More organising

Hi guys,

I haven’t had a whole lot of things to update you guys on lately, but now I’ve got a few little things that I’ve been doing that I can let you in on!

I’ve started putting a lot of work into my packing list lately, sorting everything I need to take, buy before I go, and buy when I get over there. It’s going to need a lot of refining over the next few months – I may have a 2 suitcase allowance for my flight but it doesn’t necessarily mean I have the room or weight for all 12 pairs of shoes I’ve currently got on my packing list (lol). I overpack for a weekend away, so packing for 5 months is going to be a challenge! By the time I start packing in the weeks before I go, I’ll be able to see what I can take and what I’m going to have to leave at home. Thankfully Oxford’s weather is similar enough to Melbourne weather so I’m not having to go out and buy many extra pieces of clothing since I already have almost all of what I’ll need. The things I have left to buy are mainly just travel-related bits and pieces such as luggage locks, adaptors, and a couple of things I need to buy here like my perfume, makeup, and vegemite (I refuse to go without it for 5 months). I’ve also started the long list of things I’m going to need to buy over there, like bedding, laundry products, toiletries etc. and working out the rough costs of how much all of that will be to add it to my budget.

(My current packing list lol)

I’ve also been finishing up the pre-departure checklist on my Deakin application portal. The tasks on the portal mainly relate to travel safety measures such as registering my trip with International SOS and Smartraveller, registering for Deakin’s travel insurance, doing some online safety modules, and submitting my form for the OS-HELP loan. I was also emailed a few documents from my advisor to fill out which mainly relate to unenrolling from Deakin units and enrolling in my overseas units in Deakin’s system (so that they know I’m still a Deakin student but am on exchange). I’ve also finished up the checklist on my Ole Miss application portal, which included letting them know when to pick me up from the airport on arrival day, whether I want to purchase a bed and bath pack, and uploading a photo for my Ole Miss ID.

Back at the end of last year when I was submitting my application to Deakin, I went through the process of selecting subjects (explained in a previous blog post). After I submitted my application to Ole Miss which included my requested subjects, I was emailed back and informed that 5 out of the 8 I requested were rejected due to not being offered next semester or because they were online and I therefore couldn’t take them since I’m an exchange student. Luckily, though, they were all Arts units and therefore electives and not units I had to match. Straight away I got back onto Ole Miss’s course catalog to find some new Arts units, and went through the process again of emailing them off to Deakin faculty for approval, getting a new Outgoing Study Plan signed, and forwarding the units onto my Ole Miss advisor. Waiting to hear back from Deakin took 6 weeks, though, and I was finally responded to only because I emailed them wondering why I hadn’t heard back yet. Ole Miss responded to me the next day, and yay, 3 of the 5 new ones had been rejected as well. UGH. So before I went through that whole process again, I found 11 new Arts units I would consider taking, and first sent them to my Ole Miss advisor to see if they were even available before I sent them on to Deakin for approval. 7 got approved (hallelujah), so I went through the whole process with Deakin again, got my new OSP, and sent my final unit selections to Ole Miss. I’ve got approval for 3 commerce units, 2 sociology units, 2 criminology units and 1 journalism unit, so depending on which classes still have spaces when I get over there, I’ll be taking 4 of those.

I’ve been getting my document folder prepared which includes copies of all my flight and accommodation reservation confirmations, emergency contacts, confirmation letters, financial and medical documents, insurance certificates, and copies of my ID’s and passport. This is mainly for border control at the US ports of entry since I may need to demonstrate my reason for coming to the US if the student visa in my passport is insufficient evidence, as well as being a backup copy to keep on me just in case.

Mum and I have been doing some more booking of flights etc. for our travels, including a 9 hour train trip from Memphis to New Orleans. We also just booked our last two places for accommodation. Prices are starting to hike up quite a bit, especially since we’re going to be travelling during Christmas and New Year’s, so we’re trying to get as much of the booking of flights and accommodation done as soon as possible.

Other than that I’m just getting bits and pieces ready for my visa interview and studying for my one and only exam, both of which are on the same day next week. Otherwise I’m just working as much as I can to save up those extra dollars!

Thanks for reading, I’ll be back next week to let you know whether the consulate decides to let me into the US!

- Emily xx