27 Jun 2013

5 semanas

Oi e Boa tarde,

First: Sorry that I didn't publish a new post on Friday like I said in my last post, but I didn't had the time. But now there is a much longer post about everything that happened in the last time.


5 WEEKS!
That's the time which is left until my departure to Brazil. That's so less and can't believe it. Time is passing so fast. I've got the feeling that there is so much to do in these 35 days.

At the last weekend I had my last preparation week, the country-specific one in Bad Hersfeld. It was really, really great! I loved it. We all had the same aim: learning as much as we can about Brazil.
And our advisers were really nice too and they told us so much about their own experiences and gave us lots of tips for our own year.
And like every time before there was this "AFS feeling" which is just indescribable.
I really miss the other AFSer and I'm happy that I'll meet them all again at the airport when we fly to Brazil together.
And one of the best things of the weekend: the Brazilian food! It's was so delicious, I can't wait to eat it again. Feijoada (typical dish of Brazil) is really good and the dessert Brigadeiro is just perfect *__*

Me, Elena and Victoria (Room girls :*)

About one week ago I got my Visa! I was so happy and now I love looking at it (I know that's crazy, but it shows me that I don't dream :D). Here are two photos, isn't it beautiful? ;)


Some weeks ago I started realizing what it means to be one year away from home. I was in a bad mood for a few days because they were so many thoughts in my head and I couldn't arrange this feeling. I thought about nearly everything I did and it was really annoying.
In one moment I was up in the sky and it felt like everything is such great and nothing could bring be down, but then in the next moment I was down on earth again and thinking about what I'm doing there. 
In the evening before I fall asleep I lied in my bed and was afraid of everything, but then I told myself that this is my biggest dream and I should be happy that it is coming true.
But after a few days it was over and now I think it was just phase which belongs to the preparation of my exchange year.
And it had an advantage too: I think I know now what it means to go abroad. I'm still nervous and excited, but I'm even happier than before.
And then I found this pic and I can say: it's so true!
 
 

So I think this was everything what happened in the last time. If there is any news I'll write a new post. And if you have questions, request or ideas for a new post, just write me :)

Abraços,

  Sandra

P.S: As you all know going abroad is very, very expensive. And not everybody has the money to pay it, but everybody should have the chance to do an exchange year. So there is a challenge called "into's Topbotschafter" where students can win three full rides (scholarships). To my German readers: maybe you can watch the videos and vote for at least one person who's you favourite. It doesn't coast too much time and maybe the biggest dream of one of these students will come true with your help.
So here's the link: http://www.into-schueleraustausch.de/topbotschafter/videos

20 Jun 2013

My thoughts about the current situation in Brazil

Oi,

I think everybody who watched the news or read a newspaper in the last days, know what’s going on in Brazil at the moment.
In this entry I want to share my thoughts about it with you.

First: I can understand the people who are picking on the streets for a better Brazil, but I can’t understand all this violence, because it doesn’t help.
I’m really happy that the world cup is in Brazil next year when I am there, but I also have to say that it doesn’t change Brazil and it probably won’t make something better.
The people need more education and a better health care system, not new stadiums.
That they also protest against corruption is understandable for everybody I think. I already knew, that some people there are corrupted and I think it’s a good start that the Brazilians knew that themselves and fight against it.
I think there are lots of problems in Brazil, but that’s one of the reasons to go for me. I don’t want a year in a “perfect” world, I want a year with experiences and I want to know a new country with its entire people, its entire its culture and also with all of its problems.
So I really understand them, but I hope the violence will go away soon and  the situation will get more peaceful and better.
My mum told me today that she would be fear for me if nothing changed until my departure. I wouldn’t like it that my family and friend must be afraid of my year abroad.

I’ve wrote a second entry today and I think I will publish it tomorrow on my way to Bad Hersfeld where the third and last preparation weekend takes part. It the country-specific weekend and we will talk a lot about Brazil there.

Até amanhã,

  Sandra

P.S: Yesterday I found I video on Facebook and after watching it, I understood the situation better that before. So I really recommend it to everybody:


13 Jun 2013

About my host family, my host city and the thing that happend until now

Bom dia, 

In this entry I want to tell you something about the things that happend until now and the most important thing for my year: my host family.


Last year at the beginning of the summer vacation I sent my first application to AFS (my organisation) and in october I got a invitation to one of the choosing weekends. Before this weekend was really nervous, but it was or something, rather quite the contrary: I had lots of fun with the other applicants and the adviser were really nice. But after the weekend the time of waiting started.

The day I got the mail that I was choosen was really crazy. In the morning I couldn’t find my mobile phone in back and so I thought I had forgotten it at home. I had 11h of school on this day and after school finished I looked into my back to take something out. I saw my phone there and the first thing I did was checking my mails. I saw a mail by AFS and I just read the first sentence and started to cry really loud. Some other students at the bus stop laughed at me, but I was so happy and I ignored them. Today I think it was really awkward, but on this day in november I couldn’t belive that my biggest dream would come true.

The first step after that was to choose a country. The have enough host families in Brazil so I got a confirmation that I can go there really fast (about 2 days after I sent my sheet of country preferences. The next thing to do was the online application, where I had to fill in lots of forms. The best thing was to write a letter to my future host family and choose some photo so that they can get a picture of me, their future host daugther.

In February I had my first of three preparation weekend. It was much fun and I meet some of the applicants, which were choosen too, again. Some games were really crazy, but I think they all make sence. Also our adviser (they aren’t much older than me) told us about their exchange years and this was really intresting.
My second preparation weekend was about 4 weeks ago. It was more relaxed than the first one and we had lots of fun again. We talked about bad things taht could happend and also about the great things. After the weekend I had to think really long about some things and I was a bit afraid, because one of the adviser told us, that after her year, she and her best friend aren’t friend anymore. But after all this thinking I’m still excited and just want to have a great year, no matter what will happen.
Next week on Friday my third and last preparation weekend starts. It's the country-specific one and will talk a lot about Brazil there. I'll also will meet lots of Hoopes who are flying to Brazil with me. But it's far away from my home town, so I won't have school on this Friday to go there by train.

Between this too weekends I already got my host family. I was really excited where I would live for one year. Now it’s Varginha, a bigger city in Minas Gerais, about 4 hours away from Rio de Janeiro and 3,5 from São Paulo. And again 3,5 hours away from Belo Horizonte, the capital of Minas Gerais, where one of the stadiums for the World Cup 2014 is.

So now about my family: I have a host father, a host mother, a host sister (one year younger than me) and a little host brother (6 years old). They look very friendly. My host parents have a company for school buses, so I know how to get to school ;) By the way my school is the Colegio Batista de Varginha (website here). What I also know about my them: they have a big house with a large backyard, they like sport but also indoors-oriented things and they like football (they are fans of the Cruzeiro EC and Boa EC) just like me. That are the most important things about them I think.
Since about 4 weeks I’m staying in touch with my host family and they said they are really excited for my arriving. I really like it to write with my host sister via Facebook because she likes the same things(for example music and movies) like me. I think we will get along very well, just like my host family and me.
I’ll ask my host parents for a permission to publish a photo of them here, but until then you have to belive me that they’re look very nice and friendly.

About to weeks ago I got my departure date. My flight from Frankfurt to São Paulo is going on the 1st of august at 10.05pm(German time). My arriving is at the 2nd of august at 4.55am (local time in SP). So I'll fly about 12 hours to go to SP and then I'll journey on to Varginha by plane (about 1 hour I think) or by bus (abou 5 hours), I don't really know that.

If you have questions, you know how to ask ;)

Até breve!

 Sandra

9 Jun 2013

Bem-Vindo, Welcome & Willkommen!



Oi e Bom Dia!

My name is Sandra Polkowski, I am fifteen years old, I’m living in a little village in the Black Forest (south-west of Germany) and at the moment I attend the “Thomas-Strittmatter-Gymnasium”(secondary school). Beginning in the summer (or rather winter in Brazil) of 2013 I will be spending an entire year studying abroad in the wonderful country of Brazil with my organization AFS (American Field Service). At the moment I’m in the 9th grade and I’ll insert an exchange year. After returning I’ll continue school here in Germany and make my A-levels.

I’m so excited for Brazil, the culture, the people… I want to know everything and meet new people there and I hope they are all very nice. And I really want to share my experiences and adventures with you, so I hope you’ll like it.

If you want to know something about me or my exchange year, just ask me (here, on twitter or write an e-mail to Sanny_Star@t-online.de) :)

Abraços,

 Sandra