¡Bienvenidos!

Hola, the name is Mimi Burmeister. First of all, I'd like to thank you for taking the time to visit my blog! I live in the town of Ellsworth, Maine and I'm currently a junior at Ellsworth High School. Just a few days ago, I applied through AFS to spend a year in South America.

In South America, I plan on immersing myself in the language and culture in hopes of broadening my horizons. Secondly, I hope to not only learn about a new culture, but teach others about American culture. I'm also extremely excited to become fluent in Spanish, for it has been a life goal of mine for many, many years. Once I learn the language, I would like to become a U.S ambassador one day. I believe a year abroad in South America will not only help me achieve this goal, but help me better myself as a person.

Throughout the year I like to keep myself busy by participating in the theater program (fall musical, show choir, and the one-act plays) and tennis team at my school. This takes up most of my time during the week during the school year. During the summer I also spend time volunteering at a bird sanctuary and animal shelter. I have a part-time job at my local McDonalds where I spend a lot of my weekends. I also try to find time for sleep, school work, and having somewhat of a social life.

Luckily, with my part-time job and other fundraisers I hope to have in the future, I can pay for part of my exchange. However, being a family of 6 (with my older brother going to RPI next year) my parents cannot pay for the rest of my exchange. Therefore, I'm hoping that you can help me fulfill this dream of mine by donating any amount of money. I hope to raise $5,000 by the time I leave. If you'd like to help me out, click on the ChipIn! gadget to help me with my journey, by making a secure non tax-deductible donation. Thank you again for taking time to visit my blog!