Bosnia in Less than 48 hours :O

Hello everyone who checks up on my blog! So, my foreign adventure just hit me today and I am so pumped but also quite nervous. I am in Manhattan,NY hanging out with a dear friend I just met during orientation. She is the only student from America going to Croatia as I am the only American student going to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Croatia and Bosnia are very close so maybe we will meet up sometime and see how each others year is going. We plan to stay in touch since our two countries are quite similar and we've hit it off so well! I have an amazing host family placement that I am more excited about that anything else <3. My family cannot wait to meet me and I cannot wait to meet them :). After all of the work I've put in and obstacles I've had to overcome, this moment almost feels like a fairytale. I feel as if my fairy godmother is going to tell me I have until midnight to live my dream. I think back and grasp the fact that in a few hours, I will be living my dream. Life is going to be great. I am going into Bosnia with open arms, a big smile, and tons of love <3, basically everything that sums up the kind of person I am. My video blogs on youtube should be coming soon :), I promise to keep you all updated ... #AlmostBosnian #Fairytale

Ja sam Montanna i hvala!

Getting excited!

Hello everyone! Recently as the time goes, I've been feeling more nervous about my upcoming adventure. I speak with the girl that is in Arkansas on foreign exchange from Bosnia frequently and she's been a great help! So far her and I have had a full conversation in Bosnian and it gave me the confidence and excitement to tackle on Bosnia 😊😊. I cannot wait to receive my host family! I'll keep you all updated 🌺 

 Ja sam Bosanac! 

First Things First

 
My name is Montanna Owens and soon I will be going to study abroad  in Bosnia and Herzegovina for a year with AFS Intercultural Programs. I am so excited about learning the Bosnian language, living with a Bosnian family, and gaining an intimate window into a culture that many Americans don't know very much about. I'm also excited to share some American culture with my new family and friends in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

I have wanted see the world since as long as I can remember! One year ago I started my first year of the French language. As I learned more words and learned more about the culture I thought it was fascinating! That prompted me to do lots of outside of class cultural exploration. Recently, I have been researching the different countries in Europe that many tourists do not often go to, I found it very intriguing and found that those are the places people experience the most of an intercultural connection! I want to come home after my year in Bosnia ad Herzegovina speaking Bosnian fluently - that way I can teach others about the language, country and life I experienced in Bosnia and Herzegovina! I also want to volunteer with AFS to help other students live their dreams!

The cost of the program is something that I am working to cover everyday. I have planned many fundraisers. One that I am specifically excited about is the All around the world themed marathon that I am hosting. I really love to bring people together, so I have been getting the supplies needed ready. The marathon will feature walkers and runners dressed in different attire from places all over the world such as: France, India, China, Japan, etc. I also have a part-time job and all the money I make is going straight to my savings account for my trip! I have joined the AFS Sponsor an AFSer program, which is an online fundraising tool provided by AFS to allow potential sponsors to make easy, secure, and non tax-deductible contributions to my AFS program fee. No amount is too small--I know that times are tough, but every little bit will help me get a little bit closer.

Thank you so much for reading this, and I would greatly appreciate it if you could forward this message to anyone else who you think might be interested in sponsoring my AFS experience. Keep checking back here to read more about me and keep up with my adventures once I actually get to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

To sponsor my AFS program, please click the Donate Now button to make a non tax-deductible contribution directly to my AFS program account.