Live in France

I went to Chicago last week to get my visa and came back empty handed. Something hadn’t yet cleared on the CampusFrance website (the most evil bureaucracy in this whole process – they only let you communicate via email, but they don’t actually respond to your emails) so they’ll have to mail me my visa later. Now I’m just crossing my fingers.

In good news: I have my apartment reserved. I have been in contact with my temporary host family. I’ve been officially accepted to the University of Orléans. The only thing left is my visa.

Granted, that is kind of a big thing.

I’ve submitted my papers and now all I need is my student visa, which shouldn’t be a problem. I’ll be in an adorable studio in downtown Orléans, in the same building as my boyfriend and his younger brother. I am so excited already, I can barely sit still.

I now have in possession a one-way ticket to Paris. The countdown’s on to September 15th. (!!!)

I’ve been really stressed out lately with this one, getting obsessed about money and wondering how I could ever possibly save enough in one year. I hate just sitting here waiting for unknown people to decide if they want to hand me money or not. So today I’m going to every place in walking distance – there aren’t many, but a few – to apply for a job. My library job leaves Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights free, so I can work weekends. This could work. At least it gives me something to do.

So I’m applying for a million scholarships, from everywhere, looking into Associated Content to see if I can make any money with my writing, and basically doing everything I can. I need to work on my “learn to drive” goal so that I can get a better paying job. I love the library, but $6 an hour is not going to get me to Europe.

If all goes according to plan, which seems possibly, I should be taking a semester in Orléans right about this time next year.