Acceptance

It's official! I was selected to go to James Cook University for Semester 1 in 2010 (our spring semester)! I could not be more excited! Nor could I be more stressed about financing the trip.

I've already paid the $500 deposit with a mixture of savings from my checking and savings accounts. The next two payments I have to make are towards my passport and student visa, which amounts to almost $600 more dollars. The last thing I'll have to pay for out of my pocket is airfare, and that will most likely end up being close to $2000 roundtrip. The rest of the trip will be financed through scholarships, grants, and loans. But I have NO idea how much of the trip that stuff actually is going to cover. I'm hoping the scholarships and grants, and Mama and Papa's "aid" will finance at least $9,000 - $10,000 which will only leave me paying off another $5000 in loans. The experience of a lifetime is going to cost me a lot, but I'm sure that it will all be worth it the moment I step off the plane.

Oh, I just thought of another hidden fee. I have to be SCUBA certified. Make that another $500 out of my pocket.

At least I have another few months before all the financial stuff comes into play. My Mom has to turn in my FAFSA and I have to use that to apply for more scholarships through Arcadia and the Pell Grant Foundation.

Enough about money!

If you watch this video, you will get a small glimpse into what I'll be living in come next year...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Awuav6kSLjs

SO EXCITED!!