The whole year? Are you scared?

>>>Hello Friends<<<

My name is Julie Kessler, and I am a student in the College of Business at Bowling Green State University. My talons are “so far up”, but my BGSU pride isn’t keeping me from running away from Northwestern Ohio for my junior year of college to participate in the educational abroad opportunity of a lifetime at EM Strasbourg Business School in Strasbourg, France.

EM Strasbourg Business School

In exchange for a year of my college life in America, this French Grand École will give me a dual degree Bachelor of Arts in European Management, and so much more in terms of experiences. Go BGSU College of Business for maintaining partnerships like this which give students like me such awesome opportunities during my undergraduate experience! 

The  whole year? Yes, I am studying abroad for the whole academic year, but late August to early May is only eight months.  

Are you scared? Yes, I am scared, but that fear is negligible in comparison to my excitement.

I am excited to share that I am almost done with all of the prep work to go to Strasbourg! Just today I sent my international wire deposit for my apartment. I’ll be living in Residence de la Marne with a female student from Portugal. She and I met on a student housing Facebook page after neither of us got accommodation through university housing, and I’m feeling extremely fortunate that it worked out this way! My apartment will be more expensive than a university dorm, but I have much more space and I’m right across the street from the university. (Sidenote to potential study abroad students: university accommodation is not guaranteed, but there are plenty of alternatives available! When I say La Marne is more expensive, I should specify. I will pay 325 euros a month, which currently exchanges to 388 US dollars. University dorms in Strasbourg vary in price, but the most inexpensive option close to the university could be rented at a conversion to about $200/month.)

My checklist of to-do's still includes:

1. Obtain French Long Stay VISA- I have my appointment in Chicago this Friday!  
2. Pack – for 8 months in a 50lb suitcase, carry-on, and backpack **cringes**
3. Set up international cell phone, bank account, etc.
4. Plan where I'll stay when I arrive 8/28 through when I can move into my apartment 9/01

For now, I'll keep working hard at my internship with Maumee Valley Habitat for Humanity as I anxiously anticipate the day I get to open my eyes to a whole new life in Strasbourg, France. I've been looking forward to this exchange program since I visited BGSU as a senior in high school, and now it's just two months away. 

Thank you for reading along as I prepare for this adventure! I can't wait to share my experiences with you!

 Love, Julie "Wander with wonder and the whole world becomes home"-Tyler Knott Gregson 

 this excited to go to Strasbourg in 45 days
 (and go on a quick trip to Chicago
 to hit up the French Consulate Friday!)