1. Applying to:

2. Step 1 Apply for a passport! Even if you decide later on that you do not wish to study abroad, a passport is always nice to have on-hand in case you are to ever travel to another country.

3. Step 2 Practice your French! Enroll yourself in a French class. (May I suggest Mm. Larson? ) They will help you along the way to translate, teach, and give you pointers, because odds are, they have been abroad before too. A side-note: START SAVING MONEY!

4. Step 3 Visit the Université Catholique de l’Ouest website and decide what you would like to do. You can choose from month-long summer courses, semester courses, or year-long courses. Then apply, there is a 300 euro fee that you must pay with your application. *Whichever you decide determines whether or not you will need a student visa.

5. Step 4 (depending) If you are to stay longer than 3 months in France, you are required to have a student visa, so apply as quickly as possible because this is a very long, somewhat complicated process. Find the French embassy online, and it will show you how to apply for a visa (for the most part) and to my understanding, you will need to meet with the actual French embassy in your region of the US, which for Rochester, is Chicago. *Make sure you have ALL the required documents when you arrive in Chicago.

6. Step 5 Once you have been accepted, start planning ASAP! Whether you will be living in a dorm, with a family, or in your own apartment, it is crucial to look early (and have your parents rest soundly) to know you will have a safe place to live while you’re abroad. *if you apply for a family you may not know who they are until about a month before you leave, if you’re super nervous that they aren't mailing you e-mail the school, they are always good to e-mail you back within 1 to 2 days.

7. Step 6 Start the exciting stuff! Hopefully you paid attention to the side-note to start saving! A plane ticket to Europe (one-way) is about $500-$600! Most likely you will be flying into Paris, so spend a couple days there if possible. Book a ticket in advance for the TGV Paris Angers to make sure you are there in time.

8. Step 7 Before you leave, be sure to thank whoever made your journey possible. Also, remember the little things such as adapters/converters, ect. Bring dark clothes, and personally I packed pretty light to make it easier to travel after I am done with school. You can always buy your toiletries so I wouldn’t even worry about most of those things. Leave with a smile and send lots of postcards!

9. About my trip… Hello, my name is Abbey and this is my last week to be home before leaving for Europe. Just to let anyone who reads this know, you should be honored to be taught French by Mm. Larson! She is a great teacher and extremely helpful in guiding you to study abroad, and see the world. She teaches you about how important it is to learn a language and about the countless doors it will open for you. My plans to study abroad spurred from the first month I had Mm. Larson as my teacher, I had originally planned on staying for a semester in Angers, but due to my second-semester school plans, I had to switch to the one- month program that begins in Sept.

10. I planned to stay with a family, however there was some confusion because my host family is on summer holiday at the moment. Still no contact, but I’ve talked to the school and they must know her pretty well so I’m hoping that all goes well! That’s a bit nerving... I am actually going to London and Paris before going to Angers then traveling for another month after I’m done with school. I will be in Europe until the beginning of November, and I would be glad to talk to or help anyone who is interested in studying at UCO. Good luck with your journey! E-mail: areese103@hotmail.com