The Checklist is Dwindling

What's up people? First blog of November, ya dig? I just thought I'd give you an update on my ongoing checklist.

1. Communication form -- check
2. Conduct Pledge --- check
3. Financial Statement
4. Health form
5. Passport photocopy -- check
6. Statement of Participant Responsibilities --check 
7. Transfer Credit form
8. Travel Grant Signature form
9. Requirement for Direct Deposit -- check

So really, all I have left are my financial statement, health form, transfer credit form, and travel grant signature form. The financial statement and travel grant signature forms will be distributed in my upcoming Financial Aid workshop this Wednesday. The transfer credit form was supposed to be given out in the Academic Nuts and Bolts workshop, but I could not attend it at the specified times so I will be meeting with Tom Martinek in the IPC to go over what I missed.

Last, but not least, I have my health form, which is entirely filled out except for my blood type, which I am required to include. That means I have to go get my blood drawn-- again-- just to figure out what blood type I have. Interestingly enough, everyone knows what their blood type is in Japan. It's like knowing your horoscope sign in the US. Anyway, you would think with all the medical records floating around that SOMEONE would know my blood type. Nope. None of the doctors I called had it on file.

Um, problematic much?

The other issue I have with the paperwork is that if I am under 21, my parents are required to sign several of the forms listed. Someone tell me the difference between a 20 and a 21-year-old (other than drinking age)? If I am allowed to sign my own medical documents at 18 along with everything else, why do they raise the age requirements for study abroad forms? Does the IPC realize that my parents are in Delaware? It's sort of inconvenient to send them things just for them to sign it.

Anyway. They will all get done somehow, and that will be that. Hopefully, this will be the last round of paperwork I need to complete other than applying for my visa... but I'm not holding my breath.

Fun side note, I met with Dr. Kate Barrett this morning for coffee. I met her at the HHP Scholarship Awardee banquet this past month. She informed me that a Japanese doctorate student who graduated from UNCG in my field now teaches at a women's college in Tokyo, and she is trying to arrange for us to meet. Cool stuff, right? I think I will need all the connections I can while I am abroad.

Expect a couple more updates before the end of the semester. Thanks for reading!

じゃ！
Corri(nne)