3 Weeks Pre-Departure

So I'm leaving for Paris in about three weeks, January 6th. I am going with a program called MICEFA, which deals with North American and Canadian universities. I've been to France with my schools study abroad program before but it was in the south of France and I went with study abroad and not the "foreign exchange" department. The difference is that I will be paying the same UIC fees to go to a French University but I must find my own housing, and its much much more independent (yikes!). Although I am super nervous about registering for classes on my own, figuring out everything with the Metro and RER and finding housing I can afford... I am soooo excited for an adventure and just being in France again, oh and most of all hopefully meeting up with a few of my amazing friends I made on my first abroad experience! Although it will be stressful at first I can not wait, it kinda hasn't fully sunk in yet. Last time I went I had the whole summer leading up to it to think about it, now I only have 3 short weeks after my first semester ended, but it's finally starting to fully register :)

I still have tons of stuff to do. I need to go to UIC friday for my "orientation" although I am the only person at UIC doing this program so it may just be me talking one on one with a counselor I am not really sure. I still need to figure out my insurance situation, buy some basics, hat and gloves... because I have no clothes right now. Make a packing list, and still do Christmas shopping for some people. Plus a million other little things I am sure I'm forgetting... for example making like quadruple copies of all my documents, buying a very good map of Paris, possibly some school supplies, woo. Alright well i've never done a blog before so this is like my first tester. But I look forward to writing hopefully exciting things when I am actually in Paris. Ciao!