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Okay.  It has been decided for me that I am not going to be very good at keeping this blog up.  But, what I can do is continue to take pictures and add them to my flickr account… so head there!

www.flickr.com/photos/akosiarski

 

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Pictures!

Finding a Place to Live

Soooo….

It’s been a little while, I know – and a lot has happened since my last post.  Por ejemplo, I now live in Granada city and I have my very own address and everything!!  (For those of you who may have read my last post, my flight went well)

While I haven’t been keeping up with this blog (my self motivation is lacking), I have been keeping a sort-of journal for my thoughts as I’ve been here… but it’s a bit sparse too.  Here’s my longest excerpt:

September 17, 2009,

Wow.  I’m actually here, and I saw my first Barcelona jersey in the actual city of Barcelona.  All summer I kept thinking about going to Spain and being there, but now I’m here and I can’t explain this feeling.

Also, I ordered my first drink in Spanish.  It was an orange Fanta.

_______________________

So, since I haven’t written any practical information yet that is either interesting, entertaining, or useful, I think that I will start now.

Finding a place to live is not hard… but you can’t be shy.  Yes, it’s hard to talk on the phone in Spanish.  No, you will not understand everything.  Yes, you have to do it.

For me, the hardest part was making the first call.  After finding hundreds of posters advertising pisos compartidos it was hard to know where to start.  I started almost every phone call by explaining that it was incredibly difficult for me to understand spanish on the phone, and after a little laughter they were happy to speak more slowly.  Remember that you probably aren’t calling 40 year old business executives.  More than likely, the person on the other end of your call is a student just looking for a roommate who they can get along with – you don’t need to speak perfect Spanish to be friendly and personable.

The other major piece of advice I would give is to really look into what it is that you want to gain from this experience.  Do you want to live with a family? Do you want to live with other Americans? Do you want to live in the city?  Figuring out ahead of time a basic idea of what you’re looking for is a great way to start.  It doesn’t mean that you are definitely going to have the situation you thought you wanted, but it’s a great way to get the process started.  For example, I was 98% sure that I wanted to live with a family in my small town Guadix.   Now I live in an apartment with college aged students in the heart of Granada.  For me, as soon as I stepped off the bus from Guadix to Granada for a day trip, I knew that I was going to have to change my plans.

I would highly encourage you to ask yourself what it is you think you may want from this experience, figure out what sort of living situation would best suit that goal, and finally stay flexible enough to change your mind if your instincts tell you otherwise.  Live somewhere that makes you happy.

Andrew

Last Call

It’s my last Wednesday in the US for while, and to celebrate I think that I will make a grilled cheese (white bread, American cheese) and drink a Budweiser for the occasion.  It’s funny, but really the thought that I’m leaving didn’t really hit me until just now, as I think about shutting my computer down for the last time, but it’s true.  So goodbye, and I’ll let you know how the flight went.

I will miss home.

-Andrew

Aaaa-paw-steel

It took me some time to correctly pronounce “apostille”, let alone to understand what it was.  For those of you who are looking to obtain one to attach to their police record, this is the post for you.

At its heart, the Apostille of the Hague is a piece of paper with a giant gold stamp on it.  Pretty fancy sounding, right? Well it is – and without it, you won’t be going anywhere.  Basically, what it is an international notarization.  Just like important documents (titles, deeds, etc.) here need to be notarized by a Notary Public to carry weight as an official document, this apostille is an agreed upon standard that basically says to the consulate, “Hey, this document is legit, and I’m here to prove it.”  (in my mind the apostille sounds a little whiny-voiced).

So basically, your police records must first be notarized at the local level so that the state knows that the document is legitimate, and then it must be notarized (again) with the apostille so that other governments (like the one represented at whatever consulate you’re visiting) will know that the document is legit… get it?  Sorry, that was a mouthful, but I think you get the point.

Right about now you may be asking yourself, okay, so how do I get this shiny gold stamp then? …and I may just have an answer for you!  SO here it is in steps:

Step 1 – Obtain police record from your towns police department.  I literally stopped by my towns “safety complex” one summer afternoon and asked the woman at the front desk about it.  You’ll probably have to fill out some brief paperwork answering why you would like to request a background check on yourself (or letter of good conduct), and in a couple of days they’ll have it ready for you.  Make sure it’s notarized – more often then not a staff member at the facility is a Notary Public and can notarize the document for you.

Step 2 – Visit your state’s State House.  For me, I googled “apostille of the hague new hampshire” and found this helpful website .   I went to the state house that afternoon (no appointment) and bartered a price ($10) for the certification.

That’s it.  This part of the application was intimidating at first (wtf is an apostille??), but it was actually one of the easiest and most pain-free things to complete.  You shouldn’t have too much trouble with it, once you know what you’re looking for.

Visas on the Brain

Okay.  It’s been 72 hours (ish) since my visa appointment last Friday.  I’m locked in my room, cold sweat dripping off my face, in the fetal position waiting for the phone to ring or my email to make that “New Mail Sound” (© Apple All Rights Reserved). I need that call. In an effort to build some confidence, I posted some meager tips I picked up about the application process, but I can’t seem to shake the nerves…

Now, it’s too late for me, but maybe, just maybe, I can help you to get through this ordeal tear-free.

* * *

Okay so, whether you know it or not, here is the list of EVERYTHING you will need to obtain your very own student visa to Spain (at least from the Boston consulate, as of 2009):

• 2 Original Application forms
• 2 Passport photos – Don’t glue!
• Passport
• Driver’s License/Student ID
• Letter of Appointment – from Spanish government/University/CIEE, etc.
• Proof of Financial Means – often enclosed in letter of appointment
• Proof of health insurance (Covered by STA Travel if you have an ISIC card!)
• Police certificates from all places lived in during the past 5 years (I found that I did NOT need to include college locations – long story short,  I spent $50 for a state wide police checkup from Maine that I didn’t need)
• Doctor’s Statement
• $100 Money Order (OR CASH!!)

Now, please don’t mistake the next few posts as insults to your intelligence – I’m sure you are more than capable of reading information about how to acquire each of these items.  However, if I could save you just a little aggravation in the process by leaving you with some tips you probably won’t read about… well, it would bring a lot of joy into my life.  So here’s tip #5, and it might just be the biggest tip of them all.

Useful Tip #5: Make copies of everything… and BRING THEM WITH YOU!

Sounds simple, eh?  Sure, all of the resources that I read advised me to make copies of my original, which I assumed were for my own records.  BUT, what actually happens, is that the consulate collects both original and copied documents during your appointment, and keeps the copies. The originals will be sent back with you, and you will need to bring them with you on your journey to present when you apply for a residency card.

What happens if you don’t?  Well, 410 Boylston Street has a great copier that the consulate will be more than happy to direct you to… and then you can wait in line again. So just make the copies. Bring the copies.

More tips to come, real quick.

Visa Vorries

So, I’m in a bind.  I’m going to Spain, and need a visa almost as badly as I need Annies White Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese right now- the purple box of course (P.S. – I’d recommend buying “new” over “used”).  Seriously though, I know I have all the information I need, but stuff like this really stresses me out-  give me a second to take some deep breaths… and grab a snack from the fridge.

Okay better.  So, now that my brain is lucid (relatively) and my stomach is filled (peanut butter, jelly, some gastric juices), let’s talk about some of the first issues you may or may not encounter when applying for your Schengen visa…

Okay so here is a quick overview to start things off:

Applying and Preparing for Your Schengen Visa: The Journey Begins

Things You Will Need:

1)  Schengen Visa Application (no brainer)

Useful Tip #1: You really can’t save ANY data in this PDF form – make sure you (or your computer) are connected to a printer

Useful Tip #2: Upon arrival at the Spanish consulate in Boston, after waiting in line to be seen, I was asked to fill out two additional copies of this application that contained EXACTLY the same information but was specific to Spain (i.e. had spanish/english instructions), along with an additional form.  So try and contact the embassy to get a copy of the application version they need.

If only I had already written this post before my consular visit, I could’ve saved myself a little trouble…

Useful Tip #3: Don’t glue your passport pictures on yet.  They have sweet gluesticks, and lots of practice.

Useful Tip #4: Use the resources you have.  The CIEE checklist “Visa Requirements” component was literally (figuratively) a lifeline for me.  Most things you need to know about filling out the actual application are there, and if you are not traveling with a program like CIEE I would recommend googling any question you may have.  Or phone a friend.

Stay put for more tips soon!