Starting the Journey

We depart from DIA on February first. In reality, our trip started long before that.

Early in May, my husband, Ty and I set up a meeting with a study abroad advisor at Kansas State University's study abroad office. We had several expectations for our trip.
1) It had to be affordable.
2) It had to be a semester program.
3) Location. (Our first choices were Ireland, New Zealand, or Australia.)
Taking all of these into consideration, our adviser suggested the Czech University of Life Sciences (CULS) in Prague, Czech Republic. Upon doing more research, we figured out the cost of living would be reasonable in the Czech Republic, CULS offered classes in English, and decided central Europe would be a great location so we could travel other places in Europe.
The next several months were a whirlwind of gathering papers, getting the correct insurances, planning classes, and getting financial aid.
After all of the paperwork was filed, we ordered our plane tickets.
After the end of finals, we will be moving all of our belongings into a storage unit... Yuck, moving. On the bright side, all of our belongings will be here when we get back and it should be fairly easy to move into a new apartment.
Now, we have to look forward to packing our lives into a 50 lbs suitcase and a carry-on, and trust me, I will post more about that later!

Family and friends can stop reading here if they'd like. :) In the future I'll be posting more about our trip and getting ready to leave! If anyone has questions for me I'd encourage them to email me at kelsiehoss@ksu.edu. Future study abroad students, keep on reading!

*Tips for future Study Abroad students*
1) DIRECT ENROLL--Our advisor suggested the exchange program to us because he believed it would be easier, but when it was all said and done we lost nearly $2,000 from the exchange, and could have saved that money had we direct enrolled. Also, many times in Europe you can find scholarships that will allow you to study there nearly free. If you have questions about this, ask past study abroad students.
2) Start gathering classes early--sometimes you have to go to different departments on campus to get classes approved, and depending on the time of the year it can take them quite a while to get back to you.
3) Apply for scholarships early--some scholarship applications are due WELL before the study abroad date and some of the applications can be time consuming.
4) Turn your visa application in as early as possible. Not all flight insurances will save you your ticket if your papers get to you late.
5) Stay in touch with your academic adviser--Many times they'll have had advisees study abroad before and can give you great advice before your trip.
6) Consider housing--do you know where you'll be staying when you get back? When does the lease on your current apartment end? You should talk with your landlord about their subleasing policy. If you are thinking far enough in the future, make sure your lease ends before your trip.
7) Have enough money for plane tickets before the semester--this is especially important for students paying for their own trip. Financial aid won't be given to you until 10 days before your trip. You'll find the best deals for your tickets if you buy them in advance, so if you have a way to purchase them before your financial aid gets back, do that.