I have started packing!
I know it is a little early and my last post reeked of procrastination but I thought getting an early start would be a good idea. Since I will be gone for the full year, I need to pack for the cold months as well as the warm. I started my packing with winter items and have definitely been successful so far. Usually I throw my items into my duffle bag in a haphazardly frenzy. This time around, I am attempting a 180 so that when I arrive, I will be one happy camper with all of my nicely folded clothes. Another thing I have been doing is slowly accumulating new items that are necessary (in my opinion) for my trip. A while ago I decided to invest in a new camera so that I wouldn't have to resort to posting crappy iphone pictures. I settled on a Nikon COOLPIX P530. It arrived just in time to go wedding dress shopping with my friend for her upcoming wedding next July. Btw I am her maid of honor (so exciting!)! I really like the camera so far but have yet to go through all the settings and read the manual. Hopefully I get that done before I leave, otherwise I suppose I can do it on the first leg of the trip -- the ten hour flight to Germany. I also invested in a fanny pack. I know many of you out there are cringing as you read this but mark my words, the ever-so nerdy accessory will definitely be making a comeback soon! Also I hate lugging bags or purses on my shoulder. That is about it for now. I'm going to try to post some photos soon from my new camera. Stay tuned!
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So far I have thought about packing, but haven’t started on it. I am always good at visualizing what I need to do in my head, but when it comes to actually following through on checking things off my list, I tend to hem and haw. I know time will fly by and before I know it it’ll be time to leave, but for now I am content to create my lists and procrastinate.
One thing I do want to give myself a pat on the back for is getting my visa done! I had no idea when I initially started out what a process it would be. When I was accepted into my study abroad program, I was told to start on the process immediately. As you can probably guess, I held off for a little bit. Why? I have no clue, but if I could go back and tell past me to get my sh*t together, I would. When I finally made my appointment and started to get my documents together, I found that there were many extra steps to be taken and small hidden fees. My appointment at the San Francisco Spanish consulate was also intimidating, due to the numerous online reviews recounting horror stories of mean office officials. When the day came, I didn’t have all my paperwork completed but decided to go anyways (with the urging of my mom). Overall the appointment went rather well and I was told to mail in the rest of my paperwork promptly and even got some travel tips from the lady who was processing my application. One tip I have if you are going into a visa appointment unprepared is be apologetic if something is your fault, and attempt to make small talk with the person you are meeting. It makes a world of difference and people are more likely to go out of their way to help you if you acknowledge their efforts and are kind. So here I am with my completed visa, ready to take the next step in preparing for my trip. Stay tuned! |
Amani P.Last fall I took off for a year abroad. Now I'm back in the states, trying to figure out this crazy thing we call life! Archives
February 2017
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