Beginning of the beginning...
Well... I was against creating a blog about my trip at first. But my dad just told me that I should at least keep of a journal of my time in Oman so I can remember it years later. So... here's my virtual journal.
I'll start at the beginning (see title). I found out about this scholarship program--National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y)--through the State Department website because my friend had been able to do a program in Mongolia last summer through the State Department and it sounded like an adventure I'd want to take. So I browsed some of the other programs and found this one and it seemed like a perfect fit. It's free. It's in the summer. It's a long time spent abroad. AND... I get to learn another language! Which in my opinion is one of the most valuable things you can do when you go to another country.
I'll try to make a long application story short:
October- Write my essays. Dang, these sound good. How could anyone possibly reject me...
December- Semi-finalist! Knew it!
January- Super strange and awkward interview. There's no way I'm gonna be chosen...
February- Convince myself even further that I will not be chosen for the scholarship.
March- Might as well start planning for alternative programs and a getting a job.
Weeks leading up to April 20th- Check my e-mail religiously.
April 20th- I'M GOING TO AMMAN, JORDAN! NO WAIT, I'M GOING TO ANOTHER COUNTRY THAT SOUNDS EXACTLY LIKE THAT! OMAN?? I DON'T EVEN CARE!
Since April 20th, I've been learning more about this very unfamiliar Middle Eastern country. I'll be learning Arabic. I've heard contradictory statements from people about its difficulty, but I guess I'll find out when I get there.
I'm almost done packing for the six weeks that I'll be staying in Oman, three weeks in a hotel with the fourteen other girls going with me, and three more weeks with a host family. I leave this Sunday for DC for a Pre-Departure Orientation, then leave with my group on July 3rd for Oman.
My blog is called The Third Page because Oman will be the third country I'll visit in my life, and St. Augustine once said "The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page." So I'm going to create my own virtual World Book with these blogs, because I plan on visiting as many places in this world as I can. You are welcome, St. Augustine. By the way, I used that quote in one of my essays for this program, so I consider it lucky.
Peace!
