And so does this blog – at least for now. And so do many other things like a seemingly endless application procedure for an exchange year. But I am happy to announce that I AM DONE. Well, actually I have been for a little while now but there was just so much to share about the whole application procedure and forms, horrors, and I always like to keep people a little in suspense.
One important lesson that I’ve learned from this whole experience is that when you think it’s over … it ain’t yet. After I had handed in all my application documents (several times, might I add) I thought I could lean back and relax. Wrong. It became obvious pretty quickly that there were more forms to be filled out, confirmations to be obtained, and a certain blogger to be kept in suspense.
Then, about two months ago, I finally received the letter. It contained the official confirmation that I would be a visiting graduate student for the academic year 2010-11 at “The-one-that-will-hopefully-work-out” (unfortunately “The-one-that-shall-not-be-named” fell through). The letter also contained pre-arrival information for international students and a form that I needed for my visa. Just imagine myself jumping up and down, laughing like crazy after I had opened the letter. I still get a warm and fuzzy feeling when I think back to that moment when all the hardship came to an end. Now the real preparations could begin.
The associate Dean of Graduate Admission also sent me the names of professors for my two majors that I should contact for the selection of my courses. After checking out all the classes offered in the fall and making lists I came up with enough classes that really interested me. And I am happy to announce that I am already enrolled for four classes, i.e. two for each of my majors. And I already have my own university web mail account from “The-one-that-did-work-out”. Next order of business was finding myself a place to live. So I signed up for a room in a graduate residence hall and recently received my room placement (I am in room number 213!) and I chose a meal plan as well. Okay, so now I have a place to live and I will be fed properly, so what else is/was left to do?
One thing was to get a student visa. So after finals were finally done I headed to Vienna on my birthday to work my charms on everyone at the embassy. And don’t worry, I already booked my flight a while ago and got a brand-new passport with a brand-new picture (I was twelve when I got my last passport). I am proud to announce that my visa application was approved and after spending a couple of days with my family, my passport with my visa actually got home before I did. Jumping up and down again and that warm and fuzzy feeling keeps returning…
Now I am counting the days (12 today) until I am leaving in the middle of August. Even finals didn’t seem as frightening this year with the next couple of months in mind. The next two weeks will be filled with work, a lot of parties (most of them birthdays – among them my own and half my family’s), starting to pack (now that’s a scary thought), and enjoying my time and the summer if it should decide to return soon.
Yours truly,
Lemon
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