Nature..

Hey Everybody!

Sorry i havent posted anything in awhile. Nothing too exciting has happened lately, but i do have some news to share. Like i said before, i arrive in Belgium on August 20th, after meeting for a few days at our rendevous location in New York, at around 7:40 am. (After leaving JFK the night before at 6pm.) ill hang around and have a short(er) orientation then leave to meet my host family. (who are still yet to come). I am pretty excited though because both Nicky and I get to ride the plane together. New York - Here we come! I know we ride together to Belgium also, but the initial steps, we get to make together :)

But, the news i wanted to share was that a couple weeks ago i recieved my visa application info, which is vital in my preperation for Belgium. I have to fill out tons of papers and notorize different documents and send it all nice and neat to the consulate in New York, but nothing un-manageable. My visa will allow me to enter the country, allow me to study and attend a school there for the year, and stay with my host family on my exchange - all with the permission of the government. Which is super important. aha.

The process of applying for a visa is long, tedious, and expensive, but all very very worth it in the end! If that's what it takes to get me to Belgium, then so be it! :)

Packing is another thing on my brain. From today, i offically leave in 3 weeks! its a crazy short time away! Lots of different occasions and things to pack for, its all very stressful work. aha. But it will get done. Hopefully.. aha

Its all very exciting. Nerve-racking and stressful. But, hopefully thats normal.. aha.

My goodbye party is also this weekend. Something my parents wanted to do before i leave. Nothing too big, but it should be fun :)

Au Revoir for now!
Katie

Departure Date!

Bonjour everybody,

Finally, i have some exciting news to share! i just recieved an e-mail saying that i need to be in New York (Belgium's Gateway City; where all the AFS exchangers from across the US meet) for a what-they-call "survival" orientation on August 18th-19th :)

I will offically arrive in Brussels on August 20th and then proceed to my final destination at my host family's home somewhere in the South of Belgium.

A fun fact, for you guys who didn't know this about Belgium: In the North, people there mostly speak Flemish (a language close to Dutch) and across the Language Divide; in the Southern half, most people speak French, which is where i will be spending my year :)

Lastly, still anxiously awaiting on news about my host family, but getting the exact flight departure information was still a very pleasant suprise :)

Amor toujours,
Katie