Hallo! Ich heisse Mara (Hello, my name is Mara). As you can see, I am working very hard to learn German for my upcoming year as an exchange student in Austria. I am only four months away from departure, but for now I am enjoying my last few weeks of my sophomore year at Cascade High School in Leavenworth, Washington. This past year I have enjoyed a busy schedule, including Audition Choir, Jazz Band, Varsity Soccer, Speech and Debate, 4-H, Track and Field, as well as the usual teenage activities. So, as you can imagine, it has been challenging finding time to raise money for this trip.
Traveling is in my blood. Since I was young, I have traveled with my parents and younger brother Ian to many distant lands. We even lived on a boat for two years and sailed to many countries in the Caribbean and Pacific Ocean regions. This passion for traveling was my main inspiration for a travel/study program abroad. My leading aspiration for this adventure is to grow as a person and to become more mature and independent. I now want to immerse myself in a German speaking country to become fluent in this language. Since I live in a Bavarian Theme Town, it is somewhat ironic that I am traveling to Austria. Leavenworth is known as a Christmas town and thousands of tourists visit every year to see the alp-like mountains and sparkling Christmas lights. To see what I mean, you can check out our town's website.
When I return home, I hope to help get a German Club started in my school and make Austrian culture more present in the everyday lives of students at Cascade High School. This type of exchange presents an opportunity for kids to learn and bring home some of the “authentic” alpine culture to our community.
Thank you for reading my blog and considering a donation to my experience. My goal is to raise $5,000 towards the cost of this trip. I plan to raise money through fundraisers, a summer job, and perhaps a scholarship. To sponsor my AFS program now, please click on the “Chip-In” button on the upper right area of this blog. Any amount you are able to give would be greatly appreciated, no matter how large or small.
If you think anyone else might be interested in sponsoring this cultural exchange, I would appreciate it if you might forward my blog at this link: http://maracummings.blogspot.com/ .
