This past week was packed with things that had to be done before I left. Last Wednesday I got my hair cut short, and then the next day I passed the road test. However, I won't be able to take advantage of my license until next summer, because AFS does not allow students to drive during the program.
On Friday I had my friends over for a party so that I could spend time with them before I left, and goodbyes continued until the day I left the house.
Yesterday my father drove me down to our hotel outside New York City, which took longer than usual because hurricane Irene caused the closure of the road we usually take.
Despite more road closures and unusual train schedules, I still had the chance to meet my friend Jules for lunch. We got to know each other during the Cornell University Summer College 2010, but we never had the chance to see each other again until today.
After saying goodbye to her, Father and I drove to the JFK airport hotel, where the orientation is being held. All students going to Europe meet together there, before splitting up by country. The majority of the students are either going to France or Spain, but I talked to some that were headed for Austria or the Netherlands.
After icebreakers, the rule speech, and dinner, we split up by country and talked to a volunteer who had been a foreign exchange student in the nation to which we're headed.
Afterwards we were given free time until room check at 11:00pm. I hung out with a group of others who are bound for france. Tomorrow we have orientation events all morning and into the afternoon. We have to get to the airport significantly earlier than our flight time because there are so many of us and everyone has to check their bags and go through security together.
Tonight (because it's past midnight now) I'll be flying away from the US. Au revoir, America.
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