The History of this Story

In 1993 I was having the time of my life.  I was in the tenth grade, on the varsity cheerleading squad, getting great grades, had a cute athlete older boyfriend, great girl friends, mellow parents, all american story.  After listening to an older student share the story of his study abroad experience with AFS, I decided to throw it all away for my own adventure abroad.  At first I dreamed of Italy, then with some encouragement from my father, settled on spanish speaking countries.  It is an in depth application process with interviews and family visits.  Once accepted, I waited eagerly to find out what country.  Was it ever a surprise to discover my selection, Paraguay.  I left just after the start of the second semester and stayed till the end of the summer returning just a few weeks before the start of the eleventh grade.  Here are my journals, books that I bound and decorated myself from a DIY kit.  The cover reminds me of a book that was profoundly important for me at that time, Hope for the Flowers.  I will publish them in there entirety, free of any editing.  It should be an interesting story told from the pen of a teenager.