So, somebody failed to tell me that I needed to take a semester off, prior to studying abroad. Wow, this has taken over my life. It seems as if I get no homework done! Ever! I'll have a couple hours and sit down with every intention of starting final projects or research papers. By the time I finish responding to emails, completing "To Dos" off of my Australia checklist, check my facebook (just for a hot minute), make the necessary phone calls to coordinators and advisors, respond to more emails that just came in, and organize my day... there is no time left to do anything productive concerning my classes! Whew. It's work!!!!
This whole idea started when my old roomie, Alyce, walked into my room with a brochure about studying and completing an internship in Australia. After 15 minutes, my mind was made up. This was something I was going to do. A week later, I had started the application process and was planning to do a summer long internship during the Summer of 2008. Long story short, plans fell through. Well, not totally. Just postponed. Until now!
Last semester (Winter 2010) I sat down with the Hospitality and Tourism Management department head, Paul Stansbie. The entire goal of the appointment was to lay out my exact plan for graduation. Done. Then, I mentioned a little something something about the possibility of Australia. He then got all kinds of hyped up and was so excited to tell me that Sydney has a college that caters to Hospitality ~ International College of Management, Sydney (ICMS - I use this abbreviation ALOT). Which is actually kind of perfect because it caters to my minor as well (Business Management). He gave me the contact info to the Regional Director and told me to do some digging.
Steve Luther and I then wrote pages and pages of emails to each other in a few short days. What a blessing he was!!! This is veryyy overwhelming. He broke it down into things I could comprehend then gave me options and outlined the next steps I should be taking if I was really serious about the process. And away we went.
First step: to complete Grand Valley's study abroad application. That consisted of alot of basic information and essays. Things like: Why are you interested in studying abroad, What are the qualities of a good ambassador, and then the kicker ~ Based on your knowledge of current events in Australia (in which I had no knowledge...), what is the most important current event that will potentially affect you? Wellll... lemme see here?! After hours and hours of sitting in Biggby. 1st application - submitted.
I was accepted three weeks later, on July 9, 2010. Which just happened to fall on the same day as my second date with Dustin. Guess it was time to break the news.... as our relationship developed, my plans with Australia halted for a few weeks. During those few weeks, financial struggles started to arise concerning studying abroad. I met with a number of people in both the study abroad office on campus and the financial aid department. Our conclusion: this trip was still possible. I kicked it into gear, spent a few more hours in Biggby, and finally completed my AustraLearn application. This was the big one. The one that mattered. Longest 9 days of my life...
Thursday, October 21 I was accepted into the International College of Management, Sydney. I got a phone call at 5pm from Rebecca Oihus ~ my coordinator through AustraLearn. Basically, she is the middle man and decodes alot of the information and makes it comprehensible for me by breaking it down; into my most disliked "To Do" list ever!!! (that'll be the next blog. Oh man!) Her and I joke because we usually have our weekly email with me asking a questions. Or on the really bad weeks, an email and a panicked phone call.
It is unbelievable how many people and resources it has taken for me to even get this far on the process. I'm still three months away from leaving and have had countless people selflessly donate their time to my cause. And not only that, share the same excitement and extend incredible amounts of encouragements to me. Yet another one of the ways that reminds me what a life-changing adventure this is going to be.
But let's not get too ahead of ourselves... I still have a 21 hour flight ahead of me. And those of you who know me, know that flying is not exactly my forte'.
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