PLACEMENT {prt.III} : Meine Schule

When I first found a picture of this place I instantly thought, oh my gosh, HOGWARTS! And then I read about what they offered there [a little difficult, the information was in German] and I almost peed my pants. They have a much better selection of classes than they have at my high school, that's for sure! They have theatre, film and photography classes! And they will also have the math and science class that i'm required to take when I graduate back here in the U.S.

- janeen mickayla

PLACEMENT {prt.II} : My Host family [I can't wait to meet them!]

This is my host family! Dieter und Heike. September 7th I will fly to Germany and become a part of their family. They sent me many pictures of them and this was the very first image that I got of them. I can't even explain how badly I want to meet them. My host mom is a buyer for a fashion company! That's unbelievably perfect because i'm a bit of a dork for fashion and all things art. And my host father loves running and sports, just like I do. I was a little nervous at first when I read that I wouldn't have any host siblings, but after reading their letter I was just as excited all over again. Plus, my host mom also sent me a post card from Düsseldorf! I have never gotten a post card before so I can honestly say that I was close to hysteric in my excitement. This whole thing is so surreal. Today I finally got enough courage to send her an email, it was so hard to try and form coherent sentences when your that jittery. I really want my host mom to speak with my mother before I leave. I'm so proud of my mom for allowing me to do this. We have never really been away from each other for more that a week or so, it's going to be a bit tough, especially for her - i'm her "baby girl" forever.


Wish me luck, and home I don't implode from all my freaking out. It's a good mix of emotion, though, so don't worry too much. ;)

I'll dig up some dirt on my host school soon....Placement part III.....

- janeen mickayla

PLACEMENT {prt.I} : I'll be living in Düsseldorf, Germany!

{Düsseldorf, Germany skyline}
I doubt that I can explain the rush of excitement and pure bliss that surged through my veins when I read the email,  AFS: You Have New Information About Your Permanent Host Family in Germany! I almost cried! The waiting is so very, very hard, I had been checking my email in ten minute increments for about two weeks now.  There is just so much for me to talk about and to look into that I breaking up all of this wonderful new into three parts. This part will be on my research of the town that my host family live in: Düsseldorf, Germany!

The city itself cam about around the 7th and 8th century and got it's name from theDüssel river. The settlement their became what is now the thriving city of Düsseldorf, Germany. It's very old city that is wrapped in a rich history and culture. It's a very family friendly town and its absolutely beautiful. I been in for a cool winter the ten months  I'm there. I'll never run out of things to do, that's for sure. 

The Altstadt, Shopping on Königsallee, 

Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, 

Boat Tour on the Rhein

There's an abundance of things to do and to see [and hopefully, if I can get an adequate camera, take lot of pictures for my porfolio]. I have this feeling that I am going to be very, very happy where I am.

- janeen mickayla

ACCEPTED BY AFS GERMANY!

Packets and letter sent in the mail after being accepted.

I can not even explain how thrilled I was to hear that I got accepted by AFS Germany. I opened the email and I read the topic and it didn't register immediately. I was in shock that much.I am absolutely thrilled about everything and it's so very hard for me to describe the feelings I get when I think about how close I am to spending a year abroad in Germany. All that is left for me to do now is finish raising the money. I have gotten some scholarships from the amazing people at Faces of America and the AFS New Jersey and I am unbelievably grateful.

Although I'm significantly closer to my goal;, I need to raise $4200 to cover the rest of my tuition and another $2000-$3000 for spending money for necessary things which would amount to around 190 - 290 euros a month [I can't come up with the conversion for dollars to euros off the top of my head, I just know that it's less].

- janeen mickayla