Drumroll Please:...

For any of you who follow my group on Facebook, you have known for a few days now that I have some big news to announce! After thoroughly enjoying my first weekend off of school (including a day-trip across the state, a late-night theatre performance, and a get together with friends), I finally have the time to relax long enough to announce and explain in depth my fortunate situation:...

As my departure date became closer and closer, (ten days from today to be exact), and my flight from Wisconsin to Miami was booked, my remaining tuition balance was slowly dwindling down, but seemed to 'hang' at just around the $1500 range. it had even gotten to the point where I began fearing I might not be able to afford the trip! A while ago, I applied for a scholarship for about $500-$700 through the AFS Chapter in Milwaukee, my home Chapter.

Last Tuesday, as I sat drinking a Chai tea at a café in Cedarburg, I decided to check my E-mail in hopes that my host family information would have been sent (still no word there, but that is not uncommon). Among the messages I'd received, one from the Milwaukee Chapter had both surprising and amazing news. Not only had I received the money I had requested (as this was a special request-based scholarship), but AFS Milwaukee decided to pay off the remaining balance to my tuition! After re-reading the E-mail a good 15 times or so, I finally was able to believe it!

My tuition for Argentina is paid off!

There is no way, without each and every one person who has helped me along the way, that I would be where I am in life today, even before my trip. For those of you who support me in my goals such as this one to study abroad, I can't thank you enough. You are the ones who have helped guide me to try new things and step out of my boundaries. For those of you who contributed to me to help pay my tuition, I am forever grateful, without you, these goals would never have become reality.

Now, with the last of my paperwork for AFS being submitted, and no remaining balance on my tuition, I can confidently say: ¡Vamos a Argentina!

Thank you again, to anyone and everyone!