Pre-departure Orientation

Hey guys,

Its been a while since I've had a chance to write, but things have finally slowed down class and work wise so I wanted to update you all on whats going on.

First I just want to give a huge thank you to everyone who has donated to help me get over to Plymouth. Whether it was just a share or it was was a donation it means a ton and I can't thank you enough.

But on to some good news. Over the past few weeks I had the opportunity to figure out what classes I want to take well I'm abroad, as well as the online classes that I will be taking from PSU when I'm abroad. We figured out that I will need to take a online class over the summer in order to graduate on time because of my study abroad. Other than that its just a matter of hearing back from Plymouth, taking care of housing, a visa, and a flight then I'm ready and set to go.

Last night how ever I got the opportunity to meet several students from both Plymouth, and Middlesex Universities, as well as go through my pre-departure orientation where I meet the other two PSU students that will be in Plymouth with me next fall.

First things first we all sat through a powerpoint that filled all of us in on things like culture shock, what and how to act when getting off the plan, dealing with money the whole nine yards. I asked a few questions, and some of my key questions got answered last night which is helping me to prepare. I got a chance to meet both James and Josie who are going to Plymouth with me which was really great to put faces to names.

After the powerpoint we had a chance to speak with Josh, who is a student here from Plymouth University. He filled us in on what the first two weeks are like, and what life in Plymouth really is like. But one thing he said really kinda stood out. He had just finished talking about what life in Plymouth is like and he told us rarely to say no to doing something. Whether your extremely tired, little bit sick or just want to relax, try your best to go and do as much things that you could do. That stuck out to me because I really want to do as much as I can theres, so it makes me thing that I will follow that philosophy when I'm there.

The chance to meet the people that I will be studying abroad with, and the fact that its so close to heading over there is crazy. They asked how we feel now that we had gone through the pre-departure I was the first to say pumped and ready to head abroad.

-Tucker

Gofundme link: gofund.me/s5nrtq8

I Need a Little Help from My Friends

Hey everyone,

I wanted to take a quick minute of your time if you have stopped on my page to ask for your help, and really what the main goal of this page is.

First I want to talk to you all about my go fund me account that I started. I was told recently that I am currently going to need to find the money to cover my flight and my housing when I study at the University of Plymouth. Due to my fathers G.I. benefits only going so far, and that my family can not assist me monetarily its up to me to find the money. And that's one of the reasons I'm turning to you my family, friends, readers, and supporters. I need as much help as I can in reaching my goal and ultimately my dream of studying abroad. I am doing all that I can to get as much money that I can to achieve my goal, but I will still need your help. I will leave the link to my GoFundMe at the bottom of this post so you can take a look at how you would donate. If you can't donate please share it if you can, but above all anything that you can do to help would be massive.

Now my goal of this page is to show other students the process of studying abroad, and how it can be an eye opening experience. I am going to posting at least once a week to keep, all of my readers informed about what I'm experiencing well I am studying abroad, and keep you all up to date with what I'm doing. I want people to have an idea of what to expect when they go to study abroad.

I want to thank everyone of you that have been reading this since I started writing it, and for those of you that are about to join me on this great adventure. I want to give back to my school and to any students that want to know what the experience is like studying abroad, and with your help I can make that possible.

Thank you all,
Tucker  

Link to my GoFundMe:  gofund.me/s5nrtq8

Update #1 Still Waiting

Hey guys!

I know it feels like forever since I've last posted, but we are still playing the waiting game with hearing back from Plymouth University. I am sure that we will be hearing something soon, and then I can focus on planning and fundraising for this trip. I also will be working with the VA to try and see how they will deal with my VA benefits when I am studying over in England.

But overall everything is moving really smoothly as of right now, and just waiting for things to get processed. I also got a chance to make a logo for this blog, and if you like it let me know in the comments below and if you guys would like it on a shirt.

But I will keep you all posted on what else is going on next I hope all of you have a great day and I'll take to you then.

-Tucker

The waiting game

Hey guys,

So I have been out of state for a while and I haven't had a chance to update you guys. Will all of the paperwork that was needed for the application have been done and has been sent over to Plymouth University for them to look at and to tell me I'm going there next year. So now its just waiting so its a bit of a pain, but I'm looking forward to hear some good news from them soon.

I just got a summer job to start getting money together for this trip. I will by a camp councilor which will be a great summer job. And I've been talking to a friend of mine who is going to be going to plymouth in the spring semester to backpack Europe which would be nice, but with that there is a lot of planning, but we can get it done.

I'll let you guys know when I get total conformation from Plymouth and then I will be getting all the pre departure stuff done. So until then you guys have a good one.

-Tucker

Paper Cuts from Paper work

Hey guys,

So from last time I talked to you guys I was filling out paper work and applications for study abroad but now I finally have a good chunk of it done, but there is still a ton more to do and take are of. Really the only things that are left to take care of is the Plymouth Uni application, which all thats left is dealing with the passport. I have to go home to photocopy that so that will happen soon, whenever I end up going home. But other than that its just pre-departure paper work and transfer credit paper work so its almost done and the trips almost a reality.

I did get a chance to talk to a current Plymouth student here at Plymouth State which was great. I met  with Laura last week who is a business student from plymouth here for the year. She filled me in on which housing to get, what its like in the city, thats the social atmosphere is like the whole nine yards. I'm totally going to follow her advice and try and get into Francis Drake hall which is right in the middle of campus so it would be a short walk to my classes. After talking to her I'm super pumped to get the final paper work in so I can get over there.

I will keep you guys posted on whats going on, on this end. But if you guys think of anything that you think I should go check out when I go over let me know by leaving a comment below.

-Tucker

A Winter Beginning

Hey Guys,

I know its been a bit since my last up date its just that I have been crazy busy trying to get stuff ready for classes and for my trip to Plymouth.

So I got back to campus early and did some orientation leader stuff, and I cracked a tooth I think in the first 24 hours I was back to school, but it didn't stop me from starting to get myself in gear to get going on the process going.

First things first I had to get a passport and a few days before I came back up here to school mine came back in the mail. I was super pumped about it because this is my first ever passport. I now feel like I can go anywhere I want. I am hopefully planning a trip up to Canada before I head across the pound, but that is a story for another day. But having that passport was the first real step to getting ready for studying in Plymouth.

The second thing that I did when I got back to school was email both my regular class advisor for PSU, and my Study abroad advisor to make sure that I am still on the right path to get to Plymouth at all.

I first meet with my PSU advisor Thomas Guarino to make sure the classes that I can choose would keep me on track to graduate on time here. We went over what specific business classes I should be taking when I'm there and we have two nailed down and a history class as well. There are still some more classes that we need to figure out, so I am planning on meeting with him again to pick some more classes, and to figure out how to get a class to transfer back to PSU that have never been transferred in before, but I think with his help I'll be able to make it work no problem.

Then a few days after I meet with Professor Guarino, I met with my study abroad advisor Thomas Janis who has been helping me through the whole process. We went over how the credits are transferring back as well as where I am going to be living. One of the biggest questions that was brought up was where or not I can stay through the breaks. So I emailed Plymouth University housing to figure out whether I can stay in on campus housing which I hadn't though about it. Thomas has started to get ahold of some of the main people in the international students office started to get the ball rolling.

One of the next things is to fill out the applications. I have the PSU application done and just need to handed in, and the Plymouth University application needs to have a few more tweaks and it should be ready to send off.

So the ball is in motion and things are starting to pick up, and its going to happen fast so I will keep you guys posted.

-Tucker

A Florida Update

What up guys!

Hey so I'm still down in Florida chillin right now and its pretty nice. This is one of the first chances I've had to write well I was down here so I just though I would let you know I'm still alive. I've had nothing but warm weather and I'll let you guys know more about what was going on when I was down here later but I'm going to bed so peace out guys