Beaucoup To Do

So I had my first official meeting on Monday the 18th to discuss some important issues. We went through the itinerary for the first few days as well as a general itinerary for the semester. I am scheduled to fly out of Charlotte Saturday, January 8 and arrive in Belgium the following day, Sunday, January 9. We will spend the first few days in Brussels and then head to Louvain-la-Neuve on the 12th. Classes will begin on January 14.

During the meeting we also decided our class schedules. As for me, in January I will be taking French 398- an intermediate French "crash" course. The from January 31- June 30 I will be taking:

• French 312- Writing and French I
• French 317- Contemporary Francophone Civilization (Which is only available to Clemson students)
• French 398- Intermediate Oral Practice

I am planning on taking one more class but am not really sure of my options. I emailed Kelly Peebles, the program director, some of my class interests and she is going to contact UCL and see what they have available. I am a marketing major with a minor in French and textiles so i would love if they offered something that could some what tie together all 3, or just something that Clemson does not offer. I requested a marketing or management retail class and/or international marketing. So we shall see what Madame Peebles finds out...

During the meeting we also went through the process of obtaining a Belgian visa. I am really not looking forward to applying for a visa, it sounds like a complete pain in the ass, but of course it will be worth it. Thankfully I am not going to be 21 before my departure which means I do not have to get the FBI background check. Applying for a visa hopefully will not be too bad but I just need to set aside the time to do it. For the visa I must:

1. Submit my passport along with a copy of the photo page
2. Complete, sign and date the visa application form
3. Get 2 identification photos made
4. Get a UCL admission letter
5. Get a medical certificate (go to Redfern get a physical and also get it notarized by the study abroad office)
6. Fill out the Financial Support Declaration and get parents signature
7. And finally.... write a money order to the Consulate of Belgium

I have to do all that by Wednesday November 3. So I am planning on completing it over fall break.

Belgique!

So... looks like I am going abroad next semester! I've known that I wanted to study abroad for basically my whole life and I became interested in Clemson's Belgium program during freshman year orientation. The fact that it is now definite that I am going to Belgium is a bit ridiculous and extremely exciting! I will be studying in Louvain-la-Neuve at Université Catholique de Louvain. I will arrive in Belgium January 8 and my first class begins January 11. From January 11 until January 21 I will be taking an intense French “crash course”. Then from February 1 until June 30 I will be taking all French classes as well as an international marketing class. When classes end, I hope to stay abroad for the remainder of the summer to travel around Europe and to perhaps go to Lebanon to visit my family.

I have already turned in my application and paid for the trip. I have also turned in the required identification pictures as well as a copy of my passport. The next step is to attend my first meeting this Monday, October 18. During this meeting we are scheduled to discuss some of the traveling technicalities. I am going to turn 21 while I am abroad which means the FBI has to do a background check on me before leaving the US and I also have to apply for a visa, both of these topics will be discussed during the meeting.

I am really excited to be immersed in another culture and to hopefully fully learn French. I am honestly not at all nervous because I know a few of the people going on the trip with me as well as a number of people who live in Belgium. I am also comfortable with change and other cultures. Honestly, one of my only concerns is how I am going to transfer my wardrobe internationally…

Here is a map of where I will be in Belgium from the university’s website:

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.uclouvain.be/cps/ucl/doc/adcp/images/planBelgique.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.uclouvain.be/en-acces.html&usg=__fixmSIAwSiTRCKp24mWZo9L3jwE=&h=568&w=750&sz=129&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=COYm7q4Zh-8G_M:&tbnh=140&tbnw=185&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dlouvain%2Bla%2Bneuve%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26biw%3D1440%26bih%3D739%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=337&ei=FXq4TMKRFoa0lQeRkrzNDA&oei=FXq4TMKRFoa0lQeRkrzNDA&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=24&ved=1t:429,r:15,s:0&tx=103&ty=92