So I guess this is goodbye

So I have been waiting and waiting and waiting to receive my host guarantee form, so that I can begin to apply for my Visa, so I can receive my Visa, so I can know when I'll be leaving. Today, my guarantee form came in, and so did my Visa applications. Now, many people have told me that Visa applications are a mess, and take forever. Well, I pretty much just had to sign some papers, and send them back in, so that was pretty awesome. Also, I've heard that it takes forever for your Visa papers to be processed and sent back to you. Not true, for India at least. I can expect them to be back in 2-3 weeks, and then I'm outta here. My forms I received said my suggested arrival date in India was July 16.

I'm suddenly looking around and wondering more than ever before "When will I do this next?" "Is this the last time fore a year?" "I'm going to miss that next year". Some of my friends I already know I have seen for the last time for a year, and now I wonder about others. I want to say goodbye to everyone, and want to spend every free moment making last minute memories. But I know I also have to clean my room (if it's not clean by the time I leave, my parents will clean it for me. Horror of horrors), and find presents for host families (still don't have any, and still no ideas as to what to get them. Ideas?), and prepare in so many last minute ways it's unbelievable.
I'm still trying to collect people's addresses, if you want me to write you letters while I'm gone (I'm discouraged from emailing/calling/facebooking/whatever too much while I'm gone), then please email me at are.quarton@gmail.com . Also, I have to email home quarterly reports while I'm there, and if you want to receive them, just email me (email above) and tell me you want to receive them. Otherwise, people can facebook me, email me, or write me letters! (Hint: letters are my favorite :D) I'll be sure to post pictures when I can!

Thank you for your support and kindness, I know this is an opportunity of a lifetime!

Random note - I found out how to type in Hindi on my keyboard - लोल थिस इस प्रेत्टी मच थे बेस्ट थिंग एवर।

- रूबी
(Ruby)

Departure is approaching!

So this is my new and improved blog, with the URL spelled right. My apologies for changing it, but bad spelling is my ultimate pet peeve.

For those of you who weren't reading my previous blog (with the misspelled URL), I am Ruby Quarton from Homer, Alaska, and will be going on foreign exchange to Pune, India, with the Rotary Club.

So, on to the exciting business! Departure is rapidly approaching, hopefully. I could be leaving anywhere from 2-4 weeks, if everything goes perfectly, but I still haven't received my visa application papers, which is upsetting but not unexpected. My host family seems absolutely perfect, I don't think I could have gotten a better one. My host dad, Kishor, is a photographer and has volunteered to give me photography lessons, as well as take me on tours of a bunch of really big companies he makes documentaries for, such as PARI (robotics) Dynamic Dairies (dairy, obviously..I hope) Tropicana, and Bajaj Autos (biking). I will still be attending Symbiosis Institute, which has about 1500 students, and is an amazing international school.