This week I found out that my application was approved by AFS to go to Spain. On the eighteenth of November my application and information will be sent to Spain for review so they can begin the process of locating a host family. If everything goes as planned, then by the end of February I should know where I am going and who my host family is. I have been reading a blog from another AFS student who is in Spain doing the same program that I will be doing next year. It has been cool to read about his experiences so far and has made me even more excited and anxious about my trip.
I’ve been out looking for corporate sponsors and have had some bad luck, if anyone has any suggestions; it would very helpful for me in my fundraising. I am still looking for private sponsors as well if you or anyone you know are interested you can donate through the ChipIn widget located on the left side of this page, remember no donation is too small and everyone who donates will receive a postcard from Spain. I also wanted to add that i also got a scholarship and a donation from a host family that gave me a totoal of 1100 dollars. This has helped me alot and i also wanted to thank all of the people who have donated and remind them that they have helped out so much. You can also forward this blog link on to your family and friends.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Sunday, November 1, 2009
So much has happened!!
In the last month I have had so much happen. I received my passport at the beginning of the month, and I have submitted my full application and deposit which has gotten me one step closer to being able to go on this very special trip.
This month, my family hosted a German exchange student through a school "sister city" exchange program, his name is Simon. Simon is a really cool guy and and I am very thankful for the opportunity to meet him and to make so many friends through this program. I have made a lifetime friend that I will always be able to have. Simon has taught me some of the German culture and showed me a lot of the differences in our culture. I will get to go to Germany for 3 weeks and stay with Simon and his family through this program in July. I signed up for this program not only to have fun and make a lifetime friend but also to get the idea of what this experience will be like when I go over to Spain; how to be away from your family, a new culture and the experience of living with another family and having a different lifestyle.
Thank you to all that have helped with sponsorships and support, I can't do it without you!
This month, my family hosted a German exchange student through a school "sister city" exchange program, his name is Simon. Simon is a really cool guy and and I am very thankful for the opportunity to meet him and to make so many friends through this program. I have made a lifetime friend that I will always be able to have. Simon has taught me some of the German culture and showed me a lot of the differences in our culture. I will get to go to Germany for 3 weeks and stay with Simon and his family through this program in July. I signed up for this program not only to have fun and make a lifetime friend but also to get the idea of what this experience will be like when I go over to Spain; how to be away from your family, a new culture and the experience of living with another family and having a different lifestyle.
Thank you to all that have helped with sponsorships and support, I can't do it without you!
Monday, September 21, 2009
Email campaign
Hello everyone,
I have tried sending the email below to many of you, but realized I do not have many of your email addresses, so I'm posting my email here. Please read my email below and feel free to copy and paste it into an email to send on to your family or friends that you think might be interested in helping me out. I wanted to start an email "guerilla campaign", which is where you start an email chain to get the message out to as many people as possible and hopefully a lot of them will donate through the widget on this page. Thanks for checking out my blog, I'll be updating it again soon.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Hello Family and Friends,
For those of you who have not yet heard, I have applied to be a foreign exchange student through AFS, and will be leaving next September for a year in Spain. I am really excited about this opportunity, but I have a lot of work to do to get there. This experience will be an opportunity of a lifetime, which will allow me to fully embrace another culture, become fluent in a foreign language and to make new lifelong friends. I think this experience will benefit me in so many ways.
Unfortunately, it is very expensive to become a foreign exchange student. The cost of tuition alone is nearly $12,000, which does not include my passport, visa, travel to departure city ( New York ) or any spending money. I have applied for a scholarship, which may help up to $1500, but I do not know if, or how much I might qualify for. Therefore, I am going to be responsible for raising the money on my own. I am working on several fund-raising ideas, including raffles, corporate sponsors, car washes etc. I am also looking for private sponsors who can donate cash or items that can be raffled such as airline tickets, gift cards, and hotel stays etc. I have started a blog at www.austin-bain.blogspot.com, where you can read more about me and this adventure. I will be updating at least monthly with my status, and I will continue to update it with postings and pictures until I return in July of 2011.
On my blog page, I have a link (Chip In) where donations can be made via credit card to AFS, which is applied directly towards my tuition. Any donations are highly appreciated, and I will be posting sponsors names monthly on my blog page in appreciation. Donations can also be made by check or money order mailed to my house, my address is listed below. I am also asking that rather than receiving any gifts for birthdays or Christmas, please donate to this experience! Gift donations for raffle items can also be mailed to my house, or call to make other arrangements.
Another way you can help is to forward this email which includes my blog link to your family, friends, co-workers or anyone you know as part of an email campaign. This has been done before by college students who have successfully raised thousands of dollars, just by asking for a small donation. Let’s keep this email going and remember, NO donation is too small; every penny is one step closer to making this opportunity come true. I know it sounds like it is a long time away, and a lot of money, but that's why I'm starting now. I have to have my tuition paid in full by July, which is about 60 days prior to my departure. That's only 10 months away!
Thanks again for all of your help and support, I will not be able to do this without you! Remember to check my blog frequently, the Chip In widget will show you how much money I've raised until I have had to turn in my tuition.
Thank You,
Austin Bain
78 Huntington Parkway
Saint Charles , MO 63301
636-493-0281
I have tried sending the email below to many of you, but realized I do not have many of your email addresses, so I'm posting my email here. Please read my email below and feel free to copy and paste it into an email to send on to your family or friends that you think might be interested in helping me out. I wanted to start an email "guerilla campaign", which is where you start an email chain to get the message out to as many people as possible and hopefully a lot of them will donate through the widget on this page. Thanks for checking out my blog, I'll be updating it again soon.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Hello Family and Friends,
For those of you who have not yet heard, I have applied to be a foreign exchange student through AFS, and will be leaving next September for a year in Spain. I am really excited about this opportunity, but I have a lot of work to do to get there. This experience will be an opportunity of a lifetime, which will allow me to fully embrace another culture, become fluent in a foreign language and to make new lifelong friends. I think this experience will benefit me in so many ways.
Unfortunately, it is very expensive to become a foreign exchange student. The cost of tuition alone is nearly $12,000, which does not include my passport, visa, travel to departure city ( New York ) or any spending money. I have applied for a scholarship, which may help up to $1500, but I do not know if, or how much I might qualify for. Therefore, I am going to be responsible for raising the money on my own. I am working on several fund-raising ideas, including raffles, corporate sponsors, car washes etc. I am also looking for private sponsors who can donate cash or items that can be raffled such as airline tickets, gift cards, and hotel stays etc. I have started a blog at www.austin-bain.blogspot.com, where you can read more about me and this adventure. I will be updating at least monthly with my status, and I will continue to update it with postings and pictures until I return in July of 2011.
On my blog page, I have a link (Chip In) where donations can be made via credit card to AFS, which is applied directly towards my tuition. Any donations are highly appreciated, and I will be posting sponsors names monthly on my blog page in appreciation. Donations can also be made by check or money order mailed to my house, my address is listed below. I am also asking that rather than receiving any gifts for birthdays or Christmas, please donate to this experience! Gift donations for raffle items can also be mailed to my house, or call to make other arrangements.
Another way you can help is to forward this email which includes my blog link to your family, friends, co-workers or anyone you know as part of an email campaign. This has been done before by college students who have successfully raised thousands of dollars, just by asking for a small donation. Let’s keep this email going and remember, NO donation is too small; every penny is one step closer to making this opportunity come true. I know it sounds like it is a long time away, and a lot of money, but that's why I'm starting now. I have to have my tuition paid in full by July, which is about 60 days prior to my departure. That's only 10 months away!
Thanks again for all of your help and support, I will not be able to do this without you! Remember to check my blog frequently, the Chip In widget will show you how much money I've raised until I have had to turn in my tuition.
Thank You,
Austin Bain
78 Huntington Parkway
Saint Charles , MO 63301
636-493-0281
Saturday, September 19, 2009
One step further
As you you all know i am going to Spain next year and I needed a pass port. So two days ago i had to go through the process of sending out the pass port application and taking a photo for it. Fun stuff.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
My Adventure Starts Here
Hi, my name is Austin Bain and I live in St. Charles MO, a suburb of St. Louis. I am a freshman at St. Charles West High School and I have recently applied to study abroad next fall for one year in Spain. I have applied with AFS (American Field Service) an established exchange student program and am planning to depart in September of 2010 and return in July 2011.
Just starting High School I am staying busy with sports, lots of homework and studying. I am currently playing JV Soccer and am interested in Wrestling this Winter; I am also looking at participating in Track next Spring. I am currently in my second year of Spanish and I love it. My interests include music, playing sports and spending time with my family and friends. I also love to learn about cars and computers. While growing up, I've had the opportunity to move and live in several different parts of the United States and have made great friends. It has challenged me to be more accepting of people and open to new adventures. This trip would be the experience of a lifetime; I would love to experience a new culture and continue to master the Spanish language. I am also excited about the opportunity to share our culture with my host family and friends. I think this experience will open my eyes to different cultures and have a lifelong impact on how I view the world.
As a freshman I have not yet decided on a career path for my future, however I feel the experience of being an exchange student will benefit me regardless of the path I choose. I think being immersed in an unfamiliar culture and learning a new language will present me with challenges that I have not yet faced in life, and will force me to be independent and mature. I will also likely come away with a better appreciation for the life I live and the people in it. That experience and a second language would surely prove beneficial in my future.
Hopefully, I will be able to raise enough money for this great experience of a lifetime! My goal is to raise $12,000 by next July to cover the costs of my trip and stay in Spain. This would cover my trip and student visa, but would not include any spending money. More details about what tuition covers can be found on the afsusa.org website. I am working very hard to raise money through several fundraisers I am planning over the next few months, as well as getting corporate sponsors, but I still need some help to make this dream happen. Whatever you are able to give is greatly appreciated. I know that it sounds like a lot of money to raise, but no donation is too small, and you can contribute more than once if you like. I know that times are tough, but every dollar will help me get a step closer to reaching my goal and experiencing this once in a lifetime opportunity. To help me with my journey, click on the ChipIn! gadget on the top right of this blog, and make a secure non tax-deductible donation. I would greatly appreciate it if you could forward my blog to anyone else who you think might be interested in sponsoring my AFS experience to Spain by forwarding the link http://austin-bain.blogspot.com. If you have any questions, you can refer to the AFS website, or review the Frequently Asked Questions located on the Sponsor an AFSer page. Thank you for taking an interest in my blog, I will be updating it regularly, including while on my trip, so check back often.
Just starting High School I am staying busy with sports, lots of homework and studying. I am currently playing JV Soccer and am interested in Wrestling this Winter; I am also looking at participating in Track next Spring. I am currently in my second year of Spanish and I love it. My interests include music, playing sports and spending time with my family and friends. I also love to learn about cars and computers. While growing up, I've had the opportunity to move and live in several different parts of the United States and have made great friends. It has challenged me to be more accepting of people and open to new adventures. This trip would be the experience of a lifetime; I would love to experience a new culture and continue to master the Spanish language. I am also excited about the opportunity to share our culture with my host family and friends. I think this experience will open my eyes to different cultures and have a lifelong impact on how I view the world.
As a freshman I have not yet decided on a career path for my future, however I feel the experience of being an exchange student will benefit me regardless of the path I choose. I think being immersed in an unfamiliar culture and learning a new language will present me with challenges that I have not yet faced in life, and will force me to be independent and mature. I will also likely come away with a better appreciation for the life I live and the people in it. That experience and a second language would surely prove beneficial in my future.
Hopefully, I will be able to raise enough money for this great experience of a lifetime! My goal is to raise $12,000 by next July to cover the costs of my trip and stay in Spain. This would cover my trip and student visa, but would not include any spending money. More details about what tuition covers can be found on the afsusa.org website. I am working very hard to raise money through several fundraisers I am planning over the next few months, as well as getting corporate sponsors, but I still need some help to make this dream happen. Whatever you are able to give is greatly appreciated. I know that it sounds like a lot of money to raise, but no donation is too small, and you can contribute more than once if you like. I know that times are tough, but every dollar will help me get a step closer to reaching my goal and experiencing this once in a lifetime opportunity. To help me with my journey, click on the ChipIn! gadget on the top right of this blog, and make a secure non tax-deductible donation. I would greatly appreciate it if you could forward my blog to anyone else who you think might be interested in sponsoring my AFS experience to Spain by forwarding the link http://austin-bain.blogspot.com. If you have any questions, you can refer to the AFS website, or review the Frequently Asked Questions located on the Sponsor an AFSer page. Thank you for taking an interest in my blog, I will be updating it regularly, including while on my trip, so check back often.
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