Plane Tickets Ordered!

This is our acceptance letters.

It's been a while since we have made a post on here, but South Africa is rapidly approaching. We officially booked our airline tickets for Tuesday February 1st. Alyssa found an awesome deal online and we got our tickets for around $600 dollars less than they normally are. We leave out of Chicago at 6:40 p.m. We then fly to JFk in New York where we will have a 12 hour layover. It's long layover but we decided we would rather have that long of a layover in the U.S. verses an international airport where they maybe speak a different language. Then we take off from JFK at 10:40 a.m for a 15 hour flight with a 7 hour time change for Johannesburg. We arrive there at 8:40 a.m. Thursday morning. Finally, we will arrive in Port Elizabeth at 11:55 a.m. There will be someone at the airport from NMMU to pick us up and take us to our apartments.

Now after that long paragraph about our flight I can talk about everything else we have been doing. We have to get student visa's since we will be there longer than 90 days. It's a rather long process but it's coming along well. Along with the visa's was a slue of shots and other paper work. We got our acceptance letters in the mail and we are now working on completing our housing papers as well as the rest of the insurance letters and things of that nature. We hope to be able to send out our visa stuff to the consulate in Chicago by Friday. South Africa has a pretty fast process so we should be able to get them back in 14 days or so.

This is just some of the paperwork we have been doing.

Along with all the other paperwork we have been looking up classes to take while there. We won't officially be able to sign up for classes til the first week we are there during orientation. However, UNI likes us to plan ahead so that they can approve the classes we want to take ahead of time. I'm sure many of you know but Alyssa changed her major a couple of weeks ago. She will now be a Family Services Major with a emphasis on non-profit service management. She pretty excited about it and I think it was a good change. She will be able to take classes pertaining to that major in South Africa and should still be on track to graduate in four years. We are now approaching the two month mark. On Wednesday we will be officially two months from leaving. We will try and start posting more often, but classes are getting crazy with finals approaching. We are already starting to make a packing list so if anyone has any ideas or suggestions for international travel feel free to let us know. Thanks and we will talk to you soon.

Africa Here We Come!

Well since Alyssa has already made multiple posts I think it's about time I put something up. I can't believe that in less than five months Alyssa and I will be sitting in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. We have both always wanted to go to Africa and this is the perfect time in our life to go. I think that this is really going to be a life changing experience and I can't wait to see what it will be like to be fully emerged in a completely different culture. It's crazy that in 4 months time we will have this experience that will impact the rest of our life. Plus, you all know me and it means four months of trying all new foods. With Port Elizabeth being right on the coast I'm just going to hate having fresh seafood when ever I want :).
Alyssa hasn't talked to much about it yet but we are both taking a study abroad prep. class. It's a really neat class because it allows us time each week to devote to preparing for Africa. As you might expect there is a lot of planning and preparation in going to live in a foreign country for 4 months. As part of grade for the class we each have to create a portfolio for the country we are going too. This portfolio is filled with everything from travel itineraries, and health insurance, to reports about the history of PE and things we can do while we are there. When it's all said and done the class is really a chance learn more about where we are going along with preparing all the necessary documentation.
I'm really excited to be able to keep everyone back home updated on what we are doing and all the new things we are experiencing. You'll have to bare with me as I'm not as good of a writer as Alyssa nor do I have any creativity.
Lastly, Good Luck to the Panthers this weekend and also good luck to State!

February First

We just found out that we will probably be leaving for SA around February 1st. International student orientation begins February 4th and you have to arrive the day before.  That means we are approximately FIVE months away from the big move...

Diversity?

One thing that we have discussed in our study abroad class is how we will suddenly be the "foreign" students.  I never really thought before about the fact that Shawn and I will be in the minority in SA.  Not only because we are white (approximately 10% of the South African population is Caucasian) but because WE will be the international students. Growing up as middle-class white kids in small town Iowa didn't really expose us to many opportunities to experience "diversity" and I don't think college really has either.  It is interesting because in high school you imagine going to a university and being exposed to all these different cultures and people.  I have yet to really have that experience. If you walk into the union on campus you see the Saudi students, the African-Americans, the techie kids, the "promiscuous" girls, the frat boys, the LGBT students, the "average" kids and many more subgroups. While we have different students in some of our classes it really isn't that melting pot experience I was expecting. In fact, I feel as if I have met people just like me.  Except for our Saudi friends.  One thing that is interesting is getting to know them.  While obviously their culture plays a huge role in who they are and what they believe, being from Saudi Arabia does not define them.  While in South Africa I hope I don't portray that ignorant American stereotype.  I hope to truly meet and interact with people who are not the same as me.  I hope people will able to accept me for being Alyssa, not for being the American international student.

Just a few random ramblings about what is on my mind :)

Alyssa

Applications Submitted!

Hello All! I don't think anyone has officially read this blog but we thought we would still post an update :) Classes are in full swing here at UNI and things are already getting stressful.  I just got my Level II placement in second grade and I cannot wait to start.  Shawn is busy studying for classes and getting things put together for Allen. We are also taking a study abroad prep class.  It is very exciting and interesting and it is awesome to talk to our instructor who has traveled all over the world.  Here are some FAQ....

How long will we be in Africa?
Right now we know we leave at the VERY beginning of February and will return sometime in June. International student orientation is on February 4 and we will arrive before that.


Why did you guys pick South Africa?
I have always dreamed of going to Africa and Shawn has jumped on the bandwagon :) We are excited to live out this dream of visiting Africa and hopefully this will be the first of many trips.  Volunteering was also really important to both of us and NMMU has it integrated as part of the program.  We think we will be working at the Isithembiso Children's Home.

Is the trip going to be expensive?
This is a tough one. It will be expensive but not ridiculous.  In all reality it (hopefully!) won't cost much more than being at UNI. Considering we will have student loans anyway this is the perfect opportunity.  Shawn and I realized that we probably won't ever have this opportunity again and we are eligible for scholarships to help with the costs. Pauline Thomas (Shawn's grandma) is also selling fudge to help out with in-country costs. We are so grateful to her. If you want to buy some-let us know!

How can we communicate?
We will have an international phone to communicate with our families and we will have regular access to the internet. We are going to try and set up skype.  We will also of course have email and this blog. :)

Will your credits transfer?
Yes! Our classes will be approved here at UNI so we know how they will transfer back.  This semester will put Shawn attending Allen in the fall of 2011. I might be a little behind also but I don't really have my track all planned out so it is yet to be decided.

I'm sure there are many more questions and a lot more information but this is all I could come up with right now.  This is a learning experience and we are trying to get everything figured out. We will try to update more regularly now that we are only FIVE MONTHS away from our departure.  We hope everyone is doing well and has a great three day weekend!

Shawn and Alyssa
 

Did You Hear?

So as some of you may have heard, Shawn and I are going to Africa!! We are SO excited and wanted to start a blog for ourselves to be able to keep track of this adventure. When we are in South Africa we hope we can add tons of pictures and videos to show our family and friends what life is like in Port Elizabeth....

 We will be right on the beach....

We will also be attending classes at the NMMU....

One of the most exciting parts is spending lots of time working with children in an orphanage as well as spending time getting to go on other travel adventures. We are both very excited and will keep everyone updated on the steps we still have to complete!