The Insane Pre-Exchange To-Do List

Even though I still have a little less than 5 months until I leave for Germany I already have an insanely long and time consuming to- do list. While applying for CBYX I did not expect the amount of things you need to do to after being excepted in order to prepare for exchange. I'm so glad that I am starting to prepare now instead of waiting for the last minute like I usually do. If you are thinking about being an exchange student, especially on a scholarship, make sure you are aware of the amount of work that goes into making an exchange year possible and that it's not just an application and boom you're studying abroad. There are so many different components that goes into preparing for exchange and it takes a lot of hard work, passion, and determination!

My Ever-growing To-Do List:

• finish the CBYX secondary application and have it mailed to CIEE by March 27th (this app is 23 pages long and is killing me)
• apply for a passport
• start saving/fundraising spending money
• buy important travel items such as luggage
• START LEARNING GERMAN!!! (I currently know about 5 words and absolutely butcher the pronunciation of them)
• work out credits with my high school
• get a residential/student Visa
• work out banking in Germany
• finish second semester with all A's
• take online classes over the summer (most likely AP English 3 and possibly pre-calculus)
• buy things I will need for Germany such as cold weather clothing and electrical adaptors
• get an international plan for my phone
• start planning what to pack

I'm sure there are many things I am forgetting and I know as departure gets closer there will be more and more things to do but I am so excited to study abroad next year that I don't care about the million things I have to do to prepare because it is so worth it!