Help Alicia Study Abroad

    Hello I'm Alicia Swenson, and I'm currently a junior at Hopkins High School. There are many things in life that I enjoy doing in my free time such as Hockey, Cross Country, Lacrosse, Student Council, reading, and hanging out with family and friends. But above all, my passions are learning new things/cultures, meeting new people, and traveling the world. Until a few weeks ago, I had no idea people from America studied abroad in high school. It wasn't until I met my friend Alani, an exchange student from Switzerland, that I finally contemplated the possibility. At first I thought, there's no way that would ever work out, but after talking to Alani about her experience so far, I couldn't get enough. This was the first time in my life that I really felt I had a dream, a passion, something that thrilled me just to think about. After doing a bit of research, and talking to my friend Alani, I discovered the program AFS, which is an intercultural study abroad program. 

It would be my dream to study abroad next year, hopefully in Switzerland. This would be a chance for me to immerse myself in a new culture, learn a new language, overcome challenges, and above all, gain a bigger perspective of the world that couldn't compare to anything else. I would live with a host family while attending school with local teenagers, allowing me to get an authentic experience. This is something I feel I am ready for, a new chapter, a change from my daily life that brings new adventure.

I'm about to turn 17, and as the holidays are approaching, a possible alternative to gifts this year I would like to save up funds to achieve this dream. The cost is around $18,000, and I'm trying to raise at least $10,000, or $12,000. If I were to not raise enough, I would put this towards my college education. I started a gofundme to achieve this goal. Any amount helps. And if you aren't able to support in this way, if you could share this link that would help immensely.