My Second Go-Round

In exactly one week, I am departing for Strasbourg, France for a five week study abroad where I will be studying international finance. Sounds fascinating, doesn't it? Well the study abroad part does, the international finance part maybe not quite so much.

Just a little recap on what's going on in my life for my family in Maryland and Michigan (SHOUT OUT!) whom I don't talk near enough to. I'm officially beginning my third year at Texas A&M University as a Senior accounting major beginning work on my Master's of Science in Accountancy with a Specialization in Entrepreneurial Leadership and in Emphasis in Taxation, which is all just a really fancy way of saying I am graduating with my Bachelors and Masters in 4 years with a whole bunch of management and tax coursework under my belt! I'm currently recruiting for a internship for Spring 2012 which will hopefully become full time employment in May 2013. I've been looking at 5 firms: Ernst & Young, KPMG, Grant Thornton, McGladrey, and UHY; and I think I may finally have reached a decision about which company will be graced with my intelligence, vivaciousness, charm and incredible good looks (insert sarcasm here). But that can be a later post.

Now back on track. Over my five weeks abroad, I will be studying at Ecole de Management with all kinds of french accents and tilde-type-things all over all of those letters. Thankfully, the program has been organized for us to only have class Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, with a cultural company visit on Thursdays, leaving me with the weekends to travel to wherever my little heart desires. Needless to say, I am officially just under $10,000 in debt now but am going to a lot of sweet places over my five weekends! (Goodness whichever firm I choose better pay me the big bucks to pay off that loan!) :)

Our cultural company visits will include (and not in this order) going to a Mercedes-Benz factory in Germany, the European Parliament, the European Union Central Bank, the Deutsche-Bank headquarters, and our fifth week I ain't got a clue.

My five weekends will consist of (and in this order) 1) touring Strasbourg and the wine region of Alsace, France, 2) Munich and Aschaffenburg (where I studied abroad last time), 3) Venice, Rome, and Verona, 4) Paris and Brussels, 5) and London! Do you now see why the debt is necessary? I mean technically only $5,000 of the debt is mine because hopefully someday in the semi-distant future Dustin will take on the other $5,000. That's %50/%50 for you, homie! :)

Packing is however my biggest concern. Last time I was abroad, I was gone for 11 months and was allowed 2 suitcases each at 50lbs. This time, I am allowed 1 suitcase for 50lbs to cover my 5 weeks. So you would think that would be manageable, no? Well I am not so sure. Then I could do laundry, this go round I have to pay 7euros per load, which does not sound at all enticing. I should probably pack soon, or at least think about packing, since I leave in less than one week. Oh well!

It is officially time for me to get going, but hopefully my next update will be about my plane ride and how I am safely landed!

XOXO

Victoria

PS- Due to Lissa's observation, I would like to point out how in my past blog entries, one entry spoke about how I loved the cold and snow. And the very next entry 1 month and 4 days later, I complain about how much I hate the cold and precipitation and how we should enjoy Texas weather. Oh, how the tides changed!

Nevertheless, I will say how much I am looking forward to the France summer weather, which will hopefully never head south of 60degrees and north of 90degrees!