Hi friends. So, as most of you know I'm studying abroad next semester in Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria at the American University and I know I'm not the best at keeping up with things like journaling or just communicating in general (if you know me well you're probably shaking your head in agreement and muttering some comment about the fact I answer your texts four hours after you send them...sorry) so I thought I would try to get on that now.
If you've talked to me at all lately I've been talking non-stop about preparations. The first three questions I always get: one, where are you going? Bulgaria (duh!), two, what language do they speak? Bulgarian, kind of obvious but I understand it's a relatively unknown country to us Americans, and three, do you speak Bulgarian? No, but I'm trying to learn simple phrases. Funny story, at least to me. Over Thanksgiving break my cousin Jaime was looking online at Google translate and she typed in something and I wasn't paying too close attention but when I did glance over she had put in "help me". I just laughed because really, what else are you supposed to do?
Anyway, the one HUGE thing I'm still waiting on in this whole process, and the most important, is my visa. Now, the Bulgarians like to make things complicated so I had to start two months ago and they told me it would be a close call at the end, but I don't like it. Not one bit. So I thought that getting everything else together was a hassle but the one thing holding me back, you guessed it: the FBI.
Granted, it is the government and it normally takes some time to get documents like that, but really, eight weeks on a background check. I know my juvie record isn't the greatest but it shouldn't take that long. And I'm just kidding about the whole wild child rebel-not truly me, I'm squeaky clean, like squeaky clean. So when I know it's just going to come back saying no record, it's a little frustrating that it is taking so long. I leave January 8th, my ticket is bought, I have my list of things to buy and what to take (I'm going to try to shove all my stuff into one suitcase...yeah, I know I'm thinking the same thing), but I can't go unless I have that little paper or stamp in my passport. So FBI, what's the deal here? But seeing as there is nothing I can do I just pray that God will deliver my background check. I mean, it's not like you can just call up the FBI (although I did call them to check my status- not the nicest lady I've ever talked to) and demand them to process your background faster. So keep that in mind if ever you have to go through this. I feel you.
Advice: get your visa ASAP. and don't forget your passport because you need copies for everything you turn in so get it if you know you're applying. Don't take forever on collecting all the paperwork and if you do have to get a background check- which normally isn't part of the process- get that in immediately. I don't think I can stress that enough. I can guarantee you, as I am experiencing it now, that it will take the longest of all the paperwork to get here. And when you have to go to Chicago to hand in the paperwork yourself, you would rather not wait until the last minute to make that trip.
As my roommate Anna would say, peace and blessin's.
Kelsey
If you've talked to me at all lately I've been talking non-stop about preparations. The first three questions I always get: one, where are you going? Bulgaria (duh!), two, what language do they speak? Bulgarian, kind of obvious but I understand it's a relatively unknown country to us Americans, and three, do you speak Bulgarian? No, but I'm trying to learn simple phrases. Funny story, at least to me. Over Thanksgiving break my cousin Jaime was looking online at Google translate and she typed in something and I wasn't paying too close attention but when I did glance over she had put in "help me". I just laughed because really, what else are you supposed to do?
Anyway, the one HUGE thing I'm still waiting on in this whole process, and the most important, is my visa. Now, the Bulgarians like to make things complicated so I had to start two months ago and they told me it would be a close call at the end, but I don't like it. Not one bit. So I thought that getting everything else together was a hassle but the one thing holding me back, you guessed it: the FBI.
Granted, it is the government and it normally takes some time to get documents like that, but really, eight weeks on a background check. I know my juvie record isn't the greatest but it shouldn't take that long. And I'm just kidding about the whole wild child rebel-not truly me, I'm squeaky clean, like squeaky clean. So when I know it's just going to come back saying no record, it's a little frustrating that it is taking so long. I leave January 8th, my ticket is bought, I have my list of things to buy and what to take (I'm going to try to shove all my stuff into one suitcase...yeah, I know I'm thinking the same thing), but I can't go unless I have that little paper or stamp in my passport. So FBI, what's the deal here? But seeing as there is nothing I can do I just pray that God will deliver my background check. I mean, it's not like you can just call up the FBI (although I did call them to check my status- not the nicest lady I've ever talked to) and demand them to process your background faster. So keep that in mind if ever you have to go through this. I feel you.
Advice: get your visa ASAP. and don't forget your passport because you need copies for everything you turn in so get it if you know you're applying. Don't take forever on collecting all the paperwork and if you do have to get a background check- which normally isn't part of the process- get that in immediately. I don't think I can stress that enough. I can guarantee you, as I am experiencing it now, that it will take the longest of all the paperwork to get here. And when you have to go to Chicago to hand in the paperwork yourself, you would rather not wait until the last minute to make that trip.
As my roommate Anna would say, peace and blessin's.
Kelsey
Love it! We are so very proud of you:) Enjoy the ride sweet cheeks...this is just the beginning!! xo N
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