home office party of one

paperwork is a major bummer.

That is an undisputable fact. When I was little, I loved filling out forms. I thought it made me a mature and important adult, because I knew how to spell my name and my home address and could even tell you a bit about my medical history. When I went to the doctor's office, or got sent home with forms for my parents, I begged them to let me fill out as much of it as possible. Nowadays though, paperwork is a major pain in my ass.

In case you weren't aware, studying abroad involves a LOT of paperwork. To get a student visa for France in the United States I have filled out approximately 20 forms already, if not more, and the number is ever increasing. What stands between me and my dream of living in France is about a hundred different papers to sign, seal and deliver, only then will I be yours France. The bureaucracy of it all is exhausting, but it's also pretty incredible that I have the opportunity to do this. The only thing in my way is a couple sheets of paper and a very close relationship with my local post office and my email inbox, I am so so lucky.

One of the forms I received in my inbox today is an application to basically have an assigned French student buddy who's supposed to introduce me to campus and to their friends to help me dive into life in Tours. I'm really excited to meet everyone there, especially my neighbors in my future apartment building who I'm hoping are also exchange students. I've already kind of met a girl that I think I'll be sharing a kitchen with, she's from Canada and seems to be as obsessed with Harry Potter as I am so I think we'll be good friends.

There are about twelve weeks left until I head to France. Twelve weeks of planning, filling out forms, working to save money, and trying to enjoy life at home before I leave it for nine months. Twelve weeks until a huge adventure. Not that I'm counting or anything.

Moral of the story: Paperwork sucks, big time, but if a few forms are all that stands between you and your dreams then grab the fucking pen and GO.