Flight Itinerary and Visa Woes

I believe I promised this entry...

If you are one of those people who like things done and done fast, you get stressed out when things are getting down to the last minute, you are female whose PMS can cause you to get extra stressed out and emotional, etc etc... I do not recommend a Two Part Adventure at Sophia and Kansai Gaidai.

For those who are wanting to study abroad for a semester/year, you will need to acquire a Certificate of Eligibility (abbreviated CoE/COE) from the school are attending to get your visa. Kansai Gaidai says that they do not recommend people come TOO early to Japan because they, KG, cannot guarantee you will get your COE in time to get your visa before you leave. Now, I'm leaving at the end of July, that makes me think I have plenty of times especially when I have been told so and read past blogs where people receive their COE at the beginning of July.

Well..... KG must be taking their sweet time this semester. If you have Facebook or any other social networking account try searching for others who are going abroad as well to your school to get to know people. I've already got a roomie :D The downside to this lately is hearing about everyone getting their acceptance before me, getting their COEs before me, and at times I'm just like "If I don't go, I don't go, oh well". Currently, though, I will admit I'm very "moody" *cough*PMS*cough* Although some people may hear you cannot apply for your visa in Japan, I have been told I can but their is a higher chance of being denied. So basically, the worst case scenario is that I will not go to KG. Hopefully it doesn't come down to that.

No word from Sophia since my big packet of maps. Though I'd like to comment on my ability to now figure out how to get from point A to point B on the map via train(s). Kinda awesome. I know buying my train ticket and getting on the right train is going to totally spoil that ability but..... hopefully I will be ok with travels.

I have bought my plane ticket (technically, it is on hold while my card is pending). I'm flying exactly what I flew last year to Japan. I leave at 6 am and should walk through customs into Japan by 3 pm :D Kinda nice. Only costed about 1225$

For those students going abroad, here is a nice website (Orbitz links to this, and I've heard of others using it so you can trust it unless any future posts say otherwise):
www.studentuniverse.com

The only thing annoying on that site is if you do your name wrong, you have to call them to change it. So go on and register and type your name EXACTLY as it is on your passport. I wanted to get angry and complain about that (like I said I'm moody) but the lady was so nice I didn't want to yell at her. Also, if you are a UWF student there is a possibility you may need to help them verify your student status. Just take screen shots of your account balance via Argus from the most current semester, even if it takes two shots, and paste into a word document. It needs to have your name, UWF (the address is at the bottom so that works), and the semester name and date.

Anyways... I'll be sure to update when I get my COE (which is sent next day delivery... now if Japan can manage that why can't Dell manage to build my new laptop and ship it in a week? Yet again, Japan wins).

I believe I had a TO DO list in an earlier post

*Buy a plane ticket |||CHECK|||
*Receive my visa |||STILL WAITING FOR COE|||
*Meet with Uni personal to get classes registered |||WILL BE REGISTERED ABOUT A WEEK AFTER EACH SEMESTER BEGINS|||
*Pay for summer tuition |||WILL BE ABLE TO AFTER I'M REGISTERED THROUGH MY UNI|||
*Double check my financial aid |||AWAITING REPLY|||
*Shop |||STARTING THAT SOON BUT MAY TAKE A WEEK|||
*Pack |||WILL DO A FEW DAYS BEFORE DEPARTURE|||
*Buy some new flip flops |||CHECK|||
*Maybe get some travelers checks |||WILL DO BEFORE DEPARTURE|||

Countdown: 17 days (I can HAHA at this point to all the KG students who are waiting 50 days or so... HAHAHAHAHA)

Admission Info

WARNING: Sophia University is NOT gaijin (foreigner) friendly. From what I'm getting with this packet of maps and written instructions. So I got a thick envelope in the mail today from that included:

1) map of Tokyo
2) receipt for hotel payment
3) welcome letter
4) "while in Tokyo" (random letter)
5) "orientation day" (info about orientation)
6) Sophia Campus Map
7) schedule of events
8) list of textbooks
9) Tokyo Metro Map (subway map)
10) access from Narita Airport map
11) hotel information (including access)

That's... A LOT of maps. My understand is "Here are some maps and written instructions on finding the school from your hotel... oh and GOOD LUCK!" I'm glad this isn't my first time to Japan. I feel for those who have never been. They will need that luck. After reviewing the access map to my hotel, I'm confident I can get from Narita to my hotel on my own. But I know Jun and Shota might worry, so one or both most likely won't allow that. But who knows, maybe they will have pick up service... ... ... ... we'll see.

Kansai Gaidai sent an email last week that had a link to the Fall Admissions site that had a lot of info which I printed. This included Arrival Information, Orientation Program Info (most still TBA), Visa Application Info, Insurance Info, Standard of Conduct info, FAQ, the ever so popular (in Japan) Access Maps, and info on computer facilities. Nothing much to discuss about this info. Also the homestay participants (not me, I'm dorm) got a letter saying that there is too many homestay applicants than homestay families so some should reconsider housing... and if there are still too many, they will choose randomly who gets homestay.

OK... that's my update...

Countdown: 6 Weeks

So far I've accomplished paying for my hotel in Tokyo that I will be staying at during my summer semester at Sophia. I did email Sophia University and they verified that they received the payment and will be sending me a receipt via airmail... I wanna know what is up with Sophia and airmail? Did they not get bitten by the tech bug yet? Honestly that was the FIRST email I received from them and it was only because I emailed them first. If you haven't caught on, my acceptance was via airmail, too.

So, I haven't done much, hence the slowness of my blog. I still need to...

*Buy a plane ticket (haha, I know, people get accepted and it's usually the FIRST thing they do, it's like the guarantee that they are leaving)
*Receive my visa
*Meet with Uni personal to get classes registered
*Pay for summer tuition
*Double check my financial aid
*Shop
*Pack
*Buy some new flip flops
*Maybe get some travelers checks

Hopefully everything to do with school and financial aid will be taken care of by the end of June. Hopefully I receive my visa before I leave. Hopefully I can pack what I need and still have plenty of space in my suitcases. Still 6 weeks left, still plenty to do, still plenty to worry about.

I guarantee you that during the pre-departure period, there is nothing much to do except do any necessary paperwork, pay any fees, and prepare to go. Once I get to Japan, there should be an entry everyday. Also, I'll update my blog (somehow) to let everyone know when I have new pics in my online photo album (which I will link every to once there are pics there!).

So, the last blog I complained about KG not sending acceptance letters by their said date. This blog I complained about Sophia's airmail obsession. Stay tuned for my plane itinerary and visa woes! I bet you one of my travelers checks that will be the next entry LOL. Remember before betting: I control this blog ^.~