75 Days!

There are currently only 75 days until I arrive in England! The weeks are slipping by faster than I imagined, and suddenly my to-do list seems more challenging than before. Luckily, most of my to-do list has been moving along without a problem.

The most exciting news is I officially have a place to live next year! It's a private apartment complex, "sponsored"  so-to-speak by the University of Leicester. Sadly, it's about a 25 minute walk from the campus, but they run a free shuttle, which was part of the draw of the location. Other bonuses include a gym in the complex, a discount grocery store across the street, and (perhaps best of all? Most dangerous of all?) a Starbucks across the street! It was one of the more expensive properties, but I think comfort and convenience trump the cost, especially living so far away from home.

Unfortunately, I still have not begun the visa application. This is mainly due to the fact that I have not yet received my diploma, and the process has to begin there. It goes a little something like this: (1) obtain unconditional offer letter from a university in the U.K. My offer is currently conditional on the fact that I received a diploma and maintain a 3.0 gpa. (2) Send unconditional offer letter to the Fulbright commission. (3) Obtain official and final grant offer from Fulbright. (4) Obtain a CAS number from the university upon them receiving copies of all the prior documents. (5). Send in the visa application to the US government, including my passport. (6) Wait the few weeks to receive my visa. It's a fairly extensive process, and I have not been able to start, presumably due to some holdup of my diploma, which should have arrived a few weeks ago when they sent my final transcript.

But it's fine for now. I still have 75 days, but they're sure to go by in a flash. Between working at Starbucks and hanging out with my friends and family as much as possible, I won't have much time to worry!