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Published: February 4th 2011
Madrid
This is a picture I took last time I was in Madrid but it will have to work until I take some more!People always tell me that studying abroad is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Well maybe some people only do this once but hopefully this will just be the start of many international travels for me. I am going to be studying in Madrid, Spain from February 2011 until July 2011.
Ever since I was younger I have always wanted to go to abroad. This wish came true when I got to go to Spain and Italy the summer before my senior year in high school. The next summer, I got the opportunity to go on a mission experience to Ecuador. I do not know what I want to be when I "grow up" but I do know that I want it to involve traveling, languages, and different cultures.
Getting ready for this trip has not been an easy feat. I am lucky enough to have one of my best friends, Lidia Awad, going with me and that we both got accepted into the program. After that I had to get an appointment at the Spanish consulate in Miami for a visa to go study abroad. This was easier said then done since the consulate didn't answer emails and when I called their phone all I got was a recording, but I finally got one. After ten hours in a car, a friend, Chip Bowman, and I finally got to Miami. After my first meeting with the people at the Spanish consulate, which ended in tears, I had to fill out a new application, get new passport pictures, get a money order, get a new envelope to mail my passport back to me and get insurance information, all in about two hours. Luckily, I got everything accomplished on time, except the insurance info. Finally, I got the information the consulate wanted but the office closed at 1:00 and it was 1:30. I was so worried I would have to spend another night and wait another day to apply for my visa. Chip and I decided to go to the consulate anyway, though, just in case, and I decided that I would cry/beg/yell or anything else I needed to do in order to see if I could get someone to help me. It turned out all the workers were still there, just eating lunch. One of the nicest men I have ever met agreed to help me out if I waited until they were finished. I could have kissed that man I was so relieved! So I went back through the metal detector and turned in all my papers. I was so happy and so glad to be leaving Miami, even if it was 4 hours later than planned.
The next step was to wait for my passport to be mailed back to me with the visa inside, which usually takes 3-4 weeks. Since I was supposed to be in Spain exactly three weeks from the day of my appointment, I was worried to say the least. But surprising it came in only a week and a half.
The next struggle was finding a decent apartment close to a bus stop without having to spend $600 a month on rent. After emailing back and forth with the apartment place, and texting/calling/facebooking/skyping with Lidia, we found a place. But the people at the company, Aluni, wanted us to pay the deposit over the internet before we got to Spain. We were not about to pay 300€ for a place we had never seen before. So we have decided to just wait until we get to Spain.
Another major problem that I had to deal with was because of the wonderful winter weather (sarcastic) we received at the beginning of January. Because of it, the offices of Oglethorpe did not open until a week later than normal, pushing the drop/add date back, and therefore pushing back the date when I would receive a refund from the school. If this had been a small refund, I wouldn't be worried but it is how I am planning on paying for my trip so I kinda need it. Well, I am still waiting on that but I am going to be able to buy my ticket and rent my apartment and survive in Spain until that check comes because of a certain angel in my life.
So that is where I am now. I am going to leave most likely Sunday from Charlotte and get there Monday morning about 8 am, Spain time. (So about 2 am EST).
I am going to try my best to keep everyone informed while I am gone and either email, facebook, skype or this blog will be the best way to reach me while I am gone. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I will be posting pictures and maps and more information about school, classes, apartments, and such once I get to Madrid. But that's all for now. Next time you hear from me I will be Europe!!
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Beverly Moore Willis
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Catherine, Love reading about the pre-excitement! Can't wait to read more. I am a blog nerd (itsagoldenday.blogspot.com), so I know how much it means to have people read AND comment! Looking forward to installment number 2...