ploenk in the USA

Travel questions

2006-10-25T15:25:00.000Z

What fills my mind this moment is my trip. Not particularly the fact that I’m leaving Europe, that I’m flying all over the world for Who knows how many hours, and not even the fact that I will be away for five months. No, just the ‘trip-fact’.

I may enter the US 30 days before my study program starts and I may stay for 30 days after my study program ends. I already decided that I want to go 1,5 week earlier. I’ll fly to Seattle and hang around there before heading to Spokane.

What follows is my Spring Break. That’s the time to go to Canada. Vancouver Island to be more precise. Because that’s only possible during the study program (leaving the US and coming back in, that is).

Than, May 20, I get kicked out of the residence hall. Of course I have this big ass suitcase I told you about, so I probably won’t be able to travel light (backpack). You can understand this is the hardest part. What do I do this time, and how, and in what way I will head back home?

I have a couple of options
1. Buy an Amsterdam-Seattle return ticket
Which means I will be staying ‘in the neighbourhood’ (westcoast)

2. Buy an Amsterdam-Seattle-NewYork-Amsterdam ticket
Which means I will be staying west coast at first and make a stopover week in New York

3. Buy an Amsterdam-Seattle ánd New York-Amsterdam ticket
Which means I will have to travel from west coast to east coast in one month

Help me out here folks!

Nearly Nervous Breakdown

2006-10-17T20:55:00.000Z

This morning I went to my mom’s work again. I had to enroll in the obligated Health Insurance, and of course this must be paid with a credit card, a very handy thing I still don’t own. Luckily my mom’s boss was so nice to help me out again.

When applying for the TOEFL test was a real disaster, this task went very smooth. Too smooth. And as appeared, not smooth at all…

I pay the $288,-, print out the forms I have to have on me all time I’m in the US and than something catches my eye. I’m now officially insured for January 2006 till July 2006. You can’t be serious! Why does this website allow me to insure myself for a date in the past!

Instantly, I mail the contact person. I can’t call, because over there it’s in the middle of the night. I put all my emotions in it, and more. When I receive an e-mail with an attachment with the correct year on it, I’m heavily relieved. Phew!

The planning

2006-10-17T20:25:00.000Z

This will be a post with some very intersting information to remember, so copy-paste!

Address
Maybe I’ll get my own mailbox, I sure hope so! When we’re at that point, I will add it to this post. For now I can only say: this is where all my fan mail has got to come to!
Whitworth College
Spokane, WA 99251
USA

Time
When it’s 9 AM in Spokane, it’s 6 PM in Amsterdam, keep that in mind!

Dates
Official Arrival Date: January 31
Last date of Benefits: May 20
Orientation: February 2-3
Registration: February 5
Classes begin: February 6
Vacation Period: March 26-30
Classes end: May 14
Examination period: May 15-18

After May 20, I’ll be able to travel for 30 days on my visa, so I’ll probably be back in The Netherlands around June 20!

Update

2006-10-13T14:49:00.000Z

Last week, I got an application form from one fund I send my request to. I had to fill it in, make a copy of my passport, include my recent study results and a photograph. I also had to have an accompanying letter from a dean and sent everything back within a week. I managed almost everything. Good for me I already send things like motivation letter and budget. The letter from the dean didn’t work out though, hopefully I can send it later, I still haven’t got an appointment.

Besides that, I got an information package from my home institution, including the Participant Placement Acceptence Form. I have to fill in this form, but before that, I have to enroll in the obligated ISEP Health Insurance. Unfortunately, they forgot to send the Institutional Information Sheet (IIS) with the package, so I didn’t have the exact dates and stuff, and couldn’t get this insurance immediately.

I started printing out other necessary information; the Student Handbook, the USA Country Handbook, the Visa Handbook and the Health Inurance Handbook. I read all the sheets (oh my god, that was much information) and wrote down questions.

Today I got the IIS, at last. Now it’s really official! I have a contactperson at Whitworth, I know when to arrive, I know when I have vacation, I know what kind of housing and meals will be available, etcetera. It actually is starting to become REAL!

This is what I have to do next:
- Get the Healt Insurance
- Get a Visa
- Get a plane ticket

Other things:
- Get an MP3-player
- Get a big-ass suitcase
- Get a creditcard
- Make a copy a birth certificate
- Make a copy of inoculation records
- Make an appointment with the dentist

Whitworth College, Spokane, Washington!

2006-10-03T19:38:00.000Z

The Uni
Whitworth is located approximately 11 km north of downtown Spokane, Washington

Main Hall

- Check-in allowed from Feb 5, check-out at the latest on May 21
- Students are housed in double-occupancy rooms in residence halls
- 20 meals per week are provided in the college cafeteria
- New Scotford Fitness Center

Map of the campus

“Whitworth has maintained a covenant relationship with the Presbyterian Church (USA) for every one of the college’s 116 years. Among Presbyterian CCCU schools, Whitworth is the largest and highest-ranked by U.S. News & World Report and is the only such institution west of the Rocky Mountains.”

I hope I won’t have anything to do with that!

Shit...
“Possession, consumption or distribution of alcohol is prohibited.”

Other strange things
- The use of all candles, burned or unburned, is prohibited
- Menu info for the 2004-2005 academic year is not yet available
- Bring Pillow, pillowcase, and extra-long bed linens
- Any kind of live animal are not permitted, including fish

Example of a room

I might even get financial help from the other side of the ocean!
“At Whitworth, we are pleased to have international students from many different countries join us in the pursuit of educating the mind and heart. Financial aid is available to international students who have some resources for their educational expenses, but need additional assistance. The average award is between $2,000 to $14,000. We welcome your questions and comments, so please feel free to contact us”

The courses
When I applied I made this list of interesting courses:

- Research and writing workshop
- Journalwriting & autobiography
- Editing, layout and design
- Editorial practicum: newspaper
- Applied journalism: newspaper
- Essay writing
- Writing for mass media
- Introduction to communication research
- Article and feature writing

I can’t be sure of anything: I will only have to follow about four courses and maybe the courses listed above aren’t even the courses they’re offering in the second semester. Maybe I can even choose a whole new curriculum. But I hope to do the first four courses.

The city
“Spokane (pronounced spö-CAN) is 280 miles east of Seattle and 375 miles northeast of Portland. It is the second largest city in Washington state and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest. It was originally incorporated as "Spokan Falls" (without an 'e' at the end), drawing on the Native American tribe known as the Spokane, which means "Children of the Sun.” Spokane has a system of over 75 parks totaling 3,500 acres, with parks ranging in size from the quarter-acre Skeet-So-Mish Park playground to the 464-acre Palisades Park conservation area.”

Town

View over the river and a pic of downtown Spokane

Culture

Art in the park and some famous building

Nature

Wild water sports and snow fields

Here you can find Spokane on the map. The beautiful horizontal line is the border between the US and Canada. And although it’s an almost 500 km travel, I’m certainly visiting Vancouver Island during spring break!

They even have their own airport. Later this weeking I’m checking which will be the cheapest way of travel.

The weather
Spokane is located at the eastern edge of the Columbia Plateau's wheat farms and steppe, where they meet the forested Rocky Mountain foothills, the Selkirk Mountains. The Spokane River, a major tributary of the Columbia River, passes through the city, tumbling through a series of falls in the middle of downtown. It has a continental, semi-arid climate, with moderately cold winters and warm summers. The Cascade Mountains to the west shield the city from the direct modifying effect of Pacific Ocean air, and Idaho's mountains to the east help to protect it from the worst effects of arctic air in winter. Rain is concentrated in the cooler half of the year, with the summer typically having dry and stable weather.

More info
Spokane on Wiki
Whitworth on ISEP
Official Whitworth website

This is where I’m going

2006-10-03T14:11:00.000Z

When I filled in all the ISEP forms a few months ago, I finally got to this list of chosen universities:

1. ROOSEVELT UNIVERSITY, ILLINOIS
2. CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY, MICHIGAN
3. WHITWORTH COLLEGE, WASHINGTON
4. SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY, CARBONDALE, ILLINOIS
5. UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA, PEMBROKE, NORTH CA
6. SAINT JOSEPH'S COLLEGE OF MAINE, MAINE
7. INDIANA UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, PENNSYLVANIA
8. SAINT PETER'S COLLEGE, NEW JERSEY

After a while, I was starting to hope that I wouldn’t be placed at the university of my third choice, because that was the only one at the westcoast, and for some reason, all of a sudden I really wanted to go to the eastcoast.

I was at work when I received an e-mail from the woman from my university:
“Dear Linda, ISEP told me that you are placed at Whitworth College, Washington. I’m sending you the PPAF. It’s important to get the obligated health insurance as soon as possible. When you have it, you can fill in the registration number. Then hand in all the forms to us again so we can send it through to Whitworth.”

I went “Oh no, you can’t be serious!”, only than in Dutch, and I put my hands in the air. My colleagues (who are English) went all “What’s the matter? Everything all right? What have you done wrong?”

So I explained and we came to the conclusion that it will of course be great there after all.

Tonight, I’m going to explore everything: the website of the Uni, the wether in Washington State, nice things to do around there, everything. I will be all right!

Finally in the mail box

2006-10-03T13:51:00.000Z

October 2

So I started to make my budget a few weeks ago, I went to an informational meeting and I went to a fundraising workshop. After that I did a final search on appropriate funds and wrote a motivation letter to two funds. I printed out my CV, I printed out the reference letter from my lecturer which he wrote for ISEP and I made my mother write a letter in which she declared why I need the money so badly. I wrote a little ‘this is in the envelop’ note, buyed stamps and actually put everything in the envelop. With an umbrella in my hand and the envelopes tightly holding in my other hand, I walked to the mail box. Now it’s time to wait (unfortunately not to sit back and relax) and hopefully my work will pay off!

TOEFL results!

2006-09-22T18:11:00.000Z

Oh yeah!

I checked my TOEFL profile every day last week. Of course, the results came only today, just like they said. But when I could finally see them, it was good! Yeah baby, yeah! I think I REALLY did good. I don't actually understand the grading related to the level they give to it, but hell, what do I care!

Here some paragraphs out of the score report.

Reading Skills (26/30)
Level: High
You have a very good command of academic vocabulary and grammatical structure; you can understand and connect information, make appropriate inferences, and synthesize ideas, even when the text is conceptually dense and the language is complex; you can recognize the expository organization of a text and the role that specific information serves within the larger text, even when the text is conceptually dense; and you can abstract major ideas from a text, even when the text is conceptually dense and contains complex language.

Listening Skills (26/30)
Level: High
You understand main ideas and important details, whether they are stated or implied; you distinguish more important ideas from less important ones; you understand how information is being used (for example, to provide evidence for a claim or describe a step in a complex process); you recognize how pieces of information are connected (for example, in a cause-and-effect relationship); you understand many different ways that speakers use language for purposes other than to give information (for example, to emphasize a point, express agreement or disagreement, or convey intentions indirectly); and you synthesize information, even when it is not presented in sequence, and make correct inferences on the basis of that information.

Speaking Skills (28/30)
Speaking about familiar topics
Level: Good
Your responses indicate an ability to communicate your personal experiences and opinions effectively in English. Overall, your speech is clear and fluent. Your use of vocabulary and grammar is effective with only minor errors. Your ideas are generally well developed and expressed coherently.
Speaking about campus situations
Level: Good
Your responses indicate an ability to speak effectively in English about reading material and conversations typically encountered by university students. Overall, your responses are clear and coherent, with only occasional errors of pronunciation, grammar, or vocabulary.
Speaking about academic course content
Level: Good
Your responses demonstrate an ability to communicate effectively in English about academic topics typical of first-year university studies. Your speech is mostly clear and fluent. You are able to use appropriate vocabulary and grammar to explain concepts and ideas from reading or lecture material. You are able to talk about key information and relevant details with only minor inaccuracies.

Writing Skills (24/30)
Writing based on reading and listening
Level: Fair
You responded to the task, relating the lecture to the reading, but your response indicates weaknesses such as: an important idea or ideas may be missing, unclear, or inaccurate; there may be unclarity in how the lecture and the reading passage are related; and/or grammatical mistakes or vague/incorrect uses of words may make the writing difficult to understand.
Writing based on knowledge and experience
Level: Good
You responded with a well-organized and developed essay. Weaknesses, if you have any, might have to do with: use of English that is occasionally ungrammatical, unclear, or unidiomatic and/or elaboration of ideas or connection of ideas that could have been stronger.

Give me some money!

2006-09-20T14:07:00.000Z

September 18

I went to a fundraising workshop. I thought they were going to tell me where I could find fitting funds for my personal situation, but no. Nothing of that, just more information about things I already know. But there was ONE thing I didn’t know. And that thing is that you have to lend money from the ‘ib-groep’ (gives financial aid to students) before you can even ask for a scholarship. I have to lend the maximum amount of money the ib-groep offers me. And that’s about 800 euro per month. What about that?! Why are there still scholarships? Why do people still get this ‘free money’ from funds? Everbody can get a loan! Why am I saving money for months and working my ass of for months? So that I can’t get any financial aid?! I’m changing my incomes side on my budget! From now on, I have no income and no saving money whatsoever. I have to lend money and still can’t afford my abroad-adventure. THEN they will give me money!

Give me some information!

2006-09-14T18:18:00.000Z

September 13

So here I go, with a major cold and a red eye. Off to Amsterdam! When I arrive, I’m the first. A nice jug with water and a little pile of plastic cups already stand in the middle of the table.

We’re with four, the fifth person doesn’t show up. It appears that we’re the only five persons who did apply. So all my worries about maybe not being chosen weren’t necessary. What a disappointment!

Also, I was afraid that it would be a disadvantage that I only did my TOEFL test at the deadline day, so that my results would be send to the US three weeks late. But I was the only one who actually did the test! Ofcourse, it will be in THEIR disadvantage, because their scores will REALLY be to late, but it’s proven again that I worry way too much!

Anyway, so we’re selected, that was step one. Now our stuff has been sent to the US and they will have a great job to place people from all over the world to all over the US. It will be about half to end October when we hear where we’re placed. When the University of Amsterdam accepts our placements, we have to get a US Health Insurance, and then we finally get a confirmational yes-you-are-placed-welcome-package and the whole carrousel of filling in forms and paying things will start again.

So, in a month I will know where I will head to in January. Will it be happy Jersey, freezing Washington or countryside Illinios. Exciting!

THE Test

2006-09-01T19:29:00.000Z

At 9:51 AM I’m in the train, heading towards Arnhem, where the one and only Dutch ETS Test Location is situated. In Arnhem I can’t find the way at first, just like a girl with a big suitcase. We ask an older lady for directions and together we head to the centre. There she wishes me good luck and our ways seperate. I check in.

11:50 AM, the reading part. In 100 minutes I have to read 5 texts and answer lots of questions about them. It’s hard for me to concentrate between all other contestants who start at subsequent times. And the subjects don’t interest me at all. Can’t remember what they were all about, but it was just like in English class at highschool: boring.

The second part is the listening part. I listen to a couple of lectures and conversations, I also have to read some passages to combine with these lectures. I answer questions again. This is way easier. The questions just seem so much more easy. Where I couldn’t finish all the questions within time at the reading part, here I have time left.

2:25 PM, break: toilet, sandwich, coffee, sandwich, make sure to check-in before time elapses.

2:35 PM, check in. Time for the speaking part: ouch! Everyone wears headphones, and everyone is speaking at the same time. I feel stupid, I feel nervous, I feel bad. I can’t concentrate, I can’t find my words, I’m distracted by other talkers, I feel dumb by knowing my neighbours can hear me stutter. I hate this!

Finally, the writing part... Second task... Opinion: “Everyone is too focused on the lives of celebrities and other famous people”. Question: Either you agree, or you disagree. Give your view on this opinion and provide it with reasons and examples, you have 30 minutes”. Oeh... great.... not! At first, I think. I think hard. I type in some phrases and erase them again. And then it hits me! Off I go! Give them their privacy, get your own live and pay them just as much/less as a dentist to create a better world!!

Yeah baby, yeah! I’m in! This was a (small) (or big? I mean, it wasn’t THAT easy) piece of cake. I’m going for a 75/25 good/wrong result. Congratulate me by donating money, that’ll do!

Money, money, money, it’s not funny!

2006-08-29T14:28:00.000Z

I was quite busy today, I also tried to make a budget.

Expenses

Entering amount and collegefunds
- ISEP program € 3.500
- Participation fee € 250
- NL collegefunds € 750

Travel expenses
- Airplaneticket € 1.000

Costs for stay
- Public transport € 500
- Purchases € 300
- Personal care € 200
- Clothes € 300
- Pocket-money € 1200

Insurances
- US Health Insurance € 250
- NL Health Insurance € 600

Study articles
- Study books € 600
- Lab Fee’s € 200

Remaining expenses
- Sevis Fee € 80
- Visum € 140
- TOEFL test € 130

Total € 10.000

My Incomes side of the table is still a bit empty...

Practice

2006-08-29T14:27:00.000Z

In three days time, THE test will take place. Time to practice, wouldn’t you think? Indeed. So I got behind my mom’s computer, a real nice Apple thing, and logged in on the website. Too bad, that stupid moneyjerking (is that a word?) institution does only support Windows. Luckily I could use my brothers PC.

Well, the test wasn’t complete, I could only test the reading and listening skills, not the speaking and writing skills, but I can tell you, this will work out! From the 24 questions I only had 2 wrong answers. Mwoehhahahaaaa!

Of course, it’s common well-known that the Dutch, compared to other world citizens who’s native language isn’t English, are good English speakers. But yeah, well, I was a little bit scared before anyway, which I’m not anymore!!

Confirmation letter

2006-08-29T14:11:00.000Z

August 25

“Dear ploenk,

On account of your request for exchange to the US through the ISEP program, I inform you that the board has decided to recommend you for exchange in the second semester of the university year 2006/2007. Congratulations! Because the guest university of the ISEP-program eventually has the last word about your placement, we can’t give any guarantees.

Hereby I want to invite you for the informational meeting where we’ll inform you about things like visa, finances and the ISEP procedure. We’ll really ask you for attend this meeting. With this letter you’ll find an attachment with further information about the procedure.”

I can tell you, the procedure is veeery looong with sooo much arragement things which will cost veeery much money, I couldn’t translate it all...

Second try

2006-08-29T08:52:00.000Z

July 14

I didn’t know what caused the website to crash, but I decided it was time to try another creditcard. So I stood at the desk of my mothers boss at 8:15 AM this fridaymorning. But also here I could try everything I wanted, I didn’t succeed either. Every time I started over I read “Register Online (for fastest and most convenient service)”. Yeah... Right...

Way too late I arrived at work. Luckily with the boss’ creditcard! But nooo waaay, what’s the matter, it doesn’t work AGAIN! Ok, right, then I’ll get on the phone. The woman on the other side of the line tells me that this sometimes happens, that sometimes the website is hard to get through. Sometimes, right...

Well, we start the procedure again. Only now, I give my information and she is filling it in at the internet. The first time she also gets kicked out. When we finally get through, it looks like there’s already more dates taken. If I want to do my test before my deadline, I have to go to Stuttgart or whatever, to Germany anyways. What the ***!

So I end the conversation and call the advisor at my university. She says it doesn’t really matter. That this happens more often. So ISEP will understand. Ok, I hope so... So I call the TOEFL centre again and set the date to friday september 1. First expense made: 155 dollar lighter I am. One step closer to a half year of learning.

First try

2006-08-25T19:20:00.000Z

July 12

So, I skimmed through the website to find out everything about the test. I selected some dates and thought about who to ask for helping me with this creditcard thing.

This night would be the night. I went to the house of the parents of two friends of mine. The father owns a creditcard I could use to subscribe myself.

But as I sat there behind the computer, already gone through the slow subscribingprocedure, I found myself kicked off the webpage at the end. Every digit of the card I filled in, but it just didn’t work out.

I tried again. For a couple of times. Sometimes the webpages shut itself down even before the procedure was fully continued. I gave up. My preferably date was already completely full. A little bit down I went back home. What to do next?

Pick me, pick me!

2006-08-25T19:11:00.000Z

June 30

Yoohooo!

“Dear ploenk,

On account of your request for exchange to the US through the ISEP program, I inform you that the board has decided to recommend you for exchange in the second semester of the university year 200/2007. Congratulations! You’ll receive a official confirmation letter and an invitation for an informational meeting.

What to do next: ISEP only accepts requests which provides evidence that a TOEFL-test is taken. This is an English language test which measures the knowledge of the Englisch language. Information will be found at www.toefl.org. You must also subscribe yourself at this website. You’ll need a creditcard for this. The costs are around 120 US Dollar. Please make sure you subscribe yourself as soon as possible. For any questions, don’t hesistate to contact me.

Kind regards,
Miss Abroad”

That sounds OK!

Meeting

2006-08-24T13:50:00.001Z

June 13

I get an invitation for a meeting for people who’re going to study in the USA. There will be some people who’ll tell us everything about Visa, cultural differences, and so on.

Although it’s still half a year before departure, and it isn’t actually sure whether I’m going anyway, I decide to go. There will also be some Dutch students who just come back from their year study abroad, so it will be interesting anyway.

When I get there, all I see are highschool students with their rich parents. These are youngsters who’re going for a year of study, at a university they actually choose themselves, but also have to pay for themselves, too. It’s fun to see.

The meeting itself isn’t quite what I expected, but it’s nice. I’m getting a little scared when I hear what more I have to arrange when it’s certain my trip will take place: toefl test, visa, mobile phone, bank account, creditcard, health insurance, flight, and so on, and so on.

It will be hard, but yeah, it’ll be fun too!

Printing, and printing, and…

2006-08-24T13:50:00.000Z

June 6

It’s time to collect all the things I need and to print out all the digital completed forms. I have to hand in everything in threefold AND have a copy of my own. So I make copies of my passport, I look for identic passport photographs ans have the printer running for about two whole hours. Good for me I can do this at my internship office, that saves me a lot of free time and money! What a piles of paper!

How hard can it be?

2006-08-24T13:39:00.000Z

May 30

Now the translating was done, I had to collect some stamps on my printed forms, so that they would be ‘official’. Therefore I had to make an appointment. So I did. But when I came to the office, the person I talked to wasn’t there, the person whom she assigned the stamping to was in a meeting, and the rest of the people certainly wouldn’t put those stamps on my forms. Hm… I left my forms there and they would send them (stamped) to me later. OK then.

IDS

2006-08-03T15:24:00.000Z

May 6

For my propaedeuse certificate and assessment reports I had to do some translating. The original versions had to be included, but of course also English versions. In order to do this right, I needed an International Diploma Supplement, the so called IDS.

First I tried to discover where I could get one. I e-mailed several people I thought would know, and eventually, that worked out. But then the regarding office found it difficult to give me one, since only graduates get one. Eventually I got some papers with erased names. Fine with me!

References

2006-08-03T15:23:00.000Z

April 18

I already told I had to fill in a lot of forms. These are them:

- participant profile
- host site request
- academic references (2)
- educational history
- study site requests (8)
- nomination form
- motivation letter
- curriculum vitae
- propaedeuse certificate
- assessment reports

Today I had appointments with two lecturers I asked to be my references. I already explained them in e-mail why I did this and what I wanted, and today I also explained what they had to fill in. I both didn’t really know them, but they were willing to be very positive. I didn’t even ask for that!

Thorough

2006-07-17T13:00:00.000Z

March 9

Now it became time to focus me on the courses. I had my list of universities, so what would I like to be doing in those places if I would be stated there? I started to go through all the websites. Sometimes it was harder to find the list of courses than other times. Eventually I visited all the websites. One university offered very cool topics like 'Editorial and Column Writing, where the climax at other universities was 'Writing for Publication', yay.

I listed all those courses and started to wonder how many I should choose. Twenty courses listed for one university and than checking the box 'Yes, I would you consider alternate courses with similar course content' was maybe a little bit overdone? And so it was. In a regular semester you handle about twelve credits, and an average course represents three credits. So I had to decrease my lists drastically. If I would have knew that before...

America is too big!

2006-07-15T14:45:00.000Z

February 28

In the week to follow, I started making my top ten list of universities. Therefore I had to surf through the ISEP website. I decided to select a site by field of study. I filled in Journalism and English. That got me a list of 51 universities spreaded over 28 states. You’ll imagine that it was a heck of a job to select my favorite universities.

Because, where do you pay attention to?

1. Is it a restricted site?
That means that the university is thát popular, that you probably won’t stand a chance to be placed there. You can only put this site on top of your list, which means you can only put one restricted site to your list. I decided to not list any restricted site.

2. In which state lies the university?
I don’t want to study in the middle of nowhere, so I decided to let go of Texas, Kansas, Iowa, Wyoming and a couple more.

3. What kind of courses does the university offer?
Some have a wide range of courses, others have nothing interesting.

In the meanwhile, it became harder and harder for me. It had already cost me hours and hours.

4. How is the university graded, what’s the reputation of this school and how is the level of teaching?
I have to say, I couldn’t care less. I don’t care if the university is highly recommended or not. My first goal isn’t to learn schoolthings, my first goal is to survive in an Englishspeaking country! I want to have fun, meet new people and just live abroad for a while, I think I will learn enough anyway!

5. What do they offer beside studythings?
Same here. It’s nice if there are free fitness facilities, weekendtrips of hightech computerfacilities, ofcourse these things are important, but how do you find out what and where is better? I have more things to do!

So, finally, I got my list of universities. It became a top eight list. I had to list at least six sites, so I thought this would be enough. I have to say, I didn’t sort everything out. At one point, I had enough of it. I concluded that it would be a total adventure anyway!

I need to do this

2006-07-15T14:16:00.000Z

February 16

For several years, I knew I wanted to go abroad someday. I could have done it all these years, but I never dared. I was afraid. Where to go, what to do, how to do it... But this was the time. My relationship ended, I was still in school and ofcourse, I had enough time, before ending up in tiring fulltime jobs.

So I made an appointment at my university. These were my exact words: “I want to go abroad. To a country where the main language is English. I don’t care where exactly. I also don’t have a clue what I want to do. Studying maybe, or an internship. I want to go around february and ofcourse, it had to be affordable. Have you got a suitable program?”

The advisor immediately came up with ISEP: “You can do the study exchange with America. You can go there for a semester to do some courses which lay in the lenght of your current program. I got the information here. How does that sound?”

Ofcourse, that sounded great. I would have never come up with the US myself, but why not?! I never been outside of Europe before. If I do this, I better do it good! So I started the process of searching universities and filling in forms. USA, here I come!

The beginning

2006-06-26T14:10:00.000Z

It's now approximately six months ago that I went to 'bureau buitenland', the office at my university where they help you with your plans to go abroad. When everything goes the way it's planned, I'm leaving to study in the USA another half year from now. At this weblog, you'll find everything what happens the year before leaving AND ofcourse what happens the time I'm there. Hopefully my English writing will be improved at the end!