Step 3 - The numerous arrangements

1. Apply for the study program in the Macquarie University.
2. Pay the tuition and other fees when accepting the offer.
3. Get a travel insurance.
4. Get a new passport.
5. Apply for a visa.
6. Book the flights.
7. Get a place to stay.
8. Change some cash into Australian dollars.

I sent my application to the university with all the necessary attachments. I thought it would be difficult to collect all the attachments, but when I got to the point when I started to fill the application for the student visa I realised that the application itself has somewhat 24 pages plus the attachments need to be translated into English. What did I get myself into?

When booking the flight to Sydney I somehow managed to end up to a booking site that was not so sincere. It really took time the ticket to arrive to my email and it wasn't really looking like an airline ticket... After all I found the ticket details on the airlines own website. I hope I'll have a ticket when I'm really standing in front of the check in desk.

However right now I'm only lacking the flight to return and the cash in AUDs. I really managed to cope through the thick forest of bureaucracy and I'm getting closer to my dream to come true!

I've done many lists on the things I need to take with me, what places I want to see when I really get there, etc. Right now the last one looks like this.

What to add?

Do you know something else I should go and see?

Step 2 - Decision

So I liked my exchange year in Italy in 2008 - 2009.

Exchange week in Portogruaro and visit to Venice

I already then decided that whenever the next opportunity to go abroad will rise I'll take it. I've travelled to 15 countries with scouts and friends. My family didn't travel much abroad when I and my sisters were young. We went around Finland and so when I was old enough I felt the urge to go and see the world! I've attended international scout camps in the UK and Canada, done two InterRail trips around Europe and other shorter trips.

Holiday in Lanzarote

Then I got accepted to Tampere University of Applied Sciences and started studying media. I heard that I could include a period of study abroad to my degree - CAN I PACK MY BAGS ALREADY?

Campfire in the scout camp World Scout Moot in Canada 2014

When I was participating a scout camp last summer in Canada I met new people. Few of them happened to be from Australia. I had been wondering when I could travel there and how I could arrange things so that I could get to spend some time there once travelled so far. Then it hit me. I talked to girls and they gave me a name of an appropriate school.

Macquarie University, Sydney.

I had been thinking it would be so hard to really go there as there is no contract between the schools. I'd have to arrange just about everything by myself. When I got home the note with the name of the school was burning in my wallet.

The dreams are meant to be realised.

Step 1 - Behind the Scenes

When I was a child I met an exchange student Elda from Mexico. She was staying with my aunt's family and she had really big hair.

Me and Elda

My aunt's family hosted also another exchange student later on. His name is Lucas and he is from Austria. I was little bit bigger then and had already started learning English at school. My first words in a real international social situation were: "Hello my name is Tiia what's your name?" in one gasp. The response came very quickly and unexpectedly. "Hello, my name is Lucas." And then I was so shocked I ran behind my parents' backs.

But then, there was nothing to stop me.

I met other exchange students in my upper secondary school. Then I realized also the fact that I COULD GO AS WELL. So I sent an application to AFS (which was to be my organization because it was the first result in Google) and got accepted to a year program. To Italy! Aye!

AFS Intercultura in Sicily

I spent the most exciting, stressing, eyes opening year in Sicily with a really nice host family, their relatives, my schoolmates and other international exchange students. It's been five years now since the experience ended and I returned home. I had grown, both mentally and physically (AFS = another fat student <3).

I'm so in LOVE of going abroad. Do you know the feeling?