Closing time.Hora de fecho.

Hi Y'all,
    So it's official, I'm no longer a high school student.

Finals are done. My books are turned in. Fines were paid. And finally yesterday they gave me that coveted high school diploma. No more class, pep rallies, or homework for me. I'm all done with my required education. Graduation was bittersweet. My least favorite teacher hugged me twice for an uncomfortably long time, told me he'd really miss me, and called me girlie. When I went up to receive 

my diploma, before I walked on stage, I asked the man if anyone had ever tripped before and he said, 

"Nope, you'll be our first." So with that vote of confidence, I walked across the stage. They announced by BP scholarship and my name. I shook hands with two men who I assume are of some importance by their fancy robes but honestly I have no clue. For all I know they could have been janitors. Then I received my diploma holder. I then excited the stage and received my real diploma. I'm really proud that I didn't trip because my feet were in so much pain from my gorgeous heels that I could barely walk. I was having visions of me pulling a Lizzie McGuire and tripping and taking everyone and everything down with me. Thankfully, that didn't happen and I walked the stage with some grace. I think my grimace actually looked like a smile to the audience. I'd like to give a shout out to my wonderful friends and family that came and sat through several hours of monotonous speeches and over 600 names being called just to watch me walk across the stage for 5 seconds. It must taken a lot of love to go through that and don't think I didn't see you playing on your phones during the speeches. 

It didn't hit me until today when I was cleaning out my room that I was actually done. I saw all my yearbooks lined up in my room and tossed out all my accumulated notes and school papers. It was both exciting and terrifying to realize that, as everyone keeps reminding me, I'm now an adult and on my own. I took my last SAT on saturday and now all I have left to do is to apply to college.

In AFS news, I got Rosetta Stone. I've been working on it a little everyday and now know some pretty basic Portuguese. I also sent in my papers for my necessary background check a few weeks ago and I should get that back for my visa by July 1st. I've met several people that are going to Brazil on Facebook. They come from Germany, Turkey, Italy, Seattle, and right here in San Antonio. They all seem really sweet and I can't wait to meet them in person. It's officially 59 days until I leave. Tchau!