Thank you so much!

I know I already have a "Thank You" post, but I needed to make another one because I don't think the first one was enough. I have been SO lucky this year, that I must thank all the people who have helped me. I am not sure if it's okay to write names, but if you are one of the people that helped me, you will probably know when I am referring to you :)

My friends and I applied to more than one study abroad program together, but our main goal was to go to South Korea with a full scholarship. Three of them made it, yay!!! I didn't make it to program :(, but fortunately AFS accepted me (YAY!!!). But all throughout these program applications I received help from my teachers, friends, family and an AFS staff. My teachers helped me with so much despite being so busy. They took the time to revise my essays, write recommendation letters, and answers my questions when I did not understand something. I am also so thankful to my Summer Opportunities Counselor and to the AFS Student Advisor that helped me. Even if it was their job to help me with the applications, I am so grateful to them for being so patient with me. But there was also people that helped me so much despite not knowing much about me. Not long after I began fundraising money to pay my program tuition, I received several generous donations, even from people I had never met before. I am especially grateful to them for believing and trusting me so much that all they needed to do was to read my letter before deciding to donate.
I am so happy! I had no idea people could be so kind and generous!

Thank You SO Much!

Thank You!

Hello AGAIN! The most awesome thing happened a few days ago....I reached my fundraising goal!!! (YES!!!) And all this was thanks to two people whose names I unfortunately don't know. Two people donated through the ChipIn button, helping me with $1,500! Unfortunately I do not know who they are. This past Saturday I went to a graduation ceremony to support one of my friends, but on the way in my teacher told me she saw that I had reached my goal. She said someone had donated all the money! At first I thought she made a mistake since I had checked the night before. All throughout the ceremony I felt anxious. I wanted to call my brother so he could check for me, but I didn't even have my phone with me! As soon as I got home I checked..and it was true!!!!!

Thank you SO much dear donor!!! Since I found out, I have been trying to find your name and contact information, but it turns out I won't be able to know until the end of the month...If you are the person that donated, I want to tell I am SO thankful to you! You just helped me tremendously! I would really like to contact you as soon as possible and thank you formally. PLEASE leave me a comment or email me (alexiavianey94@yahoo.com) anytime. And once again:

Çok teşekkür ederim!
Thank you so much!

My Host Family!

YAY!! I have a host family now! They are from Karadeniz Eregli, which is on the border of the province of Zonguldak. It is along the West Black Sea coast, which is even better! Zonguldak has many beautiful beaches and more than half of the area is covered with forests. I have lived in Houston for seven years now, but I have only been to Galveston once :( This summer there will be no more dirty pools, only natural beaches! yes!! Zonguldak has warm and humid summers, so I get to have a break from Houston's hellish summers. I love Houston, but well....it gets TOO hot. It snows in Zonguldak between December and March, too bad I won't be there...I wish I could go to Turkey for a whole school year, or at least a semester, but its too late to apply. I wonder if my family would let me apply for a year...hmmm.

I was not given much information about my family other than their names, address and a few other details. They are Muslim and they are only a family a three. It turns out my dad and my host dad were born on the same year and even better, my host sister was born in 1994, so she is just six months older than I am! My dad is an engineer (Wow!) Although I was only given very few information about them, I am very excited. I also have to take them gifts, but I am not sure what kinds of things I could take. A dynamo shirt? I could also make them something...I love making crafts, so I'll probably do that. Now that I have their information, I have to contact them. I could call them, but well....I only know a few words in Turkish...so that might not be a good idea. I am already writing them a letter. This is when Google translate and dictionary translate become highly useful!

Now that school is over (YES!!!!!!!), I promise to update this blog even more. Now I want to find out more about the city I will live in, so expect a lot of pictures. I also LOVE foreign music, so I must find singers! I will post their music as soon as find them :)