Preparations for the exchange experience
After more than six months of more and less active preparations I can finally say I am starting to be ready mentally and physically for my exchange. I want to fill you in for the massive amounts of work that is required for even thinking about exchange studies.
There is so many things needed to be considered and taken into account before exchange is possible. For me the preparations have been especially difficult because of many things. For me it is the first time I travel far from Finland. So I had to check my vaccinations, take the missing ones, apply for the passport, get a credit card, get a visa to Brazil and of course find out information about travelling and reserving procedures in general. These official parts of the preparations have been the the most troublesome parts for me.
You have to also make sure that everything is in order both in home and in the location of the exchange. An apartment, contacts, funds, grants and everything has to be in order. Also the return back home has to be planned beforehand. The ideal situation would be that there ain´t any undone schoolwork and you´re social situations are in order. If the exchange is just an excuse to run away from something I think it won´t solve anything maybe it just makes it worse. With a clear conscience and mind you will be ready for the amazing events that will occur during the exchange.
I have also done a lot of background work that might not directly affect the exchange experience, such as going to Portuguese course, starting Brazilian jujitsu hobby, getting as good tan as possible from Finland :P , getting to know Portuguese and Brazilian people to get closer to the culture. I hope that this way I can get to know the culture a bit deeper. In my opinion you can´t make too much of the background work. The better and earlier you are prepared the more you get from the journey. Internet is full of information waiting to be discovered and put in to use.
When you are so close to the exchange that you are already thinking what to take with you there is again another problem. It is impossible to take your life with you on an airplane to the other side of the world. So I have to fit everything in two backpacks. One inside the plane and the other in the cargo hold. I have to take with me some books and papers,clothes, electronic devices, medicines and things that I think make my voyage easier. Again the same rule helps the earlier the better. The more you know that needs to be purchased early, the more you can compare prices and make big savings.
Here are a couple of very useful links for Finnish travelers, at least they helped me a lot
Ministry for Foreign Affairs : http://formin.finland.fi
A shop for useful stuff : http://www.varuste.net/
Quality travel guides: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/uk
Health guide for traveler: http://www.ktl.fi/portal/suomi/julkaisut/oppaat_ja_kirjat/matkailijan_terveysopas
In 20.7.2011 my flight to Brazil will leave from Oulu and I will start the adventure of my life. I am really looking forward to it with anticipation.
The most important decision is in the beginning. You have to decide that you want to go to exchange. When you are sure about that and you stand behind it everything else will happen somehow..
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