OHH the anticipation and preparation!!!

As the number of days until I leave for France decreases, my heart-rate, level of nervousness, and excitement seem to exponentially increase!!! Less than 4 weeks left in the US for me, and many things to get done!

Here is a break down of my to do list (you may find it helpful if planning a similar adventure):

1) Buy a French SIM Card for my international cell phone: buying it over the internet will allow me to call the US the minute I step off the airplane in Paris - something I definitely plan on doing!!

I have already bought a phone which will work in France (it's an UNLOCKED Nokia 3650:Tri-band, GSM 900/1800/1900)- I purchased it from E-bay for $75, because my current Sprint phone doesn't have international capabilities. I probably didn't get the best deal for a not-so-new phone - but my impulsivity and excitement got the best of me...still... phone - check!

As of now the plan is to get the SIM card from www.220-electronics.com - not the cheapest card initially, but seems to have the lowest rates to call US. I'm still shopping around though (trying to work on being less impulsive and instead, smarter with my money!)

2) Translate my Russian Birth Certificate to French - this is required in order to apply for my carte de sejour (temporary residence) in France, since I'm staying longer than 6 months. I have tried translating it myself, but that proved to be much more difficult than I predicted, and now I'm looking into having a professional business do it for me = another $75! But absolutely no hassles - I can get it done within a week and it will be perfectly certified and notarized : ). (note: translating an American Birth Cert. into French is MUCH cheaper!)

3) Obtain a proof of funds for France - this is a document which isn't mandatory, but I learned is very helpful for a less stressful 'carte de sejour' application process. Having a letter from your parents - IN FRENCH - saying that they will support you financially throughout your stay is a good idea. I found this sample letter, which you can edit according to your needs:

Je soussigné(e), [M. / Mme] [surname and first name of the parent or guardian] résidant au [address of the parent or guardian] déclare être [le père / la mère / le tuteur] de [surname and first name(s) of the student], demeurant à la même adresse.

Je confirme que je serai responsable financièrement pour l’étudiant cité ci-dessus pendant son séjour en France, à Grenoble Ecole de Management, au cours de l’année académique 2007– 08.

Fait à [town where the person writing the letter is when writing the letter], le [date].

Signature

I've also learned that the bureaucratic system can be extremely frustrating, so be prepared to provide many other documents, such as parents'/your (translated into French) bank statements, etc.

4) Notarize my Power of Attorney - this is a document which states that you are giving someone else the right to handle all your financials - open/close bank accounts, cancel credit cards, sign papers, etc.. - in case anything urgent comes up while you're abroad. I'm letting my dad be my 'attorney' - so he can act on my behalf in case I need to officially sign anything.

I'm also calling my bank & credit cards and letting them know I'm going to be out of the country. This way I can appoint another person who can call and cancel my credit card in case one is lost or stolen, it's also nice to make sure there aren't any unwelcome 'foreign transaction' fees!

5) Start thinking about packing - this will be a whole new entry! At this point I still cannot imagine how I can pack everything I need in a couple of suitcases which I must be able to carry all by myself!