Meeting #1: The works

Today was it, the first official pre-departure planning meeting, as they called it. We got a folder brimming full of all the info we could ever want to know, everything from lodging info (we provide our own bath towels but that's about it) to electrical adapters to money to public transportation to who else is in the program. Most of the things told to us were things I had already learned, thanks to my "recon" meeting with my ex-housemate who went to Rome this past fall, so there's actually nothing really new to pass on. Our professors were also announced, but I don't recognize any of their names in particular. I do recognize some of the people going from classes, but I don't actually know any of them. Some seemed to know each other already, so hopefully the trip won't be too cliquey or anything. I have faith, however, that it will go well.

It turns out that for countries in what's called the Schengen Area (click for Wikipedia article--basically most of the EU, with the exception of the UK and Ireland), US citizens do not need a visa to travel or study as long as they are there for 90 days or fewer.  The time spent studying abroad will be about 74-75 days, so I am set. (Over 90 days and you need an official visa.) However, the latest plan is actually to kind of do a mini-tour of Europe after the program ends on December 4th, with my parents, since I don't think my dad has ever been to Europe, and my mom hasn't been for 10+ years. As the plan *very* tentatively goes right now, my parents would arrive in Rome at the beginning of December and see some sights while I am finishing up my program, and then we would go together to Paris and then to London and fly home to the states from London on December 13th or so, which still keeps me inside the 90-day visa-free zone (my 90 days are up on December 20th, assuming I arrive in the EU/Italy on September 22nd).

I am very excited to go, of course, and also excited to see some more of Europe, assuming that works out; I have never been across the Atlantic to the Old World, and I'd like to see Paris and London too. That way if I ever go back at some point, I can concentrate on visiting some less commonly visited countries after having seen the "big three" (London, Paris, and Rome) sites of Europe.

Now to book flights; my mother is considering getting a travel agent to help. This surprised me in part because I did not realize that travel agents still existed as part of the travel industry. I suppose it makes sense, though, crossing so many country borders and staying in different places and whatnot.