OH MY GOSH THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING!!!!!!
I'M GOING TO GERMANY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'M GOING TO GERMANY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am currently in total shock. I cannot believe that this is really happening – it all just seems so surreal and I honestly feel like I am floating right now. When I applied for the Congress-Bundestag-Youth-Exchange, which gives full scholarships to spend a year of high school in Germany, I didn't even want to get my hopes up because I knew my chances of being picked were so incredibly tiny, considering how competitive the program is.
I was unfortunately home sick today and actually was taking a bath when I heard the phone start to ring. I wasn't expecting to find out about CBYX until Saturday, so I assumed it was my mom calling to see if I was feeling any better. But then I looked at the caller ID and saw who it was and burst into tears of happiness. I answered the phone, sobbing, and heard Julia (the program director) say, "Hi Lauren, I'm calling to say congratulations..." I didn't really hear anything else after that because I was kind of bawling my eyes out. I mean, it's like all of my dreams are just suddenly coming true.
The first thing I did after that was call my mom. Based on how emotional I was, she thought I had been rejected. But after I told her I had somehow actually been picked to go to Germany, she was pretty speechless. It was the same with my dad, who I called next. Then I called my sister, who was in the middle of a water break at lacrosse practice. She screamed for a good two minutes.
From there I didn't even know what to do. Should I stay in the bathtub and try to wrap my mind around the fact that after today, my life is completely going to change? Or should I run around the house, screaming and crying and acting like a crazy person? I did a little bit of both.
I have always been a strong believer that everything happens for a reason, and I think that this had to have just been fate. After I submitted my online application back in December, I thought it was odd that I hadn't received any sort of confirmation email letting me know it had been received by the selection company. I had worked so hard on my application, with all of the essays and teacher recommendations and forms, so I figured I should probably just call and make sure they had received it. I can still vividly remember being on the phone with Julia Littlefield (the same woman who called me today to tell me the good news), and I remember her saying, "Hmmm...I can't find you in our database. We do not have your application - it doesn't look like it was submitted correctly."
Inside I was freaking out, but I remained calm and followed her instructions to resubmit my application, even though the deadline had been two weeks before.
And now looking back, it's hard to imagine what would have happened if I had never made that phone call. I certainly would not be where I am now, excitedly planning my year abroad. Instead, I would probably just be sadly wondering why I never heard back from CBYX.
But instead, here I am writing this blog post with my heart feeling like it's going to explode with happiness! I just cannot believe that this is really happening to me, and I want to say thank you so so so much to everyone who helped me achieve this and supporting me along the way! Plus I'd like to give an extra special thanks to Ms. Meier and Mrs. Williams, who filled out my teacher recommendations.
I hope everyone likes this blog I made so that all of my friends and family can stay up to date on my German adventures!! Now the 105 days before I leave are going to pass so slowly...I'M SO EXCITED!!!!!
I was unfortunately home sick today and actually was taking a bath when I heard the phone start to ring. I wasn't expecting to find out about CBYX until Saturday, so I assumed it was my mom calling to see if I was feeling any better. But then I looked at the caller ID and saw who it was and burst into tears of happiness. I answered the phone, sobbing, and heard Julia (the program director) say, "Hi Lauren, I'm calling to say congratulations..." I didn't really hear anything else after that because I was kind of bawling my eyes out. I mean, it's like all of my dreams are just suddenly coming true.
The first thing I did after that was call my mom. Based on how emotional I was, she thought I had been rejected. But after I told her I had somehow actually been picked to go to Germany, she was pretty speechless. It was the same with my dad, who I called next. Then I called my sister, who was in the middle of a water break at lacrosse practice. She screamed for a good two minutes.
From there I didn't even know what to do. Should I stay in the bathtub and try to wrap my mind around the fact that after today, my life is completely going to change? Or should I run around the house, screaming and crying and acting like a crazy person? I did a little bit of both.
I have always been a strong believer that everything happens for a reason, and I think that this had to have just been fate. After I submitted my online application back in December, I thought it was odd that I hadn't received any sort of confirmation email letting me know it had been received by the selection company. I had worked so hard on my application, with all of the essays and teacher recommendations and forms, so I figured I should probably just call and make sure they had received it. I can still vividly remember being on the phone with Julia Littlefield (the same woman who called me today to tell me the good news), and I remember her saying, "Hmmm...I can't find you in our database. We do not have your application - it doesn't look like it was submitted correctly."
Inside I was freaking out, but I remained calm and followed her instructions to resubmit my application, even though the deadline had been two weeks before.
And now looking back, it's hard to imagine what would have happened if I had never made that phone call. I certainly would not be where I am now, excitedly planning my year abroad. Instead, I would probably just be sadly wondering why I never heard back from CBYX.
But instead, here I am writing this blog post with my heart feeling like it's going to explode with happiness! I just cannot believe that this is really happening to me, and I want to say thank you so so so much to everyone who helped me achieve this and supporting me along the way! Plus I'd like to give an extra special thanks to Ms. Meier and Mrs. Williams, who filled out my teacher recommendations.
I hope everyone likes this blog I made so that all of my friends and family can stay up to date on my German adventures!! Now the 105 days before I leave are going to pass so slowly...I'M SO EXCITED!!!!!