Update about the VISA

Chosen for the internship on November 27th, 2005.

Yeah, I've been chosen...But now, I have to get ready for the visa. I received all my forms on December 19th. Race against the clock my friends. I sent everything and The Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia received everything on December 21st. That is out of the way and I should receive everything on time, if nothing is missing...

For those who sometimes have instinct or intuition, FOLLOW IT! I figured I would call on Friday to see if everything was fine. Well, I applied for the wrong visa: a multiple entry socio-cultural visa doesn't exist! So, I had to send a new money order and FAST! So I got everything done, but they will receive the money on December 28th. Will they have enough time to issue it and send it to me before I leave? THAT is the question....

Stay tuned for more information!

Important E-mail

Dearest Fans,

I am quite sorry I haven't updated all of you in a while. After my last post, I had exams and then I worked full-time, which didn't leave me much time to think about this adventure.

I will try my best to write as often as possible. More than now, that is for sure! Thanks for those who post comments and if you want to write me a personal e-mail, please do so. I'll be more than happy to answer to your questions and catch up on the news, gossip, events...whatever happens in your life!

For those who came to my potluck, THANK YOU for the great evening and the yummy food! For those who couldn't make it, well, you missed something. For those you I can't see before I leave, sorry but I have tons of things to do....you will still be on my mind and in my heart. For those I wanted to see but couldn't, SORRY...we'll catch up when I come back (you know who you are!). And for those who I will see before I leave, can't wait to see you!

I can't believe I am leaving in 8 days...I don't feel like I am although I have TONS of stuff to prepare!!!!

Anyways, thank you very much for being great friends and I look forward to seeing you all soon! BUT, you know how life turns out, right? Shit happens! So, should anything happen to me, I would like to thank my special trio incl my brain! You also all know that I am a tree hugger (a green person!) and I try to recycle a lot, among other things. Well, should anything happen to me, I would really appreciate if you can honour me through recycling and helping to save the environment. I know that some of you might think I am crazy by saying this. I am VERY optimistic but I am aware that I might pass away!

Anyways, I wish you all Happy New Year 2006 filled with joy, love, health, happiness, prosperity, fun and the little things that ake your life more enjoyable!

Take care and lotsa love,

Developments...

November 30th was VERY emotional...
My first shots in ages....

After I waited about 2.5 hours, I got my first Hepathitis A&B shot and a tuberculosis test. I was sooooo nervous! I am embarassed to say that I almost fainted twice! I woke up that day being stressed out! It is crazy how stress and emotions can just throw you off balance. Anyways, because I had to wait once again to go see the Dr. I was at the clinique for about 3.5 hours...Which means missing 2 important meetings for a project and a presentation! I was wondering how the hell I was going to get through this crazy week! (I did with like 5 hours of sleep each night, but I was oh-so tired since it has been accumulated tiredness!) Anyways, so I felt shitty the rest of the day because of Hep A&B.

On December 2nd, I had to go back to get my tuberculosis shot checked out, and I was fine....fiiiiiou!!!! Je viens d'echapper a un vaccin!!!! :P BUT I got the Japanese Encyphalitis. Quite painful for the arm for the rest of the day, but I was fine the next day!

The thing with these shots is that they cost an arm and a leg! For the Japanese Encyphelitis, it is $120 per shot and I get 3!!!! They wanted me to take Rabbies which is $200 a shot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I swear, vaccinations makes the whole trip cost double!!! Ok, not that much, but easily $500-600 more!

Anyways, I am thinking about my trip and I know it will be worth it. My excitment grows by the day and I want to see tons of things. I don't know who the other 9 trainees will be, but hang on to your underpants... We will see the whole Java islands AND Bali!!!! BALIIIIIIII :D:D:D

One last thing, I started to research lotsa information about Indonesia and even watch movies. I watched Shape of the Moon with JLL and War Photographer, where James Nachtwey documents the life of a family that lives between 2 train tracks in Jakarta. Go see the movie! It opens your eyes and maybe you'll might even shed a tear or two like I did!

Anyways, my last REALLY important outstanding issue is the visa! I don't know when I'll get the Acceptance Note and Acceptance letter, but I hope soon so I will actually be able to leave on January 3rd at 3pm from Montreal! Anyways, stay tuned! :P

Acceptance!

After a so-so weekend, I wake up on Sunday, November 27th to read the following message:

Hello Sofie,
How are you? we're doing great here :)
Anyway, I wanna say .......





Congratulations..........
You are exactly what we are searching for........

Quite a feeling of exilaration!
You should have seen me when I read it...I was doing my happy dance...No, I am not going to make it for you because it is embarassing....Picture Phoebe in one F.R.I.E.N.D.S. episode where she runs like a crazy maniac thru the parc!!!! So now that you have a mental picture of how I looked like, laugh! :P

Anyways, there is sooooooooooo much to do until then!!!!! I have to start getting my shots now.... :( I feel like I am going to run around like crazy until I leave! Anyways, got to finish school first and then I'll focus on everything else...

Step 1 and 2: Birth Certificate & Passport

I love my parents but sometimes, ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, for the lack of better words! I had like a zillion things to do and my dad told me that I don't have a birth certificate. Hey, I am not official in this province......hehehe! So an added stress on my shoulders, I went to get it done. You get it in 3 days if you are willing to pay $20 more!!!!! I need it though or else I'll go nutso!

So, I picked it up and I am now officially born in Cowansville :P! Now Step 2, the passport. After getting all documents signed by my chiro and sending the package to my mom for a co-worked to sign, I received the package. I didn't check if everything was in there cuz I figured it would (intuition talking to me here!!!!!) all be in the envelop. So, I checked the next day and I COULDN'T find the pictures....I had a heart attack because this would delay EVERYTHING! Called my mother angrily (and sorry for that one again!) but we still couldn't find the pics. So I decided to thoroughly look through my zillion things lying on my floor (less space on my desk due to PC tends to create clutter elsewhere!) and I found them beside my PC. They belnded in with the floor... RELIEF! My mom was also quite happy!

Anyways, I went to the office today, waited about 1:30hour and it was my turn. The clerk was G-O-R-G-E-O-U-S until I saw the ring on his left ring finger....damn you #&**!!!!! So it was quite fun to have a hottie check out my files! (I just HAD to mention that :P)

I should receive my passport on December 7/8th, which means that I'll have to rush to get a visa for Indonesia! I have 3 weeks, so I should be fine, but it will be a race against the clock. Step 3 will be the vaccination process (gulp!!!!) and stay tuned for the other steps!!!!

Lata,

Follow-up

So I sent my application on November 9th but didn't receive any confirmation or response saying they received it. A week later (I just couldn't wait anymore!), I e-mail PD for more information and to see if she received everything and when I could expect an answer. Here is her response:

Hi Sofie,

How are you? first of all, I would like to appologize. I'm kinda busy these couple of weeks, n have no time to check e-mail. Well, we're now still in selection process. and we'd received your e-mail. I'll give you the result by next week. I think you could reserve the ticket to Indonesia, with final destination to Surabaya. I'm totally interest with your ideas on essay.... ..... and absolutely can't wait to see you here.....

Best Regards,

Soooooooo....what do you think of this e-mail? I am pretty happy about the tone she uses and I think thta it is quite positive! :)

Since I have applied, I adopted a more relaxed and calm attotude because everything will happen in due time. I am currently busy with school (exam tomorrow, wish me luck!) and it will be MUCH better tomorrow night! But I am very eager to hear about the results!!!!!! Who wouldn't! Anyways, hang in there and I hope that I'll get an answer before next Tuesday because it is like the 3rd plane ticket I reserve! I REALLY want to be sure I have a ticket once I am chosen! I guess the multiple years as VPX are quite useful! :)

Stay tuned!

Background

I have been part of AIESEC for 3.5 years now and I had the time of my life. Working with different but GREAT teams; networking and meeting tons of new people; developing great friendships; sending people abroad; laughing, crying and gossiping about everything and anything; losing my voice REPEATEDLY during conferences; facilitating during a conference; experiencing many things I didn't before; and most of all, learning and growing from the whole experience. I am a HUGE fan of this organization and I will be until the end of my life, I hope (future execs: read $$$$!). I always say that it helped me become the person I should be!

Anyways, this being said, I have had many working experiences and taken MANY classes during the last 17 years of my life in the Canadian/Quebecer education system. (Crazy how time flies!) And most of you know that I am an avid recycler, which also translates into wanting to create a more sustainable environment for the future. My bro calls me a tree hugger.....I guess that sums it up! Just recently have I realized that I am ROYALLY fed up of the corporate world! I DO NOT want to live to exploit our resources to increase the wealth of shareholders. I am more concerned by the fact that our planet is heading towards a path it shouldn't!

So, now that you know where I come from, you will understand why I am making certain choices! I decided to apply to the Global Internship Program offered by AIESEC. I applied for a development internship. The beauty is that I accumulated exchange knowledge during 3.5 years and that I am now using it to ship myself abroad (hehehe!). The whole summer I was looking for an intership and October 20th, I found one. A GREAT job but the application was due on October 30th. The problem was that the Assessment Center and Review Board to become a SN (person that will go abroad- Student Nominee) was on November 5th. PD and her team were kind enough to give me more time to hand in my application, THANKS!!!! Although not knowing if I will be an SN, I worked hard on all the parts needed for my application.

Then came November 5th. After the assessment center, I EXACTLY knew what my weakpoints were and what I could improve on. BUT,I prepared my interview meticulously. (Funny how I am still nervous for these things even when I know everyone and what to do!) And I feel like I aced it....Thanks to MMCC, I was able to ask myself the questions the interviewers could ask me. To sum it up, I am now a SN and my ID is SN-Yo-CA-MG-2005-1222. Yup...that is me :P

November 10th was my deadline and I was able to have everything ready way before! (Thanks for everyone's help! :) So I send it off! One thing I want to learn is to become patient during my internship since I tend not to be sometimes!!!! So, I was stressed the whole time since I reserved a ticket and needed to confirm by the 16th. I finally sent an e-mail and I was told that I will now next week (week of November 21st) if I am selected! At the e-mail had a positive note! :)

Anyways, this is where I stand right now in terms of AIESEC and my internship.
Wish me luck! :)

Take care and lotsa love,
xoxox