Crossing "T"s and Dotting "I"s

As every day brings me closer and closer to flying out of New York and arriving in Australia, I become more and more anxious.  I try to tackle something that needs to get done each day.  I still have a laundry list of things from me to San Francisco that need to be completed, but the designation of smaller tasks each day is helping me not become too overwhelmed.  Currently, I am taking a break from packing up my apartment.  It is hard to imagine that I somehow managed to keep all of my stuff in this tiny space!  I understand the decorators at AppleBees and TGIFs; I applied the same logic to how I decorated my own apartment!  As I am packing, I am trying to be mindful about the items I plan to take with me in my luggage.  I was told by others who had studied abroad that it is a good idea to pack less and to buy what you needed upon arrival because essentially everything that you bring is something that you have to carry.  It has become apparent that I want to bring my entire closet with me.  In addition to packing both my apartment and my luggage, I am trying to confirm certain details about my semester abroad.  In previous posts, I had mentioned that I had to work at a clinical site (fitness facility performing an unpaid internship) while studying abroad in Australia.  My contact, Tracy, has confirmed that the facility that I will be working at is titled "Kudos Health Club".  The facility is pristine and located about seventeen minutes away from Bond University.  I am beyond excited to have this hands-on experience of learning about fitness from professionals who have the highest of qualifications.  Feeling curious?  Follow the link below to see where I will be spending 96+ hours during my spring semester!

http://www.kudoshealthclub.com.au/

Making A List And Checking It Twice...

Last week, I finally purchased my flight to Australia. Originally, I was waiting for an answer from the study abroad office to see if I could arrive one day late for orientation (as to save money on my flight).  However, with the prices of plane tickets rising with each passing day, I couldn't wait for their response.  I decided to arrive on-time for orientation week (January 7th) and pay the ridiculous amount for my plane ticket....$3000.  Purchasing that flight in particular was hard for me to do just because it was so much money!!  Before I approved the flight by clicking the "confirm" button, I got all nervous.  Immediately after, I stood up, printed my confirmation, and then hugged the nearest librarian.  Just to be clear, I was in the library.  I didn't run to a library and randomly search for a librarian to hug, that would just be a whole different kind of weird.  Later on that week, I finalized my living accomodation for an off-site housing area called "The Reserve" (http://www.thereserve.com.au/apartments).  This apartment complex is wicked expensive and looks absolutely gorgeous.  However, it demands the same price (if not less money) than staying in the dorms on campus at Bond University.  Obviously, if you can save money in a foreign country without having to compromise too much on quality--do it. 
So, all-in-all, I think I'm pretty close to being completely "set" (documentation-wise) in terms of leaving for Australia. I have my flight, I have my living accomodation, I have my health plan finalized, my classes confirmed, my student identfication card, my meal plan arranged and my passport in-hand.  The only thing that I am nervous about is my visa.  I sent out for it a few weeks ago, and it has not arrived yet.  A visa allows you to study in another country for an extended amount of time.  In my case, my visa duration is for approximately four months.  I can't fly to Australia without it!  So, in the meantime, I'm trying NOT to freak out about that small, little, pretty significant detail.  Instead I'm focusing my efforts on making copies of important documents, packing up my apartment, figuring out what I will need to pack in my luggage, and making purchases that will be needed abroad (power converters, camera, tracfone with international calling card, etc.). 
I can't believe that I'm leaving for Australia in 3 weeks!

Hello, December

I still do not have a plane ticket. Let me repeat that very vital piece of information: I am leaving for Australia in almost a month and I have yet to purchase the ticket to get there! Apparently, the loans and scholarships that my home university has allocated to me for the spring semester do not normally fund until the start of the semester. Being that I'm studying abroad and semesters are different in different countries; the funding of my financial aid is just a tad off. But being a "tad off" in study abroad terms is almost akin to being "a tad off" in a rocket launching...you just don't want that to happen. Through the Financial Aid office, I was able to get my spring funds "emergency advanced" to me but that too takes time. It is my sincerest hope that I am able to purchase my ticket by next week. Further still, I need to purchase my housing accommodation and meal plan at Bond University. Luckily, I met a girl at a study abroad information session that was also going to Bond and we are in the process of buying our plane tickets together. In all honesty, my biggest apprehension to going abroad is the whole plane travel situation. What if I lose my luggage? What if one of my flights is delayed and throws off the layover for my connecting flight? What if I accidentally pack a nail file, too much toothpaste, or something as equally innocent and I'm sent to Customs for being a potential flight risk? There are just so many things that can go wrong at an airport and I'm happy that I'll have someone with me that will be helping me get through the craziness of it all. So much has to happen in the next few weeks and I'm wondering how it's all going to piece together. I might need to invest in some yoga DVDs or relaxation music to maintain my sane status. Five weeks until I leave for Australia!

Clinical-ly Insane...

In the Fitness and Wellness major, I am required to participate in four clinical sites. For those who don't know what "clinical sites" are the best way to explain them is labeling them as "unpaid internships" at various health-related venues. Thus far I have had observation/participation hours at a physical therapy clinic, at a functioning fitness center, and at the sports information office at my home campus. Each site that I have been stationed at has helped me grasp a different aspect of what a career in health and wellness could entail. Being that the stipulations of graduating from my degree program entails the participation in one more clinical site; I am going to have to do my final clinical in Australia. Setting this clinical up is kind of like being placed in one of those game show tubes where the host shoots dollar bills in the air and the person within the tube has to grab at whatever bills they can catch within the time limit. Basically, establishing a connection with a fitness facility in a country on the other side of the world is a hat trick. The director of the Fitness and Wellness major, Ken Baldwin, has linked me with a lady that is fairly well connected in the immediate region surrounding Bond University.  I have been in contact with her describing my studying abroad location, likely living situation, and transportation issues.  From what I can tell, she seems dedicated in matching me up to the perfect site to fulfill my final clinical rotation.  Truthfully, I would love it if she could find a local entrepreneurial shop where the owners distribute surf lessons, swimming lessons, diving lessons, etc.  I would love to see how a distinctive fitness business is run outside of a corporate setting.  Of course, beggars can’t be choosers.  Furthermore, I know that finding a clinical that will allow some girl from New York to hang around for four months is difficult to begin with.  I do not want to limit or narrow Ken’s contact’s ability to secure a venue in which I can stay for the semester logging hours.  Any fitness business will be different than what I am used to because its setting will be in another country!  I just hope everything falls into place smoothly.  Cross your fingers!!

Pinch me, I'm dreaming...

This week I received my official acceptance to Bond University!  Along with my acceptance I was offered a $5,000 scholarship.  This news was received with my ever-famous "Rachel dance", numerous phone calls, and the slight off-key singing of the Beach Boys' good vibrations.  Finally hearing that I was approved to attend Bond University ended the constant checking of my email account at hours that I thought Australians might be awake.  The following morning, I went to the study abroad office on campus and submitted my program acceptance fee along with formally accepting my scholarship.  The lady across the desk took my check and said, "It looks like it's official!"  I stared at her for a moment with wide eyes.  "It's official".  I think I blinked a few times and managed to normally continue my conversation with the lady before leaving the office.  Once outside the office, I kept thinking about how I was truly, completely, officially on my way to Australia.  I guess everything feels like a dream until the piles of paperwork that you fill out are stamped with "approval".  I've already began to count down the weeks until leaving and it still feels unreal!  Maybe when I step on the airplane that will take me to Australia, I'll start to believe that all of this is happening to me.  For the moment, I'm still pinching myself on a regular basis.

Making Connections

As a trainer at the campus fitness center, I have made a lot of aquaintances.  This semester, I have had the great pleasure of working with the women's soccer coach.  In one of our training sessions, she mentioned that she had a student from a few years prior that also studied abroad in Australia.  I was able to email and phone this contact from the information that the soccer coach gave me.  Being able to discuss some specific questions with a person that had actually studied in Australia, was truly helpful.  Jady, the name of this new contact, was able to tell me about living in hostiles, visiting Aborigines, common travelling issues, and things she didn't expect to learn during her semester.  She even recommended a few travelling books by "Lonely Planet".  Jady was able to tell me some of her favorite stories about trying new foods and outdoor activities and even about driving on the wrong side of the road and on the opposite side of the car!  She even encouraged me to stay a month after my semester abroad ended so that I could take more time to travel without restrictions.  I hadn't even thought of the idea!  Now I have all of these leads for interesting travel books that I could possibly use for a few weeks of uncharted adventure on my own at the end of my school semester.  The best part is that Australia has so much diversity within its own country: deserts, ocean views, rainforests, and thriving cities.  Even more so, Australia has so much surrounding it: New Zealand, Tasmania, Thailand, Fiji, and a bunch of other gorgeous islands.  I can't believe that in 11 weeks I will be on a plane to Australia. 

...now for the many baby steps to follow

My study abroad application was accepted!  I jumped up and down before I found out that my application was accepted in order to start the next phase of the application process.  That's right, the application process consists of more than one, big step.  In reality, you have to first apply for the program that you want to pursue through your home campus.  Once you are approved, then you can apply directly to the university you want to go to abroad.  So, technically I'm NOT completely "accepted" yet.  The application that I have to fill out for Bond University is online.  Although, it's more paperwork, it's paperwork that's going to take me across the world!  And as soon as I hear that I'm truthfully-honest-to-goodness-really-accepted I will start doing my "Rachel" dance.  This dance is not pretty and is disturbingly akin to Carlton's from the show the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.  But the point is that all the paperwork is getting me closer and closer to my dream and that makes me excited.  I can't believe that I have only a half a semester left here in New York before I take my education to another country!  Is it too soon to pack my luggage?