Crunch Time!

So this is Christmas. And what haven't we done?

Honestly, between Christmas shopping, Christmas wrapping, Christmas planning, Christmas partying, project here, paper there, finals looming everywhere... my poor blog has had to take a backseat.

However, things have finally started to wind down as my fifth semester at UW-River Falls comes to a close. And while my semester runs down, the preparations for Egypt are speeding up!

On the 6th, the group going to Egypt met at the tour leader's home in St. Paul to discuss the knitty-gritty details, such as spending money, appropriate clothing, flight itineraries, and social expectations. Over hibiscus tea, dates, and seasame sticks, we sat for two hours getting briefed on where the best shopping will be, what regions are known for what, and, my personal favorite, how to haggle.

For those of you who have me on Facebook, you may have already heard about my camera dying on me last week. The night before a portfolio was due my camera decided that it just wasn't in the mood to turn on or take pictures anymore. Fortunately, I have many fantastic friends and family members whom are willing to lend me their cameras for the trip.

And finally, yesterday, the paperwork for my alternative loan for the bulk of the trip's expense was sent in and I am anxiously awaiting a reply on that. While I have no doubt that we will get the money, I keep having nightmares about the money not turning up on time.

So that's what's new 'round here. Have a Merry Christmas everyone!

More Learning Experiences

Apparently I should not have blogged so soon. Not 24 hours after my last post, I received another email from Expedia.com informing me that my return flight from JFK to MSP had changed departure times again. Super, right?

Fortunately, the time change has only meant my break between flights is even more crunched. So here's hoping that the terminals are close together.

The newest annoying learning curve has come in the form of alternative loan applications. Really, who was in charge of formatting these things?

"Nearest Relative That Does Not Live With You?"
Well, my Uncle Bill lives across the street...?

"How Many Years & Months Have You Lived?"
On Earth specifically?

Question A: "Do You Live On Campus?"
Answer: "Yes."
Question B: "Which of These Dorms Do You Live In?"
[Drop down box offers only dorm buildings found on UW-Madison campus]
Answer: ...?

Eventually I will figure this whole thing out. Until then, there's homework. Cheers!

Yay for Learning Experiences. Even the Annoying Ones.

So it has been a bit of a fiasco booking my domestic flights for this trip. In the past, the flight from Minneapolis to Cairo was non-stop and completely included in the overall expense of the trip. This year, the flight to Cairo will be leaving from JFK, New York and it will be up to each individual traveller to get to JFK. This is because some people going on the trip are closer to Milwaukee, Chicago, etc. then to Minneapolis and/or can find cheaper, overall rates for flying from one airport to JFK, then on to Cairo.

That's all well and good.

The actual booking, however, isn't so well and good. Perhaps it's because I'm a first time, on-my-own flier and this is standard practice? Perhaps it's because I booked through Expedia and not the airline directly? Perhaps it's because Delta Airlines are douchebags?

I don't know. I do know that this process has been very new, exciting, but annoying.

I booked my departing flight from Minneapolis to JFK, as well as the return trip, through Expedia.com with Delta Airlines for about $280. It was the most reasonable, non-stop flight that left and arrived around the times that fit with our JFK/Cairo flight. I had been proud of my booking, all on my own, and was excited to have it crossed off my list.

Until I received an email that the airline had changed my arrival and departure times for both my departing and returning flights. Apparently this is normal.

However, the procedure for fixing it is a headache. The airline changes the flight and times, potentially creating flight time overlaps, and it is your responsibility to fix it by finding another flight that would work, calling the airline, and requesting to be put on that flight.

And, if Pluto is in retrograde, Jupiter is aligned with the sun, and it's your lucky day, maybe the airline will agree.

Fortunately, it turned out that the flight time changes would not interfere with my overall itinerary. So the whole experience was just an annoyance that kept me up for a few nights but ended happily and with a little more experience under my belt.

'Yay!' For Money That I Don't Have to Pay Back!

So as I mentioned in passing in a Facebook status last week, I have received one of the College of Arts & Sciences (CAS) Study Abroad Stipends! The money will be counted directly towards my trip and will knock off a considerable chunk of what I will need to take out in student loans.

Interestingly, my major isn't considered a part of CAS - I belong to the College of Education & Professional Studies (COEPS). However, because I am secondary education, my emphasis is Art, and the art department is a part of CAS, I was eligible.

Also, I work for the Dean's Office of CAS. So after the submission deadline was closed, I was responsible for organizing, making copies, and filing the other submissions. It was interesting to experience the application process all the way through - from writing the application to processing it. Of course, my favorite part of the process though, was receiving the stipend itself. ^-^!

On a side note, our tour leader has sent out an email today to start some of the final preparations for the trip, including organizing meeting points at Minneapolis/St. Paul and JFK. The countdown has begun!

Why I Am Going

Picture collage taken from UW-River Falls Global Connections webpage for Journey to Egypt Study Tour, Nov. 2009.

From left to right, the pictures show previous study groups on a camel back ride to an ancient Christian monastery, posing within the Temple of Karnak, stopping in front of the Great Pyramids of Giza, and a few entering Abu Simbel, one of the temples that was reassembled piece by piece in a new location to avoid being submerged by the construction of the Aswan dam.

The above photo collage, and many like it, have made up the simple advertising campaign for the J-Term Egypt Study Tour. With enticing pictures like these, they really don't need much. However, the point is further driven home by the professor leading the tour. Each year he gives an excellent short lecture about the tour; what we will see and experience, who we will meet, how it will happen is all explained in great detail and with infectious enthusiasm.

From a more personal and slightly metaphysical perspective, this trip will truly be one of my defining experiences. It already has been.

I have always craved the adventure that traveling to far off places has. My grandmother infected me with the travel bug at a very early age and it has always itched under my skin, convincing me to try new things, go to new places, meet new people. However, for the last few years I've felt a bit stuck in my everyday routine that I have established for myself - mostly the everyday grind of class, work, and homework that are the bars of the college prison. The small adventures that I have embarked on, like roadtrips with friends or an unmarked hiking trail with Chris, have kept the hunger at bay but not quite satisfied the craving.

I need to experience something so entirely different from my norm - I feel it is imperative to enrich my education in becoming a teacher, to fulfill aspects of my personality and being, and to grow as an individual part of a connected, global community.

Also, I love falafel. ^-^

For more information on the Egypt Study Tour please visit:
http://www.uwrf.edu/globalconnections/Study_Abroad/tours/egypt.htm

Traveler's Checklist - Thus Far

The To-Do List (So Far)
~ means task has been successfully completed

Passport ~
Snazzy but secure passport carrying case ~
Apply to study abroad program ~
Sign up for J-Term class ~
Pay deposit ~
Apply for financial aid ~
Apply for scholarships ~
Scholarship recieved! ~~~!
Book domestic flight: MSP to JFK ~
Go through standard rigamorole to book a reasonable flight ~
Pay for the remainder of the trip with outrageous student loans
Buy a webcam
Buy a camcorder
Buy lots and lots of sunscreen ~
Start a Flickr account
Start a blog for the trip ~ (Hells yes!)
Pack and Countdown ~ (Packed, repacked, and packed again)

The Adventure Begins

Greetings!
My first international trip would not be complete without a corresponding blog. I needed a more appropriate venue for sharing my photos, videos, and thoughts of my upcoming trip to Egypt as Facebook is too crowded, Twitter too constricting, and well, who really uses MySpace anymore?

So here we go!

On January 11th, I will be flying from Minneapolis/St. Paul airport to JFK, New York where I will depart on an eight-hour flight to Cairo, Egypt. I will be going as part of the UW-River Falls Journey to Egypt J-Term study tour. Our group of about 30 people will travel throughout the country for just under 2 weeks, using nearly every form of transportation: domestic air, cruise ship, bus, train, cab, horse-pulled carriage, and even camel. We will take in ancient sites like the Great Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx, Temple of Karnak, and the Valley of the Kings as well as modern destinations such as the Cairo Museum, Khan el-Kahlili Bazaar, and a Coptic Christian village. All the while, our tour guides will lead discussion on topics like ancient culture, art history, archaeology, and current world issues. I'll be back in the states Janurary 23rd, just in time to jump right into my spring semester!

So family, friends, and strangers surfing the interwaves, join me as I blog about my preparations, the trip, and the aftermath of my Journey to Egypt, 2010!