The Checklist

I still have a ton of things to do before I leave...  Most of them need to get done before I leave Miami in June.  I wanted to create a checklist of the things I still need to get done in order to try to organize myself better.

1)  Get a letter from the University officially saying that I have been accepted (4/17/12)
2)  Apply for a Mexican Student Visa and GET APPROVED!  (Can't get the visa till I get down to Mexico)
3)  Get insurance coverage for the year I will be abroad (4/21/12)
4)  Get a medical exam, vision, dental and overall health screening
5)  Make sure there are no shots that I need to get
6)  Find a way to get my cat, PJ, to Wisconsin
7)  Buy plane tickets to Mexico (4/22/12)
8)  Turn in final paperwork to the Rotary Foundation
9)  Give presentation to the Rotary Club of Coral Gables
10) Sell all my furniture
11) Go through everything that I own and decide what I want to keep or donate
12) Sell my car
13) Plan a going away party (5/31/12)
14) Go to the Ambassadorial Scholarship Orientation in Tampa
15)  LAST BUT NOT LEAST figure out how to pack a year's worth of stuff in one suitcase!  :)

That's not that much right?!?!?!  :)  I have been working very hard all weekend long to make sure I get as much stuff done as possible as you can see from the picture below!  :) 

Walking around after brunch on Miami Beach this Sunday Funday afternoon!  :)
I dyed my hair by the way... 

Let's just hope I can get it all done before the end of June!!

Intro

Hello All,

I'm Amanda.  If you are following this blog, you probably know me, but for those of you who don't (thank you for following me by the way) I will give you a little introduction to myself and why I started this blog. 

I am a soon to be Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar going to Guadalajara Mexico to get a Master's degree in Tourism Administration.  The Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship is an international scholarship for students who want to study in a country other than their own and become an ambassador for Rotary International and their home country.  I will get to meet to people, do a community service project and go to school at the same time.  It is a great program and I am expecting to have an incredible experience.  This blog will hopefully exemplify that as well as show you the trials and tribulations  along the way.  I am starting now so you can get to know me pre-journey, during my adventure and after I return.  For those of you who already know me, this will be a great way for us to keep in touch and for you to still be involved in my life even thought I am far away.

I am originally from a very small town in Wisconsin...  smaller than that....  smaller...  36 people in my high school graduation class.  I have one older sister and two younger brothers!  I love my family and I love to travel.  I went to Beloit College, in Beloit, Wisconsin and moved down to Miami in 2007.  Since leaving home, I have created an extended family across the country consisting of some of the most incredible people.  I am lucky to have them in my life.  But there is something inside me that doesn't let me sit still for long and thats why I applied for the Ambassadorial scholarship.

I'm sure it won't always be pretty, but it will be witty. :) I will hopefully help those future scholars learn from my successes as well as my mistakes and be entertaining/funny along the way. Well, thats me... I am a 20 something woman who will be getting on a flight to Mexico in just a few months to live and study for the next one to two years. Just to clarify a few things...

1) No, I am not crazy... Yes I did choose Mexico out of my own valition
2) No, I dont hate my parents... believe me they are not happy with me either but what can they do... this isn't the worst thing I've done. :)

So that's me in a nutshell.  I hope you enjoy coming along with me on this new adventure. :)  We'll talk soon. :)

Mayan Ruins -- Chichenitza
picture taken in 2007