Up, Up and Away: 30 days to go!

Hello everybody,
I hope each one of you is having a great day! I just have about a month left before I FLY! Next week I have my visa interview. I hope and pray it goes well. On the University WhatsApp groups I see only approvals and people saying that their interview was no longer than 2-3 minutes; so, I hope it won't be something that I need to worry about. I have most of my documents ready. One last document that I need to get from my Undergraduate University is pending (I'll get it on Friday).
My internship goes on till the first week of August. I barely have 2-3 days of holidays before I leave. This gives me no time to prepare. I need to finish my packing, organize my documents (separate the ones that I'll need to take from the ones that I'll leave behind, make copies, scan originals etc), decide on which courses I'll take etc. Since I haven't got my visa yet I keep feeling like I have time and the fact that I'm at work for the most part of the day isn't helping.
Packing wise, I've made a list of things that I'll need (I have most things; so, I don't need to go shop much). I've also decided on the clothes that I'll be carrying. All that's left is putting stuff into suitcases (I need to buy one still!) and making sure that the weight is within the limit. I don't think this will take more than a week's time; but since I get time only in the evenings I need to start early- probably next weekend (after my visa!). As I said in an earlier post, I'll be living with a very close relative; so, even if I forget a few things, it wouldn't be much of a problem.
The next important thing that  I need to do is organize my documents. This is such a boring job that I keep putting it off and I've not even started doing it. I need to plan for all the documents I may need for the next 2 years! I don't know when I'm going to do this.
That is the status of my preparation. Coming to mental preparation, I'm more excited about this whole thing than I've even been before. I've started to see more at the positives and less at the negatives. I hope to make new friends, become more independent, learn more about my subject and learn more about myself. All these many years, I've looked up to my parents to guide me about how I need to handle situations. Now, hopefully from all that I've learnt I'll be able to take proper decisions and handle situations that come my way. I know I'll always have them to guide me when I'm in a really sticky situation; but staying in different time zones would probably mean that I'll have to handle most situations on my own. I'm  curious to see how I'll manage.
Some of my concerns at the moment are 1) how I'll handle finances and 2) commute.
Till now, I've always just asked my parents for anything that  I wanted and they'd buy me that. Even now when I'm earning, I don't spend the money that I earn. I'll have to start managing my own account; maintaining a record of the money I have, I've spent etc. Hopefully I'll learn all that soon.
My other concern is regarding transportation. The city where I live in has amazing public transport. I completely rely on buses to get from one point to another (when traveling alone). However, in the USA, most cities (including the city I'm going to) have very minimal public transport facilities. I've also heard that it is quite unsafe to travel alone. Although the university is about 15 minutes by car from the place where I'll stay, it would take me close to 2 hours by bus! I know how to drive a car; but barely drive. Most people from my city/country who are going to the same university have taken up accommodation close to the campus. So, this will be one thing that I'll have to figure out on my own
That is it for now. The next time I write on this topic will probably be after I finish my visa interview. (Hope that goes well!)
If you have any suggestions for any of the problems I've mentioned above, please do let me know in the comments. Even otherwise, feel free to leave a comment; I love reading them! :D
Until next time,
Bye! :D

Up, Up and away: 50 days to go

Hello everybody,
As  I have mentioned before, I will be pursuing my Master's degree in a foreign university. Leaving the country I was born in and going to a new country and exploring things by myself is going to be an enormous change. I thought I'd do a post on how I've prepared myself for this change, how I feel etc. I'll keep posting under this topic at regular intervals.
Now I have about 50days before I fly. I've booked my ticket but my visa is yet to be done! I need some documents for the visa and I'm waiting for them. I met a bunch of people from my city, who are going to join the same university, yesterday. Social media is SUCH a boon. I was quite unsure about meeting a whole bunch of people whom I had never met before. Most people have at least a year's work experience. (I just finished my Bachelor's this year)  I was a little intimidated by them initially but as I got to know them a little I became a little more comfortable. (Even then I was one of the quiet few in the group). I met 2 girls (one from the same branch that I've chosen) whom I found to be quite friendly. Meeting them helped me get a better picture of the kind of people I'd be dealing with. I'm also glad that I'll have their company to attend college for the first time! I plan to live with a close relative who lives in the same city as the University I'm planning to attend. So, I did not have to get an apartment or find roommates. Almost everyone else has already booked an apartment and know their roommates. They have at least the company of their roommates to attend orientations/ pick classes etc.
I've had mixed feelings about the whole thing. Sometimes I feel excited and happy that I've got this wonderful opportunity to explore the world and myself. Other times I feel extremely gloomy and depressed thinking about all that I'll leave behind. The thought of having no form of income for the next two years (especially after starting to earn a little) and having to burden my parents is scary. By the time I finish my course and start earning again, my parents will be older and I feel guilty that I'm depriving them the opportunity to enjoy their lives when they're fit. I'll have to leave behind Tee (my pet cocker) under my parents' care. I wish transporting pets abroad was easier!
On the brighter side, I may be able to get a better job than what I would get now. I hopefully will become more independent and mature. Emotionally, I'm quite mixed up right now.
As far as preparations go, I've not even bought my suitcases. Since I haven't got my visa yet I'm kind of stalling the travel preparation. I haven't decided on what clothes I'll need, what I have, what I need to buy etc. This weekend I plan to organize my clothes a little and decide on what I'll take and what I wont. Atleast then I'll get a vague idea about how much stuff I have. The airline that I've booked my ticket in  allows only 2 pieces of checked in luggage. Some airlines have a special student offer allowing them to carry 3 pieces of checked in luggage. So, I need to plan well and organize my stuff to fall within the weight and space restrictions.
I think that's it for now. I'll keep posting under this topic more often as the day gets closer. Have you moved away from your hometown ever? How was you experience? Do let me know in the comments!
Until next time!
Bye! :D