Turkey postponed

Well guys. Today we were notified of an unwanted development in our departure for Turkey. We were initially supposed to leave next thursday, but due to a recently added requirement to the visa process, we will not leave for about two weeks. But here's the part that makes it a LIIITTTLLLEEEE bit more complicated for me. I am already in New Jersey at my friend's house. With my bags all packed and ready to go. It makes me mad that this has been handled so unprofessionally. Why wasn't YES notified of this change earlier? Oh well. I will keep ya'll updated on what my plan is! Have a good night :D Hosckalin!
Xoxo, Izzy

Host family :D

Well this happened sooner than I thought!!! As one of the Oman girls said, it will happen when you least expect it. So there I was, watching The Avengers, and my mom texts me saying "you have a host family! Check your email!". My heart leapt. A host family!!! I quickly logged onto my AFS/YES account, and clicked on the host family information link. I will be living in Kayseri, which is in the middle of the country of Turkey. My family consists of a mother, a father, an eleven year old sister, and a seven year old brother. Having younger siblings will be SOOOOOO different, and I am so thrilled. The city's population is between 844,000 and 1,000,000. Anywhere in that range is quite a bit larger than my home town of 75,000, so that has of course only added to my excitement. It has been inhabited since approximately 3,000 BC, and is located near Cappadocia, an ancient city. The city rests at the base of Mount Erciyes, a 12,848 foot (3,916 m) extinct volcano, which has a ski resort on it (hello snowboarding!!). I emailed my host mom and dad, and am waiting for their reply. So far Zoe, Tommy, and I know that we are being hosted in Kayseri, but none of the others have been notified. I also met a girl on the AFS Turkey page from Serbia who will be living in Kayseri. Let me just interject here how incredible social media is. Already I have four people who I will know while there. Incredible!
     Getting my host family has made this upcoming year so much more real for me. Before I was going to Turkey to live in an unknown city, with an unknown family. But now I have a solid, breathing family in a city that I can research and tell people about. It has only increased my excitement.

Kayseri shadowed by Mt. Erciyes. My new home!!!

I know this year will be full of challenges (I still don't know if my family speaks english... that should be interesting!), but the fact that a family is willing to welcome me into their home based simply on an application is just the start of a list of the incredible things about this adventure. Until later my friends!
Xoxo, Izzy

My last few weeks

Hello blog viewers!

So, I know that I said I would post again when I had a host family... but I couldn't wait, and we STILL don't have them, so I will go ahead and just post. I have a week and a half left in my home town of Santa Fe, before I fly to New Jersey for five crazy fun days with one of my best friends, and then take of for Turkey. I received my yellow AFS luggage tags today and the sheet of "What to do when you get off the plane" for my orientation in New York. Although... that page isn't really useful for me as I will already be there. But at least I have some contact from AFS! Other than the email telling me that I don't have a visa yet (that freaked me out just a little bit, but I have calmed down!), nada. All in good time though. But the biggest news in the past few weeks is that I GOT A LAPTOP!!! WHOOP WHOOP!! First laptop ever. It's a Macbook Air, and it's beautiful. The effect is slightly wearing off, but I could still just sit and look at it all the time and be happy. Mac has really got it down for beauty. I got a red laptop sleeve with a white Paul Frank Julius head popping out of the side, and my grandma got me a super cute bag that fits my laptop and a million other things, which will be perfect for the plane. I love it all!  Anywho! Other than go on and on about everything I DON'T know about this upcoming year, I will tell you more about what I have been doing, and what I HAVE learned.

     Last monday we had a country specific conference call with YES Abroad Turkey alumni. It was three girls from the 2011-2012 year, and it was pretty helpful. It really sank in how conservative I should dress, which I hadn't really thought of before, because everyone talks about how modern Turkey is. But those people are telling me this after being in Istanbul, which I won't be in. So... not helpful guys! Hey, at least that makes less to pack :D But we also learned that after April 1 we can travel independently throughout the country, which is SOOOOOOOO exciting!! I will have the chance to see anything that I haven't seen (which, knowing Turkey, will be plentiful) or to visit any of the other YESers. Along with this conference call, I had breakfast with a Turkey alum from last year, Hana Swift, a few weeks ago. She said almost the exact same things as on the conference call, so I won't repeat it. Pretty much just cover legs, cleavage, and shoulders! 

     As for what I have been doing. This past week my parents and I went on a camping trip in the San Luis Valley in Colorado. We started out by spending the night with my grandparents in Taos, then to the Great Sand Dunes, then up to Turquoise Lake, then a night at Joyful Journey Hot Springs, and then back to New Mexico for two nights at Heron Lake. Interspersed in there were multiple trips to various hot springs, as we are a hot water loving family. These soaks were especially appreciated after my dad and I climbed Mt. Elbert, a 14,334 foot mountain. It is the tallest in Colorado, and the second tallest in the lower forty-eight states next to Mt. Whitney in California. It was a long, steep, rocky hike up, and it was a cold summit, but TOTALLY worth it. The feeling after a hike is priceless. A mixture of utter exhaustion, with extreme adrenaline because you just did something totally awesome. If Mt. Ararat (tallest mountain in Turkey) wasn't a 16,000 something foot mountain that required a guide, I would be all over it. But who knows... be careful what you wish for. This was the last trip with my parents, so although there were times when all I wanted was my phone or my computer or a movie, I really made sure to enjoy these precious last moments with them. 

     My friends started school last wednesday, (it is certainly a strange feeling not being there with them. As one Charis Ramsing said, its the award transition stage. You are preparing for this amazing adventure, but totally disconnected from your friends. I better get used to that!) so this week will be a lot of watching as many movies as I possibly can, and making sure my bag doesn't go over the forty pound limit (way harder than I thought it would be). I also need to try and cram in all my friends this weekend, including some in Albuquerque, which is an hour away. And doctors appointments!! Quite a few before I leave. So, gule gule my friends. I promise nothing about the next post, for as far as I know I could be in Turkey before I get my family. But you will be hearing more from me soon! Wish me luck in my packing, and ttyl. 

Xoxo, Izzy

My mom and I in front of the Great Sand Dunes.

My dad and I at the top of Mt. Elbert. WE MADE IT!!

Me at the top! Really cold...

My attempt at packing. It's gotten better, but I think my bag is too heavy D: