Exciting News & All Those Tedious Details

Having been accepted to a field study and internship program, I will be leaving in mid-August for Brussels, Belgium!  There are no words to capture my excitement!  Every day I wake up, realize this is happening, and cannot believe my luck.  It's validation of a dream I've been kindling since I was nine years old, and it just might be my first step toward a career in the international community.  Needless to say, I can't wait!

Of course there's always a good dose of reality to reign me in...  Exhibit A: The student visa application.  It is long, dense, and confusing, and in that respect, it is quite daunting to someone who has never had to think about a student visa before.  They recommend you try to have the application processed within 6 to 8 weeks before you plan to go abroad.  Sounds like enough time, but in reality, I have to wrangle up at least 20 documents, follow the procedures, and probably leave myself some extra time for blunders and misunderstandings--which will inevitably crop up.

On top of that, I need to research flights, find out which foyer I will be living in (possibly fill out an application for that), figure out a Eurail pass, think about transportation within Brussels (e.g. What sort of subway pass should I buy?  How will I get from the foyer to the subway to my classes/internship?), and more.

I also have a milieu of questions to be considered/answered:

• What sort of attire will I need in the internship?
• Can I move into the foyer a day or two early, so that I can unpack, figure out transportation, find a grocery store for food, etc?
• How will I get from the airport to the foyer?  Will I be able to take the subway, or are there buses that are available?
• If I plan to travel while I'm in Belgium, where will I go?  Should I stay in a hostel?
• Could I talk to a current/past student of the program for advice?
• Is there a Facebook group where I can meet the other people who will be a part of this program?
• Are there any books that I need to order in advance?
• What sort of luggage should I bring?  How much should I bring?  How will I pack?

Those are just the ones that occur to me now.  Obviously part of what is so appealing and impressive about this program is that I have the chance to go abroad and do an internship, but also, I am going to a foreign country where I've never been, will be living there on my own, and will have to figure it out on my own.  Fortunately, I have friends who have done this before to give me advice and guidance.  That never hurts!

So as of right now, I am beyond excited but also quite overwhelmed... I will work on all of this and be in touch as more news arises!

-Emily