Hello dear readers!
The last few weeks have been totally crazy! But here I am, sitting in the airport, waiting to board my flight to London! I had a few problems before, but it all seemed to work out… just in time.
Getting my visa was the most dramatic- I filled out the application in mid-July, and was all set…until I realized I was leaving for Honduras the week after, and I had to send in my passport to get it! Long story short, I ended up paying for the priority service, which takes 24-48 hours, and then getting the email that my visa had been issued before I had emailed them to request it! But all that matters is that I got my passport back, visa and all, before I left.
I also managed to see almost everyone, friends and family, before I left, but my brothers were at school when I left for the airport today so I just said goodbye to my dog:
She’s gonna miss me…not as much as I’ll miss her!
One last family photo before we left (as usual, I was late, but I had to pack everything!):
And alllllll of my stuff at curbside check-in.
I ended up bringing four bags total… One of them isn’t completely full (the black one, not that you can tell) but the bright side to that is I was able to bring sheets and blankets so that’s less I’ll have to sort out when I arrive.
Anyway, for anyone who doesn’t know me, I’m Michaela, studying Physics at Holy Cross, and I’m studying abroad at Leicester for the whole year! I’m really excited to go because the physics program at University of Leicester is supposed to be one of the best in the UK. This is the furthest I’ve ever been from home by myself, so it’ll be a huge adventure. I really wanted to write a study abroad blog because I really don’t know many science majors studying abroad, and I wish that someone had told me it wasn’t impossible! I was nervous I wouldn’t be able to take all the classes I need, but (fingers crossed) it seems like I will.
In terms of what I’m expecting, I honestly have no idea! I know there’s a week of orientation in London with the rest of Leicester’s international students, where we get to do all of the touristy things like see the Tower of London, do a Jack the Ripper walking tour… all of those types of things, but after that, I don’t know who I’m living with or what my room will look like, or what classes I’m taking when! I got some of them approved by Holy Cross but I haven’t officially registered or anything. I’m sure it’ll work out!
The last difficulty I ran into was with my flights, believe it or not. A family friend stopped by yesterday to say goodbye, and she mentioned that Air France had gone on strike, but that shouldn’t be a problem for me! …Except I’m *FLYING* Air France! So I called the travel agency, STA Travel, freaking out, and they said that the strike had ended a few hours earlier and shouldn’t affect my flight. HUGE relief. Anyway, I’m about to board, so I’ll update from London!
xx Michaela
