Three weeks

My Josie girl has been in Spain now for three weeks.  Josie has updated her blog so if you haven't read it, you should.  This will take you to it: http://josiethurmond.blogspot.com/.  Josie did skype with us on Carolyns birthday and we were also able to say hello to Josie's host mom (Paola) and host grandpa (Abuelo) and I feel assured that Josie is in good hands.  They were both so kind and Josie seems to really enjoy living with them.

Josie sent a package from Spain.  It took about a week for it to get here from Spain and it came by UPS.  I sent Josie a package last week and I'm not sure how much it weighed but it only had 2 bags of marshmallows, about 10 pkts of hot cocoa, a shaver (lightweight), and a couple letters and it cost over $29 to ship.  I think the coca pkts weighted down the pkg.  But I'm thinking that when we mail Christmas gifts it will be only lightweight items and as small as possible.  lol

It has been so much fun reading Josie's blog and seeing her pictures.  I'm hoping one day to be able to go back to Spain with Josie and have her show me around.  And it would be great to meet her host family and to thank them in person for caring for my sweet Josie.  Lots of people ask if we are going to go to Spain before Josie comes home and the answer to that is no.  I feel strongly that this is Josie's exchange and her experience and I don't want to take away from that in any way.  Besides, the expense of a trip like that is more than we can handle right now.  Even if it was affordable, I don't think it is our place to intrude on her time.

With Josie being gone, Carolyn has been sleeping in Josie's bed and has pretty much taken over Josie's room.  Carolyn says that she sleeps better in Josie's bed.  :)  It still seems so hard to believe that Josie is so far away.  And it just seems so overwhelming to think about her being gone for 9 more months.  I just can't focus on that.  Right now I focus on updates on Josie's facebook page and blog updates.  Thank you Lord for modern technology!

This is a picture from last year when Josie went to Homecoming.
This is one of my favorite pics with Jo.
I just want to reach over and hug her.
((((HUGS))))

The Visa is . . . . delayed.

So it's been a month (July 15) since  our travel agent received all of the visa requirements to send to the Spanish consulate for Josie's visa and every day we have been eagerly awaiting for an e-mail that the visa is ready.  Instead, this is what we received:

Hello Students, Parents, and Rotarians!
I just wanted to update you all on where we are at with your visa process. The Spanish Government has had many changes here in the past 30-60 days and I just wanted to update you regarding the most important of those changes. It’s Your World Travel was advised by the Spanish Government that as of the end July 2011, if you are under the age of 18 (or a minor), in order to begin the process of applying for your visa here in the US, you must first have an approval from the Spanish Government in Spain that allows you to apply for a visa. The documentation that explains this was sent to Rotary in Spain so that they are aware of this. As of today 11-August-2011, we are still awaiting this approval before your paperwork can even begin the process here in the US. Your paperwork is already 100% complete and all we need is this approval/authorization. I hope this helps explains any delay in your visa but I do assure you that this will not affect your exchange to Spain and you will still have an awesome year abroad! I’ll be in touch with you all as soon as we have an update on your paperwork. Thanks!

Not the news we were hoping for!  The Rotary District in Spain has requested that all students be in Spain by Sept 4 and then all students are required to be in in Madrid for Orientation on Sept 9-11.  So we are quite eager to get the visa and get Josie on her way.

Don't mistake me.  I am not trying to push Josie out the door.  This has been such a long and sometimes arduous process and I am just anxious for the planning to end and for her exchange to begin.  I can't even fathom how much I will miss her, I try not to dwell on it.  And I am so consumed with getting everything ready for her and the exchange that it keeps me from dwelling on the inevitable, that my daughter will be gone, halfway across the world for 10 months.  My eyes are swelling just thinking about it.  Enough of that!

So much planning still to do. We have planned a going away party and bonfire at the end of the month, along with Dr appts and the removal of her braces (orthodontia).  Without having an official departure date or even a tentative itenerary it's hard to plan anything.  But, worse case scenario is that we will have to move everything up and plead for everyone's forgiveness and cooperation.  But with this latest news I feel confidant that this won't be a problem.

Let's hope this isn't Josie!

So, until she's on that plane, we will keep planning.  On a side note, speaking of planes.  I did find out from the travel agent that Josie will be flying either Delta or US Airways.  I asked so I could find out luggage requirements.  Turns out that her first suitcase is free (50 lb limit) and the second will cost with $70 or $75 (depending on which airline she flies).  So, we are planning on just forking out the $$$ for the second suicase.  The packing list is in the works, but keeps growing.  Yikes!  I think she'll be okay in staying under 100 lbs total on her way over there, but on her way home may be another story. 

We did get hostess gifts last week.  She only has one host family as of now, but that will probably change once she gets there.  Rotary likes for the students to have at least 2, preferably 3 host families.  We bought 2 host family gifts in preparation for a 2nd host family.  Josie bought these really cute tins in the shape of Iowa that are painted in Iowa scenes and the bottom of the tins tell about Iowa.  She is going to fill them with American candy (Reece's PB cups, Starbursts, or Jelly Bellys).  She also bought 2 books about Iowa (1 for each family).  They are more like coffee table books and they highlight Iowa beautifully.

We also purchase a conversion plug for her laptop and now are trying to figure out if she needs a convertor for her ipod plug-in.  This site helps:  http://www.adaptelec.com/index.php?main_page=document_general_info&products_id=192

So many details . . .

That's all I have for now.