Next Step - Visa!

Once I registered with SWAP, they said they'd email me a welcome package within 2-3 days. It arrived the next day which impressed me! In it are all the steps to apply for my Youth Mobility Visa.

Visa's are not an short process:
-I have 2 lengthy forms to fill out
-I have to get passport photos (for my visa, I already have a passport)
-I have to mail in my passport, as well as any expired passports or a written explanation of where my expired passports are
-I have to have a bank statement showing I have enough funds to support myself before I get a job
-I also have to go to Vancouver to get my fingerprints and digital photograph taken.. and the centre is not open on weekends. Looks like I'll be skipping class folks.

And these are just the things I remember off the top of my head!
I also have to get these things done in the next 2 weeks so that my visa has time to be processed, and returned etc. Guess I'm going to be a busy girl in the next while, balancing this with all my school work!

More exciting news!
As soon as I was registered, SWAP was able to give me information on applying to work during the Olympics. I sent in an application yesterday, and they want me to submit an interview video!

Taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_Summer_Olympics

Encouragement has come from everywhere, which is wonderful! I've had offers of contacts from multiple places, not just my own family. Also, within one day of my blog being up I've had over 100 views, and visitors from 7 countries (including Canada)! I don't even know people from one of the countries (Spain)!

Registered!

I officially registered with SWAP this afternoon to start the process of moving to the UK to work for the summer.

Taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_British_flags

It hasn't really sunk in yet that I'll be going.
Partly because I still won't be leaving for 2 months, and I have a billion things to do before then.
And partly because I didn't find out about the SWAP program until last Wednesday, and it's only Monday. It all happened really quickly.

SWAP is a Canadian program that helps young people, students and non-students alike, to get visas for a variety of countries, and provides support before leaving and after you arrive. Visit www.swap.ca for more detailed info.

Out of all the countries available, I chose the UK for a variety of reasons:
a) They speak English. For my first long term travel abroad by myself, I figured baby steps are in order.
b) I have a ton of family who live there, who will be willing to help me out, guide me around, or give me a place to crash as I roam around
c) I love history. England is full of history. Queens, Castles, Shakespeare, Oh my!
d) Harry Potter and The Beatles (just kidding! kind of...)

Anyways, I think it will be a good experience and a lot of fun!
My parents have been especially supportive of me in this endeavour, for which I'm extremely grateful. As soon as I brought it up they were all for it. In fact all my family are very encouraging. As is Spencer, which means a lot to me.