Way back in 2012, I was starting seventh grade. That was my first year in a new school, my first year getting letter grades, and my first year hearing about diplomacy. I remember learning about Benjamin Franklin and how he is considered to be " America's First Diplomat". The idea of traveling the world and representing my country while learning about new places and cultures excited me more than anything. Fast forward to 2016 and I still dream of being a U.S. Ambassador. This blog is about is an opportunity that brings me one step closer to achieving my dream.
When I was 13 years old I discovered the YES Abroad program. The purpose was to send 65 American students to countries with significant Muslim populations to foster relationships and understanding that would transcend international borders. I immediately fell in love with the program and had my heart set on going to Morocco. I started studying Arabic and French ( because in order to travel to Morocco you needed a year of French ) and learned all about the countries culture and history. Now in my sophomore year of high school I applied to the program. I was so excited because this was something I had wanted to do for four years. The hardest part for me was writing the letter to my host family. I wasn't sure if that letter was actually going to be sent out to the perspective families and I wanted the letter to be really well written- I actually spent a few days writing it. When it came time to rank which countries I wanted to go to, the country I dreamed of going to Morocco ended up being third on my list. India and Turkey became my first and second choice and before I knew it the application was sent through cyberspace and the inevitable waiting game began. A few months later I found out I was a semi-finalist and had an in person interview with two women from AFS USA. The interview went really well and was my favorite part of the "application" process. A few weeks before finalist were hoped to be announced a survey was released saying that YES Abroad was adding two new countries, Jordan, and Bulgaria. I was ecstatic! Jordan is in the heart of where I hope to live and work, and all of the things I have been doing in Rhode Island could easily continue there. Needless to say, I immediately emailed back saying I was highly interested in Jordan. I was teaching English at the Refugee Dream Center when all of a sudden my phone rang. It was my Mom. I excused myself from class and when I answered all I heard was " YOU GOT IN, YOU"RE GOING TO JORDAN"! I was so excited, once I got off the phone with her, I started calling everyone in my phone list. This thing I had been dreaming about for years all of a sudden turned into my reality! All I can think about now is going to Jordan. I'm studying the language, watching every documentary and reading every book about the country. I've been applying to volunteer with numerous organizations and have already connected with numerous people in the country. I believe this experience will be life-changing and I can't wait to go and share my experience with my friends, family, and whoever decides to read this blog! Let The Countdown Begin!
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