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.