Welcome to part 1 of my travel blog that will follow me through Study Abroad to Australia! I'm writing this because I know a bunch of you out there want to do study abroad and / or would be interested to read on how it works out for real, as it's actually happening! If you want to study abroad, Australia or otherwise, or you just want to read an account of me humiliating myself trying to get through all the organisation, then give this a read. Muchos love!
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I thought today would be a good day to start this, as it is the day I finally got myself together and forced motivation to compile my travel folder.
Before I go into what a travel folder actually is, what has happened so far might need a little explanation. I've already gone through a vast amount of the study abroad process- the meetings, the application, the correspondence, organisation and acceptance (a process that has been ongoing since about a year ago), so I won't be going over any of that especially, but feel free to message me or Keele International with questions if you are in the process of applying yourself. :)
As for me, I've successfully come out the other side, and my departure date is FOUR DAYS AWAY. After such a long time of preparation, it hardly seems real to be this close! However, when people ask me whether I'm excited, I always tell them 'I'll believe it when I'm there'. Even with all the organisation there is still so much I have to get through: negotiating the airports and traveling, arrival and accommodation, enrolment... I'm going to have to take it all one step at a time, and for once in my life start writing things down or I'll never remember to do everything!
For those that don't know, my destination is Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia (tis in Victoria, on the South coastline). I few out on the 15th of February at approx. 10pm via Hong Kong (only for an hour to refuel) and I landed at 7am on the 17th! D: It was going to be warm though- the weather forecast was 34 degrees C with an extreme humidity level!!! D:
Anyway, the travel folder. By now I've organised everything including airport pick-up, the correct Visa's (including an ESTA for america which I'm visiting on the way back), C of E (confirmation of enrolment) and any other documents to prove that I am a student so that when they inevitably stop me at customs because I'm acting terrified, I can still be allowed to enter their country unscathed! What I HAVEN'T been organised with however, is having physical copies of these papers. I'm going to admit right now, I put a little more faith in the future me than the present me, so when I got all of the emails with the important bits and bobs I shrugged them off. I don't recommend doing this yourselves... I've literally spent the whole of the day going through tens of emails and piles of papers in my room to work out which ones are crucial, and also second-guessing whether I've left anything out or not. Another tip- to save yourself pointless panicking, always know where your passport is! It was exactly where I'd left it of course, but there's nothing quite like waking up in a cold sweat at night because your memories of its location are vague. Ahh study abroad...
My poor long-suffering dad had to run me down to my local stationary shop so I could buy a pack of popper folders and some separators; the foundation of my beautiful travel folder(s)! I add the extra 's' on the end, because in fact I will duplicate all of my papers 3 times. That's one for hand luggage, one for hold luggage and one for my parents at home.
I should add a note about parents here. I know they are often not one's closest allies, but I wholeheartedly recommend working alongside them here. Leave them in charge of a travel folder, give them ALL your details of everything. Of most importance I think was nominating them to Student Finance England (loans) and to my bank to be able to access my account in my name- I had to call them up respectively and state their names and dates of birth. It means that, if something goes wrong like (god forbid) I don't get my loan on time or my bank account gets shut for whatever reason, they can ring instead of me from australia. If I hadn't have done this, they would not be able to access my account at all, because even though they are my parents, they aren't allowed without permission. Back ups, back ups! Along that line, I've also told the bank and my phone company exactly what dates I'm out of the country. Sometimes you can get bolt ons for your phone that reduce the cost of calls from abroad, and I definitely don't want my bank account shut the first instance I use it...
This is what I have in my folder:
Section 1-Airport stuff.
- plane tickets (they are electronic but I still need the code and itinerary)
- airport pick up form (without it the guy won't drive me to the university. Boo D: )
- passport (super important)
-the address of my accommodation
-the address I need to go to when I first arrive at the university (different to the room I'm staying in, which the driver will need to know)
- photocopy of passport
- telephone numbers of both keele and deakin international departments (in case something happens and I get stranded!)
Section 2-Visas and 'other-really-important-stuff-to- influence-immigration-not-to-deport-me-'
- letter from Australia High Commission stating that I intend to return to the UK (given to me by Keele at the last meeting before everyone leaves. Customs will more than likely need to see this. Also, return plane ticket helps support you too)
- Confirmation of Enrolment (sent to me by my partner university, proving that I will be studying there)
- Printout of Australian Visa information (not an official certificate since it's electronic, but it serves as proof if anything goes wrong)
- Printout of American ESTA information (allows me multiple entries to the USA for 2 years)
Section 3- Insurance
- OSHC printout (Overseas student health cover, which was compulsory for Australia international students. I had to pay for it on the same form as my application to Deakin)
- Insurance Letter (Keele University study abroad insurance which covers travel AND medical)
Section 4- Partner University stuff
- Offer of acceptance letter from Deakin university (also containing modules and term dates)
- Photocopy of my original application to Deakin University (including a few other bits and bobs I had to fill out and send to them over the duration)
- Print-out of enrolment flyer (date of enrolment when I get to Australia, where, and things I need to take with me)
Section 5 - Accommodation
- Receipt of full payment of accommodation
- Address I will be staying at
- Payment schedule (only one date for me, since I'll be there one term)
- Other receipts of payment (deposit and bedding packs etc.)
Section 6 - Miscellaneous important stuff
- photocopies of credit cards
- address of the British Consulate-General (british embassy, basically. If I lose my passport, murder someone or get into any other kind of trouble, these guys are there to help me. Their offices have a specific address and number, but I've found different ones to have different specific functions i.e. there's one in Melbourne but they don't deal with visa or passport matters! I have to go to Caberra or Wellington for that... Its good to know stuff like this, seriously.)
-Other numbers and addresses of importance (overseas bank contact number, phone company overseas number, family numbers, addresses of people... whatever you think you might need)
Section 7 - Other junk
- Portfolio cover (I'll probably print it again while I'm out there but its good to have one on me)
- Confirmation of modules form (I have to send this back to Keele via email when I've enroled, I printed it purely to remind myself to do it)
- bits of paper given by keele (support and email addresses of subject tutors back at keele)
- Australia manual :P
-Other correspondence from Deakin with dates or information on I don't want to forget)
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So much! D:
Perhaps I'll leave it there for today. In the next few days I will be visiting family and friends for the last time, and also do my clothes washing so I actually have some clothes to pack! I will write another entry soon entailing 'packing with jenn- one woman's struggle to travel light'. Sayonara!
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