AFS to Belgium!!

This is my AFS Exchange Student Program to Belgium page!

This is a bit of a thing to help you to know about what it will be/is/was like and will be constantly updated. If you have any suggestions or questions please E-mail me - it would be great to hear from you!

Somewhere in the year of 1996/7

Got interested and found brochures and other info about exchange student programs.

Studying German since '96 at school.

Early 1998

I was interested in going somewhere but didn't really know where to start. Found out there were scholarships available and got all the info and joined AFS (stands for American Field Service-WW2 origin).

I had to fill out pages and pages of forms, write huge essays about myself -generally a ton of work! Went to interviews and meetings as well.

Mid 1998

Felt optimistic about scholarship and decided with my parents that if I had no luck then to try again next year ('99) for scholarship and if to no avail we would just pay the lot. At this time I had no idea where I might be going. My choices were 1.Germany 2.Others in the European area 3. What ever I could get!

I remember at the regional camp all the other kids got told their countries but because I was not going on fare paying basis I didn't get a country allocation.

In about September I received a letter from the AFS National Office with great news: I had been short-listed for the exchange! I was amazed because we all thought that I was a bit young and that a person about a year older would be the winner!

Later 1998

Still waiting. I would run to the mail box every day when I got off the bus hoping to find a letter.

Ages later in about October I was on my way home from Silver Band (Where I play euphonium) and there was no mail in the box but when we drove past my Nana's house her veranda light was on (that usually means call in and see her). I was tired and would have preferred to just go home but went in to see her anyway and to my horror (or extreme delight!) was handed a letter. An AFS letter. I turned out she had accidentally opened it thinking it was for her, but instead it was great news for me!!

"Congratulations" it said "you have been selected to receive the Mayne-Nickless scholarship!".

I had been preparing for news for a while but I wasn't really expecting this! Rather the opposite! I was so happy (well, wouldn't you be??).

I ran up and down the veranda and then went home and rung some of my friends and E-mailed everyone that I knew!

The next thing was "where am I going?" I had no idea but I was dropped a hint of Belgium but told not to quote.

I was quite frustrating to tell people and they would say "where?" and I would have no idea. Although I suppose even now I have some 'un-educated' people say: 'Where's Belgium??' !!

Then in December, I got another letter (they are just great with these letters!) saying I had been allocated Belgium Flanders.

Early 1999
Mum picked me up from work and as we were driving home she put on a tape. It was some person saying something I had no idea of! I was intreagued and said "what's this??" Mum's replie was homework. I thought about this for a while and said "by order of who?" "by order, AFS Belgium!" Then I knew I had got a guarantee and I was going to Belgium!!!

May/June 1999
I received an E-mail from my host family! Long before the official papers (still haven't got them as of 7.6.99), just shows how great the internet is! Well, they live in Kappele-op-den-Bos, father is a professional musician, mother is a music teacher, have 3 children, Sister, 19 (currently in USA on an AFS program), Sister 17, Brother 15. Great family I think! I've been sending lots of mails back and forth and soon I will send a package of 'Australiana' (pronounced Or-Straal-ee-aaaanaaa).

July 1999
I now have my family papers! I actually got them just before my pre-departure camp (at Lismore). It is great to know what my host family looks like and also more information. It is 40 days to go. I am getting scared and worried but after Ichthus camp I have faith that I will have a great time!!!
Hi again, it's now 20 days to go!! ahhhh. I went to Melbourne on Wednesday (2 days ago) to formally receive the scholarship and as a bit of a farewell afternoon tea. It was good to meet the Mayne-Nickless company executives including Robert Dalziel, Herb Zimmer, Craig Coonan and Suzi Rackowski. I enjoyed the afternoon tea, and talking to these generous people. It was stressed that I must remember to write letters (or else!) throughout the year. So now I have to try and pack my bags for the 20 kg we're allowed. I put all the gifts and that sort of thing in the bag, and weighed it. 13kg. I think some things will have to stay, or I will just have a jacket with lots of pockets!!! ...still havn't sent that box to the host family. It's down to just the video and the Freddo Frogs now...

August 1999
Eeeeeeek!! 4 days to go, or more precicly 67 hours! We just had the bags weighed down at the newsagents (bye pat) and it only was 17.7kg. Now the worry is hand luggage, but I'll work something out. We've been sending lots of E-mails back and forth to the family which has been good to get to know them. The parcel DID go the other week, and the said they received it, and enjoyed the video etc. I am getting occasional feelings of ahhh, I can't do this but then I get good feelings of 'let me at it!', so I'm hoping for the latter to prevail. The going away party was last Friday. I thourght it went well, and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. I'll probably update this before I leave, but if I don't, see you all later. I'll be leaving on Thursday and I'm looking forward to all 31 hours of travel, TTFN then.

I hope you enjoy this page and visit back soon for more info!

Please note that this page is purely just for your information and I don't want to take any responsibility for anything which may not be accurate or so if you want to use this anywhere else just mail me for permission and I could probably even give you more info! Thanks

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