We are pleased to inform you. . .

I received this in the mail on Monday actually, and you have to give me a little credit for being able to find all of the pieces again and putting it back together so I could take a picture of the entire package. This is in fact my "official" acceptance letter to Bielefeld University. I keep getting surprises at every turn of this adventure. It seems like a formality of course, but there were some moments where I did things before I was supposed to. The first big one was not signing my housing contract, because I thought I was good, set and ready, not so much. The other was not even registering for classes, which I was told to "drop all of your classes" at a meeting very late in the school year. I suppose it's a good thing that everything is working out to my advantage with all of the "mistakes" I've been making. So, the next thing for me to expect is my HOUSING. This is the most nerve wracking part of the entire ordeal for me. Buying my plane tickets months ago felt awful without knowing if I'd have a place to stay when I get there. I am still very nervous about that aspect, and I don't know if I'm brave enough to stay in a hostel. I feel nervous, but the physical effects haven't taken place yet. I'm hoping the nerves don't get me the way they did second semester of my senior year in high school. I was throwing up almost everyday, and coming after bikini season is very bad timing. . . I already have my backpack full of notebooks and folders, my attempt at being prepared and somewhat organized. Also in my backpack: Study abroad folder and handbook (what a nerd!), a plug in "translator" the word suddenly eluding me, and a loofah (uhm, cool things coming from Wal-Mart, double color!) I have plans on what I'm taking and of course, everyone will judge me for wanting to take shampoo and conditioner (I hear it's a little spendy in Deutschland) and toiletries. Let me explain my rational, I will take these things, which will be used up, in order to "save" space and weight in my luggage for the way home. Smart, yeah? We'll see when I'm wanting to take my favorite pair of leg warmers how I feel about that bar of soap. I'm sure I can survive without some of my clothes as long as none of them disappear while I'm away (don't give any of my stuff away, MOM!) I don't want to go off to a foreign land and come home to a missing knife like my boyfriend did :p So, here I am, a few days after my first post, already taking another step forward in my adventure. I will alert you as to when I find a place to live for the year, and I can e-mail the address around, because I will need lots of letters when I'm feeling a little homesick.

Jumping the Gun

Current mood: Excited and Nervous
Physiological affects of my current mood: butterflies in my stomach
Since writing an e-mail to each individual person, or even e-mailing a mass e-mail to individual people, sounds like a hassle and a half, I've decided to write a blog about my coming adventures. I figure this is a good way to go about it, because then people I wouldn't think to e-mail while I'm filling my brain with German cultures, customs and language will get a chance to read what I'm up to as well. Also, no annoying e-mails about things you don't care about! You are welcome to read or not read, but if you ignore an e-mail from me, I will shun you. According to my countdown, I have seventy-two days of America left. Seventy-two days to see all of my friends and family, before I get into that giant metal bird and fly away from the country in which I was born and raised. Countdowns are a little sad, just waiting for the days to pass by. I am, however ecstatic and somewhat terrified. Ten months in a foreign country will probably not be the easiest thing I've done in my life, but now is the time. I am going to go live alone for a little short of a year and come home more cultured and well spoken than ever before. I am nervous for the plane ride mostly. I'm not excited for flying. . . Scratch that, I don't mind flying, if the plane is flying, that's good, plummeting to the ground is my real fear. Germany: I am going to Germany for ten months, not just Germany, but to Bielefeld, to study at their University. The name of this blog comes from, surprise, surprise, the Bielefeld Conspiracy, which you can read about here on the classiest informational website ever, Wikipedia, which is located four links from the top on Google. It's a silly thing, but, maybe it's just true. So here I am, becoming a conspirator of Bielefeld, an amazing feeling, but much responsibility. Shhh. . . . let's keep this a secret! Okay, so I'm not sure how often I'm going to write here before I actually leave, probably a few times, because a year abroad isn't always just about that year, it is also about everything leading up to and a few months afterward. Please bear with me for the next seventy-two days, or rather, you are welcome to wait that time and just get to the good stuff.