Classes and visas, oh dear.

So I signed up for all the classes I had hoped for and best of all I don't have any classes until 10 AM and my latest class gets out at 5 PM and no classes on Fridays! This leaves tons of time to explore (after I do my homework of course) Rome and Italy and beyond.


I had my visa "meeting" yesterday. It wasn't even a meeting. It was more like talk-into-the-window kind of thing. Where you speak into a circular hole in a window at a desk. It was SO difficult to talk then. And then I got turned away because I needed two more docuents that I wasn't aware of. They needed bank statements (not just affidavit of support which I had) and "current enrollment. I handled getting the current enrollment document as soon as I got back yesterday. So now my dad is coming with me to visa office when I go again next week... oy.

An update! // Un aggiornamento!

Everything is all (almost) set!

Purchased my plane tickets, submitted my study abroad agreement (at least part one, apparently) and completed all the post-acceptance forms. Also I'm going to my college's 24-hour lab tonight at midnight to see if I can officially sign up for my classes at JCU (since 1- the registrar system doesn't work on Macs and 2- timezones!).

And Friday I'm finally meeting the Italian consulate about my visa.

And another piece of good news - my best friend officially got accepted to his study abroad program! He and I will be in Rome together, albeit 45 minutes away from each other by walking, but together nonetheless! We're both extremely excited and our dreams are coming true in less than 75 days! :)

Sono Tornato! It's been a while...

Wow, I haven't written here in a while due to getting carried away by school. I think this has been the best month I ever had here at college; I've been moving nonstop and being on top of my homework (maybe a little smudge on my math quiz but I'll do better next time!). I went to Canada for the amazing Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF) and met so many different people, and some familiar people too - like my neighbors and old professors! It was really nice. :)

So my current progress in my study abroad predeparture adventures:

• finished everything but two things:
• confirming flight plans
• passport/ID photo
• I'm currently working to obtain my student visa! I hope to get a meeting with the Italian Consulate by the end of October. I'm really excited to meet them and get this thing done!

By November's end, I should be completely all set! I think that's so crazy - just a few months ago I was debating whether or not to apply to study abroad in Italy and here I am... just a few months from packing 4 months of stuff and crossing the Atlantic to the other side for the first time. Excuse me while I get sentimental. ;u ;