T Minus 10 [Days!]

Things I Have Done In Preparation For Trip:

• Made a significant effort in starting my Spanish tapes.
• Made a list of things to pack.
• Begun packing my room into boxes.
• Been in contact with the Spanish consulate about issuing my visa on time. (Erghhhh.)
• Made contact with my host family via email.
• Bought some shiny new things, a wallet and a point and shoot camera, and had a haircut.
• Had a Going Away Party with friends.
• Re-imaged my laptop.
• Set up this blog.
  

Things I Have Yet To Do In Preparation For Trip:

• Finish my Spanish tapes.
• Actually pack (and weigh!) my suitcase.
• Finish packing my room into boxes, and buy some bubble wrap.
  
• Have my visa issued on time. (Hopefully my trip won't be delayed because of this.)
• Make contact with my host family via phone.
• Buy: Jeans, socks, a carry-on/school bag, a new pair of glasses, Australiana presents for my host family.
• Have some sort of a Going Away Party with family.
• Wash all the clothes I'm planning on taking with me.
• Check a couple of things with my host family about school, coats, etc.
• Attempt to locate all of the chargers for the electronic devices I'm taking with me.
• Extend the expiry date on my debit card.
  

So, all in all, I've at least started most things. Thankfully, I still have 10 days in which to finish them...

T Minus 15 [Days!]

These last few days have been exciting, to say the least! Slowly but surely - finally! - information about my soon-to-be host family has come to me from Spain.

I'm off to live on the outskirts of Madrid, in Colmenarejo, and going to school at I.E.S. Colmenarejo. My host mother's name is Isabel, who is divorced but lives with her three children; Daniel (11), Maria (8) and Antonio (6). They've had exchange students before, and have a few pets - three dogs, one cat, two hamsters and a pool of fish.

This is exactly the sort of host family I hoped for - I'm so happy, and can't wait to meet them! I received all this information this morning from my Spanish contacts, along with a few pictures, and I'm off to email them after this.

In other news, the first of three of us using the same exchange program (for anyone interested, it's Student Exchange Australia New Zealand - link found here) is off to Italy tomorrow! Yesterday the three of us ventured in to Perth city to buy identical teddy bears to hug if we got lonely in our respective European countries. Here's mine, complete with a friendship bracelet on her left ankle;


The Spanish is coming along veeeery slowly. It's going to be a busy couple of weeks - learning the basics of a language, various farewell parties and goodbyes, packing my room up, packing the things I'm going to take away, organising multiple appointments and praying that my visa is accepted by the Spanish Consulate on time. Eep!