The subject line of this entry is the undramatic way I would
choose to describe my hopes of following through with my study abroad plans
after today’s meeting with the financial aid office. The U of MN aggressively
promotes study abroad. I’ve heard it from professors, from various readings, it’s
advertised all over campus. I had read that they will offer to increase
financial aid for special circumstances, and study abroad was one such special
circumstance explicitly named where I read this. Well, I dunno if I
misunderstood or what, but I’m eligible for almost zero extra financial aid. I
might’ve been eligible for more if I were a dependent student. Translation: the
U would be happy to loan money to my parents to help them pay for it if I weren’t
an independent person, if I were a 20-year-old on Mom and Dad’s dime.
So I feel a little stupid and embarrassed at this point. It’s
nothing I’m not used to, though. My life is choc full of dramatic travel plans
on which I fail to follow through. Not the worst thing, though, I just dream
big, but when it comes time to pay up, I go with the more realistic options. 3
weeks in Europe? Mmmm… how about a 10-day road-trip through Canada one summer,
and 5 days in Miami a year later, and Twins’ season tickets every season instead.
Not entirely something to be disappointed by.
And since I am in dreaming mode, I should say: I still have
every intention of going to Istanbul. It just probably won’t be for Spring
Semester 2012, and it may not be for any semester. It may be on a private trip
in January 2012, between semesters at the U of M. Or perhaps at some other
time, but, damnit, I really wanna go. And I have the money to do it right now.
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