Hi, my name is Kelsey Brennan and I am from the town of Weymouth, Massachusetts. I am currently a junior at Weymouth High School, and I am applying to go to Japan for six weeks over the summer of 2010 with the American Field Service (AFS). While abroad I will be living with a host family, taking classes in the Japanese language, exploring the country, and so much more.
It is my life long dream to travel to Japan. It began years ago when I first started watching anime, and that small interest has blossomed into a full grown fascination with everything about the country and the culture. I am working extremely hard to raise enough money for this trip. I have a part time job, I'm putting together fundraisers such as a car wash and bake sale, and I'm sacrificing all birthday/Christmas gifts in place of money. The main reason for me wanting to travel on this Japan exchange is of course because I'm irrevocably in love with Japan, but also I hope to gain a new perspective on my life, figure out what I want to do in the future, become a more independent person, and make life-long connections with the people that I will meet there. Someday, I hope to go off to college, and though I'm not aware of exactly what I want to do yet, I know that this trip will have a huge impact on my future decisions. By traveling on this exchange, I hope to give back to the world by promoting intercultural peace and understanding. By making connections with everyone that I meet, sharing information about my country, and representing the US as a kind, caring, and motivated country, my goal is to bring us all closer together.
Currently, as I am a junior, I manage to balance everything that I have taken on, including schoolwork, my part-time job, the school band, National Honors Society, Amnesty International Club, Rotary Interact, and it the midst of all that, my Friends and family, pursuing my hobbies, and of course the joy of sleep. My goal is to raise $5,000, and though it is large sum, I plan to get there in the time between now and next summer, but I am still going to need some help to make my life long dream come true! It would be greatly appreciated if you would donate no matter how large or small the amount may be, because every donation will bring me closer and closer to reaching my dreams. So, thank you so much to everyone who took the time to read this blog, and I would also greatly appreciate it if you could forward this blog to anyone whom you think you would be intersted in helping out by forwarding them the URL to this page. To make a donation towards my trip, please click the ChipIn button at the top of this page. Thank you so much everyone! :D
--Kelsey
