Saturday, August 30, 2008

Packing

With a limit of 44 pounds, its quite hard to pack for a year.
The airlines allow you to pack around 50 but AFS wants you to be able to carry your suitcase around so they set a limit of 44 pounds on the checked bag......
i weighed in at 43.5 pounds. i'm happy with myself.

The carryon has a limit of 22 pounds and i weighed in around 17.
I packed very little in it. Laptop, some books, passport.


Introduction

I'm not sure if anybody will read this but im quite bored and i though i might let everyone know a little bit about myself and why i'm going to germany.

Who?
I'm John Rogan, 15 years of age and i live in Pennlake. I go to Crestood and im in 10th grade.

Where are you going?
Germany! I'm going to be in Aschersleben which is in the state of Saxony-Anhalt. I'll be stay with a host family. They seem really nice and i cant wait to meet them. I have a host brother (15) and a host sister(17). The whole family seems to speak english which is pretty cool.

Why Germany?
That is an excellent question. I knew i wanted to study abroad somewhere but i had no idea where(but i wanted an english speaking country). So i applied for an AFS packet and inside i found a flier for the Congress-Bundestag Youth scholarship program. I figured i might as well do it and i didn't expect to get it at all......but i did and now im going for a year! Its better than paying 10k for a year.

Do you speak german?
.....ich spreche ein bisschen deutsch.
but besides that, nein.

When?
Ill be going to Washington on Sept 2nd and then leaving for germany on Sept 5th. Ill arrive in Frankfurt after a 9 hour plane ride and then take a 4 hour train ride to halle where i will be picked up by my host family. Ill have a tutor for the first month to teach me the language. I'm not sure when i come home.. maybe July?

Are you excited?
i'm more excited than you can imagine.
but im 10 times more nervous.....more on that some othertime..

Friday, August 22, 2008

Packing the suitcase

I did it yesterday,just a quick pack just to see what 44 pounds actually is (44 pounds being the limit in my checked bag) i came in around 35 and i crammed in a surprising amount. maybe ill post a picture later

Sunday, August 17, 2008

16 Days

Its only 16 days before i leave for deutschland. I haven't really put much thought into what i will bring. I havent gotten a suitcase yet.....i should probably get on that.