My family has always held value in
intelligence and awareness of the world, encouraging me to learn as much as
possible, and see beyond just the environment immediately around me. I
attribute much of my love for learning and travel to my parents, who introduced
me to new cultures beginning at a young age. Through several visits to Germany
(where my aunt lives with her family) and neighboring European countries, I
gradually became more aware and curious about the places that I had visited,
and those I had not. In my opinion, the trait of curiosity is one of the best
descriptors of my character. I love to learn about new people, places, ideas,
and views. This curiosity is the reason that I decided to study abroad with
AFS.
Attending public school in a small
community, I have not often been extremely challenged or inspired by classwork. In the spring of my eighth grade year I was given the chance
to stay with a host family for eleven days in Wadayama, Japan. The entire
experience of being immersed in the culture and learning constantly was enough
to leave me wanting more. I know that going on exchange I will be presented
with the opportunity to learn and try new things every day. I want to gain
knowledge about others and myself while abroad.
I also want to share my culture
with my host family and community while on exchange. Even with modern
capabilities of long distance communication, there is still a large amount of
misunderstanding between different cultures. As an exchange student I can
provide insight into American culture and give a clear picture of what life is
like for an average teenager in the United States. I can create a connection
between myself and my host family based on understanding and give and gain
perspective.
Upon my return to the United States
I would like to involve myself locally with AFS to give information to students
interested in exchange. I would love to inspire others to broaden their horizons
and create connections worldwide. As a returnee I will be able to provide
valuable information about the entire experience and what it means to be a
participant in an AFS program.
I am very blessed to have parents
that can cover the immediate cost of my exchange, but I need to pay my parents
back. Since this experience is expensive and solely mine, I understand that it
is my responsibility to pay for it, not my parents. I plan on attending college
after my graduation from high school, and would like to go into my college
career without any previous debts to my parents, since I know attending
university can be very costly. I have not made many efforts to fundraise for my
trip yet, as I was only accepted a few weeks ago. I applied for the Viaggio
Italiano scholarship, but unfortunately did not receive it. I have a passion
for art and have decided to incorporate this into my fundraising efforts. I have recently set up a shop on the website called RedBubble, which
allows me to share my artwork and sell it, printed onto phone cases, t-shirts,
posters, and many other objects. All of the money made from my shop will go
directly to funding my AFS program. I plan on sending out e-mails to relatives
and local businesses asking for donations. I am also looking into small events,
a garage sale or car wash, that I can hold locally to raise money. Lastly, upon my return home from
exchange I will be looking into employment options to cover whatever expenses
remain from my trip.
I am greatly looking forward to my
year in Italy and all of the new knowledge and memories it will bring. I want
to learn and teach while I’m abroad, and then share my experiences after my
return. I am convinced that all of the benefits of this opportunity will far
outweigh the cost, and that I am about to embark on the trip of a lifetime.
-Elena Krupicka-
To sponsor my AFS program, please click the Donate Now button to make a non tax-deductible contribution directly to my AFS program account.
