My application is off to Japan I mean.
Finally, I got my interview done. (I waited months longer than everyone else because all of the volunteers were busy in the Greater Puget Sound Area). My full application is being processed by AFS Japan right now and I should be accepted within 4-6 weeks.
The only thing I'm a little worried about is my shoulder. When I was born, the doctor screwed up and did some stuff he wasn't supposed to, which resulted in a nerve being torn apart in my right shoulder. I'm left handed now, but I had to have major surgeries on my shoulder and I have lots off issues and loss of movement in it. It doesn't stop me from living a normal life though, I just can't do push-ups or have a super heavy backpack and several other things, but mostly I've learned to adapt. AFS USA got a doctor to write a medical recommendation to AFS Japan for me, so hopefully they'll still accept me! They can't say anything until the application deadline, which was moved to October 10th, so all of us students in the US have to wait until then, sadly.
I also applied for a full scholarship (called the Yoshi Hattori Memorial scholarship, in memory of a Japanese exchange student that was shot and killed by an American). If I got it, I would get all $14,000 of the tuition covered for me! I'm praying that I'm at least a semi-finalist. I should know in the next week or two.
To apply, I had to write four different essays. The prompts were questions such as:
What is the responsibility of an exchange student abroad and when they return? Do you believe in gun control? When have you displayed leadership? Why do you want to be a exchange student?
I think I answered all of them well and to the best of my ability, so we'll just have to see!
