This morning being Easter, my parents and I all did something special. They'd hidden some eggs around our living room, and as soon as I was downstairs we all went and I started to look for them. After that my mother and I went and did some baking, and I did some homework, before we left to go to the house of a family friend for Easter lunch.

When we got there, there were the requisite greetings before we settled down, and passed around a plate with small pieces of egg on it. The egg had been blessed the day before. It was at this moment that people began making toasts - to the year ahead, to family, to friendship, to promise to celebrate together again next year. And that's when it really hit me, for the first time. 

One year from now, I won't be here. I won't be spending Easter sitting around a big table with family and friends eating traditional Polish food. One year from now I will be halfway across the world, probably missing home. But at the same time there is so much that I will gain. Because one year from now, I won't be here. I will be spending Easter with a new family, new friends, in a new and wonderful place. One year from now I will be halfway across the world, already planning how to tell everyone about what is sure to be an amazing year.

I was on Instagram a minute or two ago, and I saw a post from a friend who is heading to India next year. I'd like to reduplicate it here, or at least the quote she used.

“If ever there is tomorrow when we're not together... there is something you must always remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is, even if we're apart... I'll always be with you.” - Winnie the Pooh


So… As hard as it is for me to accept the decision I have made, I know that it was the right decision. And although I'll be away from family and friends, I will never lose the knowledge that they are with me every step of the way.

I'm going to borrow an expression that we use at crew fairly frequently, although there it is certainly more literal. It is also one that my father has been incessantly quoting at me for the last few days. "Head in the boat". When rowing, it's designed to keep you focused on your goal, not the other boats around you. Because that's not supposed to matter. You're simply supposed to try as hard as you can. Used another way, as my father continues to remind me, it means that you have to stay focused on your immediate goals.

It's certainly something I'm struggling with. However, I know my dad's right. Trying to balance everything can be impossibly difficult, so for the next few weeks, at least until AP exams are over and I can breathe again, I'll be concentrating on that. Because as soon as it's over, I can go right to learning Arabic and practicing my pronunciation… Or, you know, learning the alphabet, because I speak zero Arabic right now. 

The video below was actually located by one of my fellow Oman soon-to-be-exchangers. If you want to find out just how little you know about Arabic, or just want your mind blown for a minute or two, I recommend it. Anyway, head in the boat. So I'm signing off for a little while, but as soon as I'm done with AP testing and shortly thereafter done with the school year, I'll be back. 

Try as I might, I couldn't delay my excitement for another moment and postpone writing this blog post. I think I've only had my acceptance letter for about two hours, but I've already shrieked and jumped up and down for joy, as well as fielding phone calls and messages from family and friends. Now that the initial excitement has died down a bit, I'm able to coherently type out a few sentences. 

After waiting last night for acceptance/rejections emails that never came, the floodgates opened this morning when they (seemingly at random) started going out.  And then I got mine. And now I'm super super super happy. 

I'm thrilled to announce that also accepted to Oman are a number of my friends from the IPSE, including my roommate Brandi (of http://omanimebrandi.wordpress.com/), which is incredibly exciting news. The first segment of my email:

"Dear Karla,

 
Congratulations!  We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected as a Finalist for a 2014-15 Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Abroad scholarship for study in Oman!  The YES Abroad program is funded by the U.S. Department of State, and administered by the YES Consortium, led by American Councils for International Education in partnership with AFS Intercultural Programs (AFS), the American-Mideast Educational and Training Service (AMIDEAST) and the International Education and Resource Network (iEARN). American Councils manages the overall operations of the YES Abroad program, and the program implementer in Oman is AMIDEAST."

I'd really like to thank everyone who helped me to have this opportunity - my supportive friends and family, my teachers, and especially my parents for taking a deep breath and letting me go. I love you all, thank you for standing by me as I prepare myself for this journey.

Until next time:
- Dream big
- Work hard
- Love lots
And stay true to yourself