Sunday, August 29, 2010

My Loooooooong Trip

Ok, so this is going to be in a few parts. I'll try to be sorta in order, but no promises...

Ok everyone I'm sorry I didn't write the other day, my computer was being dumb. Basically the update is: thanks to everyone that came to my final goodbye, it was really hard to see all of you go.    
This morning my parents and I drove to Detroit where we hung out at the airport till 1:10, when I said goodbye and got on my first flight. I'm writing this from the plane, and I'll post it later, so this post is gonna be long, and not really in order. This is part one, I will write part two when I land in Chicago or during my next flight, Chicago to London.

So yea. I totally didn't write from Chicago. In Chicago I had to go through security again, then I met up with Myles, Crystal, and Eleanor. We hung out till our flight. We got our seats changed so we were two by two instead of all spread out. I sat by Eleanor. We had a really good dinner actually. We watched movies and read and I colored. =]
I slept for a bit, then we got to London at like 7 local time. We had to go through security AGAIN; and now we're sitting waiting to see which gate we will be at.

We were at gate 24. We found it fine, but didn't have time to change our seats. We just took off from London a little late but thats ok. None of us are sitting together; which isn't fun, but it's only two hours, so we will be fine. There's another exchange on this flight. She's from Pennsylvania, and going to Bratislava. Her name is Maggie, and she's super quiet. But she sems nice. 
I'm sitting at a window seat, and there's two guys next to me. They are just reading, hence me writing this right now. I'm actually writing this on my ipod, so I don't have to worry about pen and paper. I need to figure out the internet once I get to my new house...should be interesting. I'll write the next bit of this once I actually get online and put this on my blog, unless something exciting happens. =] 

Ok. So I firured out the internet, but Zuska (my laptop) is being stupid. So I'm still on my Ipod. My host family is super nice, and I love Piešťany =] I think I've taken about 20 billion pictures, but I can't upload them because of my stupid computer. Oh well. Also, I need to get a new converter because the one I have doesn't fit the plug-in thingy on my laptop. (Thanks, DAD.) But I have to go, I'll probably post more once I start school.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

New York, New York

To NY I went...
Dad and I arrived at around 9am. We got to the Consulate at like 10:15, and we were out by 11am. All we had to do was give them my paper work and then I was asked like 15 questions about why I'm going to Slovakia and the like.
Then it was nasty outside, like down-pouring (ugh), so I didn't get to sightsee like I wanted to. We got a cab back to the airport, where we stayed all day. We finally got home a little after midnight. I entertained Dad on the drive home by singing enthusiastically, loudly, and very very badly. But really, he's the one that got me the espresso at 9 pm... =] So it wasn't all my fault that I was hyper.

Tomorrow is my last full day in the USA. I fly out Thursday. I still don't know what time, I'm waiting to hear back from my travel agent on that. Stay tuned, I'll keep you all posted! =]

Sorry to everyone that I told I'd write this sooner, I got busy, and then I forgot. But here it is now! =]

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Just an Update

Ok, so I took 3 tests. On the first, I got 6 out of 10, on the second, I got 11 out of 13, and on this last one, I got 12 out of 12! Weeeew! =] I have almost everything I need, my appointment in NY with the Consulate is Monday. Then I should (fingers crossed, knock on wood) be flying out a week from Friday (the 27th!).

Monday, August 16, 2010

Information Is a Good Thing

Ah, the wonders of new information.
As in: I will probably be going to New York on Monday to meet with the Consulate. I will most likely be leaving Michigan A WEEK FROM FRIDAY!!! (I'm not excited or anything...=D) I have talked with my maybe-second-host family, including my maybe-host-sister! Weeeeeeew!
Now, I'm sure you're saying, "But Kathleen, you are only saying 'maybe'. When will you know all of this for sure? Why are you so excited about 'maybe'?" Well folks, because "maybe" is more information then I have had this far, so I'll take what I can get in the "information that leads to excitement" front. =]
I want to say thank you to everyone that has been following this blog, I really appreciate your support! I also love comments, they give me a warm fuzzy feeling, like someones actually paying attention to what I write, and not just ignoring my excited rants like this one, hahaha.
To conclude: Yes, I'm super excited. I'm probably leaving in 11 days. I love when people respond to my blog. I go on crazy random strange rants when I'm excited. (Look forward to more crazy rants in the future, just a heads up.)

For those of you that are part of Fremont Rotary: This Tuesday is possibly my last meeting before I go, so if you have any questions for me, or just want to say "hi", this is very likely your last chance to do so in person. Thank you so much for sponsoring me!

Sunday, August 15, 2010

This Post Has No Title

So. I had my going-away party yesterday. (I am now super tan, the beach is ahmazing like that.) Only 20 people came. I know that a lot of people are busy, but it still hurt a bit. Oh well.

On a happier note, I found out a little bit about my second host family. I will have a sister, for the first time! Well, unless you count Dani and Paula so...I will have a sister, for the third time! =] I have emailed them, and I hope to hear back...let's hope the info I got was correct, haha.

Thanks to everyone who reads this and supports me! I love you all <3

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Erg.

Well.
This time of the year, aka waiting for info, is super-not-fun. I'm constantly emailing people, like my travel agent, and my other friends that are going overseas, to find out what is going on. I still don't know what's going on with my visa. I still don't know exactly when I have to visit the consulate's office in New York. I still don't know what day I leave, where I leave from, or what time. I pretty much know 4 things: 1. I'm going to Piestany, Slovakia. 2. My host parents are Andrea and Peter. 3. They do not speak english. 4. My slovak is super simple, as in, I would feel comfortable speaking in a preschool class. A special education preschool class at that.
What makes all this waiting worse, is the fact that some of my friends have already started their exchanges. I don't like seeing people posting on facebook "6 days to go!" "i love my new country!" "hlkfj hlwhfel!" (I'm not sure what language that last one was in =] ), when I'm stuck with "im so bored. when do i leave?" (Notice the lack of exclamation points.) I understand that I'm not going to be the last one to leave, or even one of the last (haha Sarah! =] ), but i still want to know WHEN I leave. Right now, it feels like nothing is for sure. I don't have a visa, I don't have a plane ticket, I barely can say "good morning" in slovak. (Dobre rano, for those of you that were wondering.) I just want information. Patience is important, I get that, but can't I also get an email saying "your paperwork is being processed. You will find out more in 3 days." Is that too much to ask for? (answer: yes.)
I'm super excited to go, don't get me wrong. I know that I have to wait for the greater powers at work to get to work. I know that when I finally do get the info, I will prolly panic and have some packing issues. But right now I really wouldn't mind that. It beats not knowing.

On a side note, I have to take some slovak language tests. On the first of three I got a 6 out of 10, on the second I got a 9 of out 13, and I'm waiting to hear how I did on the 3rd and final test. Wish me luck!

Monday, August 9, 2010

Hello, and Welcome!

Hey there everybody!
This is my very first post, so cut me a little slack. =]
On this blog, I will write about my experiences in Slovakia, and other places in Europe I might visit during my exchange. I will try to include as much detail as I can (or as much as I have time to write), but if you ever want to hear more about my travels, don't hesitate to email me at: kathleen.buckley18@gmail.com
There will be more to come once I know more about my travel arrangements and such...keep checking here to stay posted! =]