"If there is one thing I could change about my experience, it would be the fact that I chose to only go for a semester. A year might seem overwhelming, but almost everyone I have spoken to who choose to go for a semester regrets not choosing a year long option. Heres why: after five months in Russia, I finally feel confident with the language, I can understand my schoolwork. I finally have started to make close relationships with people. Just as I begin to realize what I've done wrong, and what to do better, just as I am starting to fit in, it's time to leave. Of course, a semester is better than nothing, but if you can, go for a year."
-Past Semester AFSer to Russia
I just read this on a blog and and it keeps me thinking that I made the best decision to fully immerse myself in a new (to me) foreign culture for a year! I cannot express how excited I am in the blog about going to Italy in exactly 60 days. CRAZY!!! I feel so ready and unprepared at the same time (now I totally understand Taylor Swift in "22") but I never once regretted my decision so far and I think that is great!
I guess since there are no new updates I can say I am really happy to be apart of the 2013-2014 AFS Italy Group. Everyone thinks that I have spoken to are very nice and are just as excited as I am. Elliot (another participant) has this idea to make a YouTube channel account that all of us could add videos to document each of our experiences! Our motto, to be the best exchange group to ever come to Italy, which is definitely possible. It's crazy because I feel instantly close to them even though we never met (might also have something to do with our insanely long Facebook chats). The beauty of Exchange.
I will say one negative (which is not really negative, because it happens every summer) thing about departing in September is that I will be in the States the whole summer and that is generally fun but guys keep flirting with me and I have to constantly remind myself that I cannot start a relationship because I leave in 60 days. But I can still have some fun, but just as friends!!!I am not complaining that is more of a missed opportunity, but I surely wouldn't replace Italy for that!
Weird fact: In exactly 1 year I am returning from Italy, I somehow feel sad about that and I haven't left yet! I can't wait to see the improvements from now until then!
Arrivederci, Shayla
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