Plane Ticket and Backpack!!!

To begin with, my stupid loan has yet to come through when they told me it would be through by Tuesday. Second, it has yet to be processed through the stupid f'n Financial Aid. I don't know how much more of this I can take. It's been approved, through VCU and Suntrust, and has been put on my Eservices! Why, oh why, have I not been given the dang money yet?

On a happy note:
I got my back pack today!!! Look >

I was able to stuff over 2 loads of clothes in there- can we say WOAH!?!
I'm so ready to go!! Especially after reading Jessica Ferey's blog. She's already in Europe and I'm jealous!

On the 2nd happy note:
I just bought my plane ticket!!!! I'm officially leaving on June 23rd, no matter what! Let's just hope I get my visa and my loan in the next 3 1/2 weeks :-/
Getting a little worried about that one!
God's looking out for me.. Everything will be alright.
Not to mention that somehow the fares for the one day I am leaving on, dropped over $100!! So I just saved $100 bucks. Oh I'm so happy about that.. but I think I may buy travel insurance with it... ehh.. haven't decided yet. That's one hundred dollars that could buy me more food! lol

Now I'm just waiting to buy my EuroRail pass when my loan comes through... Man is this getting exciting!!!

Change of Plans!

Unfortunately, a few plans got changed around!
I won't be able to leave for Nashville now until June 7th, but that's okay. But I have to miss out on Atlantic City :( so I'll at least have some time to stay in TN!

My loan STILL hasn't gone through, and I'm getting Extremely PISSED!
There are many things I have to take care of before I head over there, in less than one month now!
I also can't up my credit card amount on my BB&T account because of some stupid policy.. grr.
Let's try to bet on what else will go wrong before my departure?

On the upside, I finally bought my backpack. It's a Mountainsmith Cross Country 300-Green! I can't wait to get it! I also got my sleeping bag :)
And I was able to get a really cheap 16 GB Flash Drive to store all of my photos on during the summer so I have room on my camera for more pictures. Since I won't have my laptop, I have to keep them somewhere, but I'll also upload them to photobucket, which will in return, put them on here.

I'm getting really anxious and nervous at the same time. I've already requested a few couchsurfing places in Italy when I'll be there and have still no response, and it's been about a week. I hope this doesn't happen to me on my trip. Let's pray!

My new camera is treating me well and takes such good pictures. I love my aunt!
Can't wait to use it while traveling!!!!

I'll update soon!

One Step Forward... please.. not two steps back!

So.. I'm sitting here obsessively watching youtube, over and over again. And I somehow run across this person portraying taylor swift in her "you belong with me" video. Crazy girl is completely hyped up on too many energy drinks and I'm kind of afraid to admit I watched the whole thing.

I should be printing out courses I want to take while abroad, but I have yet to do it.
I'm getting pretty excited for Nashville. Only 2 more weeks and then I get to visit some awesome people and do what I love best, play me some music!

On another exciting note, I bought my backpack today! So when it comes in (in the proposed 6-9 business days- like that ever happens) I will be officially one step forward in Kristi's Euro Adventure.

List To DO:
uhhhh, pretty much everything else
1. Wait for loan to come through
2. Buy Plane ticket
3. Buy EuroRail Pass
4. ehh... 3's enough.

I just did my budget sheet, and I will only have $2500 at the end of all my expenses to take care of before I leave to travel the 2 months I'll be in Europe.. For some reason I feel like $30 U.S. dollars a day may not be enough..

5. Start the "Kristi Foundation" - sponsoring students who wish to gain a valuable cultural experience while traveling Europe (so they can eat).

Getting Anxious- new camera!

Man! Am I getting excited. Only a month to go. I just got a new camera today.. it's amazing and takes wonderful pictures. I can't wait to use it during my adventures! lol. So I'm def. heading to Nashville at some point before I leave. That should be fun.

Being home feels strange.. I feel like I don't have many friends to hang out with. I feel pretty lonely. It's not like summer's before.. and I have no significant other to spend time with. I guess if certain people wanted to talk or hang out with me.. they'd call. Roles have switched.

I can't wait to get away.. escape from things... enjoy traveling and life. :)

I wanted to add a picture or two from today with my new camera- Thanks Aunt Faye, but the stupid computer isn't letting me. Lame

Btw.. Happy Mother's day to all the mom's out there!!

One Step Further

So.. Today I was able to get in contact with financial aid. I should be getting my loan soon. That means the planning will begin. I will be able to buy my plane ticket, decide what day I'm actually leaving, and plan out all of the details of my trip. I'm so ready to get away. It's going to be great.
Today's been a pretty shitty day. I have to admit, one of the worst in a while. This semester will end for me in two days, and I am more than excited!
I will be heading home Thursday now instead of Friday and going to the Jason Michael Carroll concert on Friday night! Should be fun.
It will be good to hang out with a few friends I haven't seen in a while, too.
I'm going to Maryland with Sarah next weekend and hopefully camping with some friends on the 30th, White Water Rafting!?! All before I head to Nashville??? to hang out with some pretty cool people before I leave for Europe.
Everything is pretty up in the air.. but I'm sure it's going to be pretty fun no matter what happens. Trying to think positive in contrast to such a crappy day.
I learned in the last 24 hours that things aren't always what they seem. You may think something different than what actually is and no matter how hard you try to let it go.. it's always going to be in the back of your mind.
I'll post in a few days with more details!!

Kristi*

Beginning Stages

So.. as many of you know.. I have the wonderful opportunity to go to Europe for a year!
I'll be backpacking around Europe for 3 months this summer and then will be staying in Grenoble, France to study for the fall 2009 and spring 2010 semester's. I can't wait to take off on this adventure, and I truly hope it turns out to be the experience of a lifetime!

This blog is going to take you along on my journey with me. Each week I am going to try to post a new blog, along with a few pictures to let you know where I've been and what interesting things I've been doing.

Before I get over there, I will be updating my progress of getting everything straight for my trip. Any suggestions would be wonderful!


Please feel free to comment and ask questions :-)


Only a month and a half to go!


Kristi*