Travel Info

 June 1, 2012

Dear Vivian Setsuko Cox,

An important part of preparing for your AFS experience is to know when you are leaving and where your orientation will be held. Please read the highlighted links to help you plan for your departure. Your international flight and gateway orientation are as follows:

Program: YPscNH12 Spain

Travel Itinerary: 

Direction : Departure

Carrier Name	Carrier No.	DEPARTURE			ARRIVAL
		Location	Date	Time	Location	Date	Time
Swiss International Air Lines	15	JFK - New York - John F. Kennedy, NY	6-September-12	8:55 PM	ZRH - Zürich - Kloten	7-September-12	10:45 AM
Swiss International Air Lines	2026	ZRH - Zürich - Kloten	7-September-12	12:25 PM	MAD - Madrid - Barajas	7-September-12	2:45 PM

Above is part of my travel information, sent to me by AFS about 100 days before my departure.  I fly from Durham (RDU) by myself to New York City, where I meet an AFS volunteer who takes me to an over night orientation at the Hilton hotel.  From there all AFS students going to Spain from America get on a plane (after meeting each other in person for the first time since talking via Facebook for a year) and fly to Zurich, Switzerland, to connect with a flight to Madrid.  Since I live in Madrid, my family will pick me up from a meeting point in the city, but other students who live in different parts of the country will take trains and buses to their home town.

Speaking of which....

My family seems perfect.  I contacted them through email a couple of weeks ago, and since then I've spoken with the father and son a lot.  My new brother, Alberto, is sixteen and goes to an Italian school since his (our) mother is from Italy.  He's going to South Africa for two months with AFS, but will be home by the time I get there.  The father, Jose, is as fluent in English as his son is, and is a lawyer.  The mother, Maria, works at an Italian cooking school.  My new sister, Isabella, is one year younger and also goes to the Italian school.  I haven't spoken with my mother or sister yet, mostly because I don't think they're as great at English, but based on what I've heard I think we will get along fantastically.
Being the creepy, hysterically overjoyed girl that I was, I google-maped their apartement on the night when I found out about where I would live.  It seems like they live in the very center of Madrid, close to Sol, and are...ahem...very wealthy.  Since then I've become friends with the sister and brother on facebook, and have communicated in perfect English consistently for a while now.  The first email I ever got from my new family, the people who chose me to live with them, was signed 'a big hug from your new brother and the rest of the family.'  I almost cried it was so sweet.
Everything could not be more ideal.  I'm in my dream city with access to museums and trains and history and city things not found here in Durham.  I have a brother, who I've always wanted, and a sister, who I'm really looking forward to getting to know, and two parents that willingly brought me into their home.
The only downside?  I found out about all of this on the week of my final exams, and I've spent all of my time researching and talking and blogging when I should be studying.  Like right now, because I'm taking the SAT tomorrow...tengo que irme, adiós!