This is just the ‘filler’ post I suppose.

I have won two scholarships to go to the University of California (Berkeley campus) in the US of A. How this happened I don’t know – I signed a form here, chatted to a person there, and suddenly I’m being congratulated on my imminent deportment from fair New Zealand.

For those of my friends that live under a rock (Hi Stephen!) I am an Army Officer Cadet in the New Zealand defence force. This has made organising a Student Exchange trip to America both interesting and intellectually stimulating.

Firstly I sent an army ‘minute’ (an official request form) to my bosses. My immediate boss (my Captain) wasn’t very keen, as I am probably the worst Officer Cadet in the entire world, and she knows this full well. Despite her reservations, it was sent up to my big boss (my Lieutenant-Colonel) who was very pleased. It’s not everyday an Officer Cadet is asked to go to a prestigious university in America, and because he’s a bit more removed from me, he only intellectually knows I’m the worst Officer Cadet in the entire world. He sent it up the line to army HQ, where it disappeared. It only emerged four months later after a full Colonel (my lecturer at University) hunted himself down some snark.

I then had to worry about the University itself. Firstly was the accommodation people, who took my application money and never sent me an email again (despite me emailing them a couple of times to find out where it went, and being told that they’ve got my application, but nothing else.) Next was the visa people – I did the interview and paid my mega amounts of money to have it processed, but the university needs to send a form to the US embassy in New Zealand as well, so the US embassy knows that I’m not just lying to get entry into the US. They only sent this special form yesterday, a month after it was requested, and only after an amazingly angry official from Massey University (where I study) sent off a blistering email to them.
Adding insult to injury, the university is now demanding the princely sum of 50c USD, for goodness knows what. I can’t even pay them, because they only accept transfers from American bank accounts, and no credit cards.

I have paid for my tickets, and am sweating blood when I think of everything that can go wrong.

That's pretty much it - I will post news as its comes.

Margie

written by  Crosswood on July 5, 2007 from Palmerston North, New Zealand
from the travel blog: New Zealand Student, American University.
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y helo my tall friend. ok ill show you how travel blogs are done. i just got back from ohakunie where me amy x, katie turner, mag zou, dave and daves cuz rented out a house for 7 days and we went snow boarding. it was sooo much fun. none of us girls had been boarding before so we all sucked but got the hang of it. i want to get my own board and go all the time now. im not even bruised...much!

written by  Sabby on July 6, 2007

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fascinating. Look on the bright side. Its not your fault if it all goes wrong! And your not the worst cadet. out there, somewhere, there is a cadet with medical problems AND who is dumb.

Think of yourself as Miles Vorkosigan only (hopefully) not as suicidal. If you get into that sort of trouble (only terra-side obviously) i will personally hunt you down and guilt trip you. Crying may be involved. I haven't slept for a while and I've been working 12 hour days at work. I've just realized thats showing... good night.... delete this if its crazy

written by  Rebecca on July 6, 2007

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Yes that is crazy Rebecca. But you sound organised Margie even if no one else is.....

written by  Julietc on July 7, 2007

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