Finishing the Visa Process~HOPEFULLY!

Today my mom and I drove up to Washington D.C. to go to the Argentinian consulate tomorrow at 10:00 for an appointment to get my visa! We have all the papers together, so I pray I will walk out with my visa in my hands tomorrow! We are relaxing in the hotel right now and are going out for sightseeing a little tonight since we're here...we might as well since we drove a little over 6 hours to get here! :) I am soo syched, stoked, but nervous about leaving the country in less than 13 days! :0 wow have things flown by and so has this summer! :D I have a going away party this Saturday also that my friends are throwing for me! :) Im excited to see everyone I haven't seen since school was out but also sad its a goodbye for now right at the beginning of out SENIOR year! ; / I know it WILL be worth it to be going to Argentina for a semester and I will love it while I'm there, but currently I feel like im gonna miss out on a little of the fun my last year left here in Caldwell County! haha, corny I know! :D Hopefully they'll crop me in all the pics of group pics with the senior girls at fooball games and black out days at South Caldwell High! :) awww... ; ) well, Ill be back soon. Probably the next time i'm on I'll be in Argentina, so HERE I COME Morettis! :) gah, im so excited. The whole family has been soo welcoming as well have the friends of Paula who friend me on Facebook saying how excited they are about having me come there! :D Things are great! Talk to you soon!! Hasta luego.
~Kayla Jane~

changed a little, but...

As I earlier, gave the link for the homepage of AFS, I said my article was on the homepage, but now it is a little hidden. It is still a Headline Story, but if you do not see the article (flashing) titled: SOUTH CALDWELL STUDENT READY FOR HER DREAM ADVENTURE, you can search the article in the search box in the top left-hand corner of the homepage.
As for interesting things, I have to turn in my tuition money ASAP! That goes for my visa as well~I need to apply ASAP! :)
I am now awaiting to hear back from my host family in Mendoza, Argentina. :) I am unsure of how much English they may or may not know. At first I hope they may know a few words, but I also know I truly want to challenge myself and really learn the language of 'Espanol' while in Argentina from July to January! :D
I have also recently been reading a book called Eva Peron...who was once the first lady of Argentina, but tragically lost her life to a battle of severe cancer. It is a sad, but inspiring story of her life, and it tells a lot about Argentina and its community and government and way of life. I enjoy and and wish to have LOTS more time to read about the country and learn the language better before I depart in July.
I have orientation with many other American students departing for a country this fall, as well as with many current foreign exchange students who are good friends of mine who are leaving the U.S.A. very soon : / I even took a friend from Germany, Dennis, to prom with me, hosted a sweet girl from Paraguay, Claudia, for a AFS ski weekend at my house, and try to hang out with a fun girl (who has a twin hosted in Charlotte) from Brazil, Gigi, that I will miss dearly at school and especially school lunches! : ( I love the life-long friends I have made and hope to have a reason to come back and see them one day! :D
P.S. SUPER excited about the departure date for Argentina creeping up on me! :)
~Kayla Stover~ (South Caldwell High student)

if being in two nespapers isnt enough... :o

I have been very humbled lately, as not only 2 newspapers have had enough interest in what I have been doing to fundraise my tuition to go to Argentina, but then... someone locally even posts me on the Front Hompage of the AFS.org website as a cover child story! :) I am super blessed and I praise God for all that he has made possible for me! :) You can check out the story at http://afs.org/afs_or/home

beautiful places

I am excited about Argentina and here is only ONE reason why:
"Argentina has the most beautiful places in Argentina: the snow-capped mountains in San Carlos de Bariloche, the Atlantic Coast beaches, the Iguazú Falls, the Perito Moreno Glacier, the Quebrada de Humahuaca and a wide range of National Parks, all of them being regarded as some of the beauties that can be enjoyed while visiting Argentina!"
Hahha. I just think these will be cool sightseeing places to go. This will only be one part of my journey starting in July! :) be back soon...have some reading to go catch up on! bye..

AFS is in my reach! ...

Wow are things reallly coming along...I can barely restrict my excitement BECAUSE, last night I got an email titled: "You now have a host family". I screamed so loud I woke up my brother. :)whoops. ahha. My mom and I looked up the city I will be staying in and realized it is a capital of the state known as Mendoza, Mendoza, Argentina. It is the biggest wine country for miles and one of the most beautiful cites in Argentina! My family has two kids, one boy about 20 and a girl about 18. The mother is Sandara and the father is Hugo.
I emailed them last night, some in English and some in Spanish. I said, "Hola, mi nombre es Kayla Stover. Soy su estudiante del anfitrión que viene en julio. ¡Soy muy emocionado permanecer con usted!" Translated, because I even had to use www.babelfish.yahoo.com/translate a little, it means: "Hi, my name is Kayla Stover. I am your host student coming in July. I am very excited to stay with you!" I said a few things in English too, and I hope they know a little so I can at least be gradualy introducted to the new language and culture! I can only hope for the best. :)
Soon, I will be sending in my things to recieve my visa and will be needing to pay my $8,900 tutition. I am still lacking about $800, but I am getting closer! It is all staring to sink in as the departure date gets closer... :o haha. Wish me luck because sooner or later, I will be living in Argentina, and you should DEFINITELY read my posts then...they will be much more interesting! :) Goodbye until then!
~Kayla

Things Moving Right Along! :)

Wow have things been busy lately! :) All has been well and fundraising is coming along! I still need about $1,000 more for just the tuition! Wish me luck, let me know if you can help, and ChipIn! Good news~I recently got the email saying I had "officially" been accepted into AFS Argentina! :D I am becoming super excited and am trying to fit in a little Spanish review along the way...hopefully more this summer. I am awating the news of recieving a host family and hope it will be soon! I super pumped to hear from my to-family for 6 months and try to talk and bond with them before I arrive on July28. I will be back soon, but that's all for now! Byee! ;)

ChipIn Button? haha

Today I am dropping off some more letters to buisnesses, hoping to have a miracle, and tonight I will be selling raffle tickets at my school's baseball game in hopes of raising a little under a hundred dollars also. Right now, I am trying to figure out how to use the ChipIn Button on my blog page...hopefully the donater will know how to use it :) This week has been pretty trying mentally and emotionaly. I hope I stay strong while trying to fight to raise the still needed minimum of $2,600. If anyone has any ideas or ways of helping, let me know, message me, or ChipIn! :) thanks...peace