1 Month Later

I just realized I haven't updated this blog in over a month. There hasn't been anything that interesting to talk about, so really, no one has missed much. But the last month has gone by really fast, so fast, in fact, that there is barely even a month of class left in this semester! In three short months I will be headed to Japan to finally start this adventure. As for now, I'm left with about 5 weeks of school left, consisting of papers, work hours, projects and tests.

As a minor update on the goings on regarding study abroad (though they are somewhat insignificant), I guess I can mention random tidbits that have gone on recently. For one, the payment coupons for EAP came out a few weeks ago, revealing the amounts due in the coming year or so that go to the UC system. My downpayment was due on friday, and I had to pay $450 out of my own savings to pay for it. My parents didn't have the money and thought it was my responsibility because I have a savings account for my Japan fund. Gradually, I'll pay myself back for that huge chunk that was taken out, but as of now, I'm still short funded and have a lot less in my savings than I would had hoped.

I also received an email from someone at the Tokyo Center branch of EAP, who informed me that I filled out something on the Certificate of Eligibility incorrectly, but they fixed it for me. Yay! And in two days, there is a mandatory orientation for everyone that is going to Japan through EAP, which means I finally get to meet all the other people from my school who are going. Oh! and i just remembered a slight hiccup that happened over spring break. It happened to be a mistake on EAP's end but I had emailed asking about whether or not they had received my additional passport-ish photos for the app and they told me they hadn't. So I was freaked out thinking I'd have to spend another $8 on pictures until they finally emailed me back, correcting themselves. <.<

The schedule for the study abroad program also finally came out last week, with all the starting, ending and holiday dates. The official start date of ILP is the 28th of July, and apparently you can meet and be picked up in a group at the airport on that day. I'm not really sure what I'm going to do yet because of traveling prior to that, but I think meeting up with them would be the easiest thing to do instead of finding my own way. Hopefully I don't have to travel to Tokyo alone, lugging god knows how much stuff with me. But I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

No word yet on class schedules or housing and I'm still waiting on the results of the scholarships I've applied to. So far, I know I've gotten past the preliminary round for the Duttenhaver scholarship, being in the top 8 of my school. But the donor chooses 5 out of those 8, so there is still nearly a 50% chance I won't get it. Just hoping for the best right now, since with that huge amount I could pay for nearly the whole first payment due to EAP in July ($5,500!) >< I was also contacted by the Bridging studies abroad scholarship, just to let me know they received my application and would be announcing the recipients in late May. I just hope I can get at least one of them, since money is so tough right now and I don't want to take out another loan.

Other than that, not much else new...I'm close to declaring my major but have been putting it off just because of lack of time. Classes have been alright (could be better) and I've consistantly been busy the last few weeks. Spring break was also a load of fun, so I know summer will just be a blast.