The "Before-You-Go" Check-List
1. Anyone else out there struggling to pay school loans? Who didn't save up all the money they would need to pay those off while overseas? It will be easier to settle your debts, if you can get money to the institutions breathing down your neck. APs get paid cash and not all that much of it. You can most likely open a bank account in your country of choice. Your hostfam or agent can help you with that. Keep in mind that transfering money internationally may be difficult. Look into how to send money home before you head blindly into trouble.
2. Make sure you have contact information for your hostfam and agent available to you at the time you arrive in your new country of residence. In a worst case scenario, you'll at least be able to let them know that you've been denied access into the country. It is also a good idea to have an embassy or consulate number on hand. Personally, I did not think to have any of this information handy, and, due to a flight cancellation and a four hour wait, I ended up depending on the cosmos and the common sense of my hostmom in order to meet my hostfam at all. It all worked out in the end, but you may not be so lucky. So, you should instead be prepared.
3. Give yourself a safety net. Register with the Department of State as a citizen abroad. They have a program called STEP that can help them help you in an emergency. You should also give someone you know and trust copies of your hostfam's information and the information for your agency. They'll notice far more quickly than the State Department if you go missing. Of course, this is all at your discretion. If you are planning on disappearing, you should skip this step. It makes it difficult to slip off the grid if you're all kinds of registered.
4. Pack some small gifts for your hostfam. Don't pack anything to spendy or outrageous. Try to pick things special to you and your family or your region. Bring photos of friends and family to show them. If you're crafty, feel free to make them crafty things. The quickest way to win over children is to give them presents, and you're gonna want those kiddoes on your side. Keep the hostparents in mind as well. Make them love you from day one. There's nothing like a little job security!
Once you have these things settled, you can breathe easy. Now is the fun part! Look forward to what awaits you. It will be far different from what you imagine, but, if you stay open-minded and easy-going, it will also be far more magnificent! See you across the pond.
Cheers and thanks for reading.
[Author's Note: So, I definitely didn't get this installment out in a more timely manner. I have no excuse to offer, but I hope you keep reading anyway. Thanks for putting up with the craziness. I'll do better in future-- fingers crossed and thumbs pressed.]
