Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Day of Departure

So. My bags are packed. I went down to a smaller suitcase because the large one was throwing on extra weight I didn't want to have complicate baggage regulations. My carryon is stuffed full, and I'm afraid of how much my backpack will weigh, but I packed it full of Arabic notes, my French Harry Potter books, an iPod Touch I've bought from my brother and named Mr. Touchy-Feely, and some other things. I need some snacks. And I brought all of that in case I don't sleep, but if I don't sleep, it'll be me awake for a good 24+ hours.. I won't get into (one of) Lille's train station(s) until what is really 6am EST. Then I've to go figure out other things and ahhhh!

It's okay. It's going to be okay.

It's almost 10am, I woke up around 7 and couldn't sleep after a weird dream combined with my anxiety. Today, I leave for France. I've been waiting so long and I'm so excited, but my nerves are killing me. My stomach is in knots. All I've been able to think are all the possibilities of things and plans going wrong, not just for travel, but also for the entire study abroad session. 10 months is a long time. 10 months gives me a lot of opportunities to screw up and and to end up hating everything.

But I guess 10 months is also a lot of time to take a breath, think rationally, and have a wonderful time. I hope that by the end of the 10 months, I won't want to come back, but I will be prepared to come back and tell everyone about my stay.

I guess it's really just going to be another 10 months until I see which happens.

But I'm hoping for the latter option.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Preparation Panic

Bonsoir, bonsoir, jusqu'au "au revoir"...

Today is August 18th. My flight is August 31st. That's 13 days from now.
18, 31, 13. Ridiculous. It feels so close, too soon. I'm starting to panic.

That's me. I always panic. I'm such a hardline, efficient type of person that the least bit of uncertainty makes me panic. I've planned everything as well as I could, right?

My parents are taking me to the airport. I'll arrive in Brussels at 7:30am on the 1st of September (HELLO, BASICALLY LIKE GOING TO HOGWARTS ON THE FIRST DAY OF SEPTEMBER!). I'll get my bags, go through customs, and meet my new friend Christine (!) at the bottom level of the airport. We'll take the train to Brussels-Midi station, and then another train to Lille-Europe station. We've emailed the International Relations/Incoming department at Lille 3 to let them know we're arriving at the train station in Lille at 12pm on the button. Then... Then things are bit up in the air.

I don't know if people from the school will be taking us onto the campus, or to our residence hall. (Katie Wollan, if you're reading this, I hope you know that I now call it a 'residence hall' instead of a 'dorm' because of you..) I don't know when we'll be able to go shopping, or where to go shopping, or how to really situate myself upon arrival. I'm supposed to go with the flow, but that's always the one thing with which I'm the least comfortable. I'll learn. I have to learn.

That's the whole point of going, really. I want to be able to learn to control myself rather than the situations around me.

In other news, I have been commanded (by my loving parents) to clean out/tear apart my room. A week or two ago, I went through all my clothing. I have this problem where I will slowly acquire articles of clothing little by little, just a few a year, but never throw a thing away. I really did just sit in my room. I've gotten rid of 75% of my clothes, honestly. Donating about 75% OF that 75% and am throwing the others out because they're useless or ripped apart and things. It was exhausting and distressing...so then I went out and bought some newer clothes. ;] This morning, I wrapped up and packed away snow globes and music boxes and little figurines that had been given to me as gifts when I was little. I feel there's still so much to do, but I'm so lazy and resistant to actually going through my belongings bit by bit. I can't let myself run out of time.

13 days.

Since the last post...

I've opened up a checking account and ordered a debit card, two things I'd never done before. It was pretty simple, though my name is written last name first on my card... Dad added me to his American Express credit card account and just got me a card, in case something really large or an emergency comes up. My dad's cosigned to my savings and checking accounts, and I'm on his credit card, just in case we need money transferred while I'm in France.
My visa worked out completely and looks very nice stamped into my passport.
I'm finally active on Lille 3's social networking group, which has been pretty interesting so far.
I watched Amélie. (That counts for something, right?)

And today, I ordered 1000 euros. I debated waiting to exchange my dollars for euros.. At Wells Fargo, Bank of America, and AAA, the exchange rate is pretty competitive at $1.35 for every 1Euro. So in all, I lost about $350 in the transaction. I decided on the 1000Euros cash to take, for a few reasons:
-I have to pay for French health insurance when I get there: 200Euros
-I have to pay a housing deposit when I get there: 200Euros
-I'm trying to decide on whether I should just get an unlimited student metro pass for 10 months: less than 200Euros
-The French bank account I'm required to open (for direct deposits of my meal and housing stipends from Lille 3) may take a few weeks to actually set, so I should have spending money for my meals when I arrive, just in case: 200Euros?!!?
-The hugest, apparently most awesome flea-market type festival thing ever ever in Europe/the WORLD (maybe I'm exaggerating) is in Lille during the first weekend of September, and helloooooooo, I'll want to buy things: !?!!??!

SO YEAH. It seems like a lot of money. It totally is a lot of money. But I have my reasons, and it should all work out.


Coming up:

Tomorrow night, my family is taking a family portrait for the first time since I was born, probably. My dad knows a lady who's giving us a discount, blahblah. We're making it a family night and ordering pizza and stromboli (Mmmmmm...) and maybe watching a movie.
I currently have plans to spend this Friday with some pals in New York City. I am obsessed with going to Central Park for a while. :D
I have a doctor's appointment on the 23rd, a dentist appointment on the 25th.
I'm going to attempt packing my bags a few times to see which items I can take, how much extra room I have, how much...uh, not extra room I have, if I should bring some more personal items/comforts from home/whatever.
My mom's side of the family is having a "Bon Voyage, Colleen" party on the 28th. We're making a rainbow cake. (Google it.) ((And yes, my mom is beside herself with pride for calling it a 'bon voyage' party...))



That's all, that's all. This feels too much, but I'm really hoping this blog can be a resource for any students going on an ISEP program or any sort of France exchange program in the future.

I'll hopefully update right before I leave with some more concrete information and updates.