Claiming a New Family, Dropping out of High-School, and Other Recent Events

Host Family!

You are probably already aware from my last blog post (which, if you haven't read you should go do that, because it's really outstanding) I'm going to be an exchange student in Helsinki, Finland next year! I was really lucky to be placed super fast  to a host family that seems really nice! 

My future host mom hasn't said if I can use pictures of them in my blog or not, so for now at least I will grace you with my drawing talent ---> 

My host family lives right in the middle of Helsinki. I know this because my exchange sister (who leaves tomorrow :'( </3 ) got her dad to take a picture of the apartment I will live in next year (which is really beautiful and looks nothing like the house in the image to our right.)

My host parents also have a house in Rovaniemi, where Santa Claus lives!! Their son, who unfortunately isn't Santa Claus, also lives there with his partner and their three children. The kids (who are absolutely precious) are ages three, two, and not quite one. They look a bit like

<------this  

Other members of the family include four breath-taking race-horses, one fluffy, elderly cat (kissa) called Hermanni, and a turtle whom apparently doesn't have a name but don't worry I'll work on that :)

Fun Fact of the Blog: Selling turtles of any kind is entirely illegal in North Carolina 

I have a pretty good idea of what my life will be like in 2 months thanks to Facebook, Google Maps, and too much free time. All, except for where I will be attending school next year, which leads me to my next update :

I'm a High- School Drop Out ! 

Which will sound most ridiculous to anyone who knows me personally. So, it's explanation time!
For the last two years I was a student at a small charter school called Southern Wake Academy. For those of you who know about charter schools, think you know about them, or don't care to read about them skip to the dancing American poodle (that I drew with my mad skills) .

Yay! You stayed! A charter school is a school that receives both private and public funding. It's not controlled by the county, but rather only by the state so it doesn't have to follow all the same regulations. Each charter school is unique and many perform very well. Southern Wake Academy (SWA) requires that classes remain small no matter what, as part of its charter. Consequently, like most charter schools, SWA is required by state law to hold a "lottery"to decide which students may attend the school, when more people apply than there is space. A charter school cannot select one student over another student because of grades, skill, or merit because it is still a tuition free public school.

^His name is Washington the  Wiggler 

Because there is already a high demand for my former school in the Fall, and because I won't be attending any classes there next semester, they un-enrolled me so that someone else could have my spot (other schools in the area are very poor). As you probably assumed given that I'm 16, I did not graduate yet. I also have not been enrolled yet in a school in Helsinki, so as of right now no one officially holds my high-school transcript. When my mom tried to give my transcript to my "base school," (the school I would traditionally go to based on where I live) Apex High, the admission officer refused because I won't be signing up for any classes.

AFS says they've never had this situation before. I wonder if I'll be added to the drop-out statistics... :')

I'm literally too cool for school

But don't worry I won't leave you there ! Here's a picture I took at 3 am. My dog just laid there. <3 :) 

Harley and Clara Forever <3