This entry is primarily for formatting reasons and to get the hang of this site. This post will by far be the least interesting on here, so please don't use it as a standard for the rest of my posts while abroad. Those will be 10x more exciting I swear! This entry will summarize the timeline of the planning process involved in studying in another country for a semester, so if that interests you, please read on:
Friday, September 14, 2018 5pm
Application Due—It was a whirlwind of essay writing, getting courses approved, and asking for references, but I managed to finish my application with two hours to spare. Time for an anxiety-filled week of waiting to hear back...
Thursday, September 20, 2018 5pm
Application Approved—Only a week later I got the email: Congratulations! You've been ACCEPTED for a SCHOLARSHIP spot to study abroad in Florence, Italy! I have no words to describe the moment. I fell instantly to the ground in tears. Thank God my roommate wasn't there to watch me jumping around the room in joy. I called my parents immediately and between laughing and crying I could hardly get words out. They were both overjoyed and seemed to match my enthusiasm (minus the hysterical laugh/crying).
Friday, September 28, 2018 11am
Commitment Day Meeting—I am now financially responsible for going. There's no turning back now (as if).
Friday, October 5, 2018 11am
General Orientation—Before the meeting, we all had to write letters to ourselves that will be sent to us in Italy halfway through next semester. At the meeting, we applied to Instituto Lorenzo de' Medici where we'll be studying, applied for housing there, and applied for all the courses we'll be taking.
Thursday, October 25, 2018 11am
Visa Orientation—Here we submitted our visa applications which were super long and complicated, submitted our direct deposit forms for our grocery stipends, and submitted our flight preferences (I will be leaving January 28 and arriving back home May 18).
Friday, October 26, 2018 11am
Italy Crash Course—The nine other Italy students and I met Anne, the lady who will be meeting us in Italy to help us get through our first week there. We also learned a few Italian words and went over a map of Florence.
Friday, November 2, 2018 11am
Health and Safety Orientation—We voiced our concerns, went over emergency situations and how to deal with them, and made sure health is going to be a priority while abroad.
Thursday, November 8, 2018 6pm
Italy Dinner—The Italy students, study abroad coordinators, and Anne got together for a pizza and pasta dinner from the local Italian restaurant Grotto. We chatted and got to know one another a little better via a fun game. We even made a group chat and started planning a trip to Switzerland to go skiing.
Friday, November 9, 2018 11am
Italy Crash Course 2—A refresher from the last crash course and some extra info about Italian culture.
Friday, November 16, 2018 11am
Cleared for Departure Orientation—Our last meeting before going abroad... It seems to have gone by so fast! And the fact that I'll be studying in Italy still hasn't sunk in yet... At the final meeting we went over tips for using money and phones, packing lists, and other planning details.
Thursday, December 6, 2018
Passports with Visas arrive!
The next time you hear from me I'll be in Italy!
Absolutely fantastic Ali!!! Love hearing all about your adventures!