This blog is for family and friends, future SNC students traveling abroad* and for myself. While a welfare cost triangle might be impossible for social programs (shout out to Nanne!), I'm going to try and make this triangle possible and try to satisfy each one of those parties.
*For the future SNC student travelers going abroad, let this not be a road map for you to follow when you come to London, however, let it be a simple gaze into some experiences that you might want to pursue while you're over there. By all means, don't be afraid to go off the beaten path and make your own unique journey over there. Just be safe and have self-awareness.
This is my first post on the site! I'm going to try and stay as regimental as I can when it comes to posting updates, however, as I go about my journey things might get a little helter-skelter...
Departure day is approaching fast and my Mom and I are running around town trying to tie up loose ends whether it be getting a source of liquidity in order (credit cards, check cards) or just finding some ambiguous items for London that I may or may not need. Between the limited space that I can carry on and luggage I can send over there, I am surprisingly left with a little wiggle room left for souvenirs in my large bag. Words from the wise, pick out your initial wardrobe and then go through another draft and try and reduce it by 1/4 or even a 1/2. Dark clothes are gold in travel currency, you can wear them over and over hiding small stains or what not. Past SNC students and the Study Abroad Program at SNC have been very helpful in prepping us for traveling abroad.
Speaking of liquidity preferences: Bank of America offers a student checking account the comes with a check card. Check (debit) cards are useful over in Europe because there are now 4-digit or 6-digit PINS required for many different payment systems in Europe. What is super helpful about the Bank of America Card is that they have a Global Alliance with European Banks, specifically Barclays and Deutsche. Expanding on this "Alliance," it means that I can withdraw money from a Barclays or Deutsche bank ATM while in London and only receive a 1% convenience charge every time I use the ATM. With other Banks and their check cards, when withdrawing from an ATM there is a $5 international fee along with the 1% fee and maybe a conversion fee also (?) that gets stamped on to the total amount debited from your account.
I am almost completely packed thanks to my Mom, who has been a tremendous help even if we've bickered while packing the last few days. I'm going to miss my family and friends very much while I'm over there but this is a once in a lifetime opportunity that has to be taken advantage of. I just turned 21 a few days ago so my legal drinking has sort of been "postponed" per se. I'm excited to get over to London and immerse myself in the rich culture that engrosses such a global metropolis. The next time I post I will be in London and settled into my flat which I'll call home for the next 4ish months. I'll probably be having a small case of culture shock mixed in with a little euphoria. Until then...
*For the future SNC student travelers going abroad, let this not be a road map for you to follow when you come to London, however, let it be a simple gaze into some experiences that you might want to pursue while you're over there. By all means, don't be afraid to go off the beaten path and make your own unique journey over there. Just be safe and have self-awareness.
This is my first post on the site! I'm going to try and stay as regimental as I can when it comes to posting updates, however, as I go about my journey things might get a little helter-skelter...
Departure day is approaching fast and my Mom and I are running around town trying to tie up loose ends whether it be getting a source of liquidity in order (credit cards, check cards) or just finding some ambiguous items for London that I may or may not need. Between the limited space that I can carry on and luggage I can send over there, I am surprisingly left with a little wiggle room left for souvenirs in my large bag. Words from the wise, pick out your initial wardrobe and then go through another draft and try and reduce it by 1/4 or even a 1/2. Dark clothes are gold in travel currency, you can wear them over and over hiding small stains or what not. Past SNC students and the Study Abroad Program at SNC have been very helpful in prepping us for traveling abroad.
Speaking of liquidity preferences: Bank of America offers a student checking account the comes with a check card. Check (debit) cards are useful over in Europe because there are now 4-digit or 6-digit PINS required for many different payment systems in Europe. What is super helpful about the Bank of America Card is that they have a Global Alliance with European Banks, specifically Barclays and Deutsche. Expanding on this "Alliance," it means that I can withdraw money from a Barclays or Deutsche bank ATM while in London and only receive a 1% convenience charge every time I use the ATM. With other Banks and their check cards, when withdrawing from an ATM there is a $5 international fee along with the 1% fee and maybe a conversion fee also (?) that gets stamped on to the total amount debited from your account.
I am almost completely packed thanks to my Mom, who has been a tremendous help even if we've bickered while packing the last few days. I'm going to miss my family and friends very much while I'm over there but this is a once in a lifetime opportunity that has to be taken advantage of. I just turned 21 a few days ago so my legal drinking has sort of been "postponed" per se. I'm excited to get over to London and immerse myself in the rich culture that engrosses such a global metropolis. The next time I post I will be in London and settled into my flat which I'll call home for the next 4ish months. I'll probably be having a small case of culture shock mixed in with a little euphoria. Until then...
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