Back at the OK Corrall...

Well, it's a little over a month later, and I'm still in the middle of a lot of preparations. It sometimes feels like I'm going in circles and just jumping through hoops, but there have been some achievements and incidents since the last time I wrote:

I have now been officially accepted and enrolled in my study abroad program.

I have attended the live pre-departure orientation by my home university, and have recieved the email to do the electronic version that's also required, which I will do as soon as I have about half an hour to spare.

I have researched and bought the perfect raincoat for Great Britain in the summer -- and got it on clearance, no less!

I applied for a Magellan grant, and found out today that I will not recieve it.

I have applied for several different scholarships, and I'm in the middle of applying for even more.

I'll write more as things happen!

Chapter One: Early Preparations

This blog will be chronicling my experiences studying abroad this summer in the U.K. My program through the University of Southern Mississippi includes visiting many archives, libraries and museums, as well as an exciting opportunity to research a topic of my choice. I am very excited about seeing such places as St. Paul's Cathedral (including the library), the Museum of London, the British Museum, the National Library of Scotland, the Shakespeare Library, and so many other amazing sites. I'm also looking forward to rolling up my sleeves and researching how the libraries at the University of Oxford, to include the world-famous Bodleian Library, are viewed through literature and film.

However, right now I am still in the process of getting ready for this splendiferous opportunity. I am in the middle of the paperwork for both the host university, the University of Southern Mississippi and my own, the University of South Carolina. I'm essentially completing two different applications so that each university has their required forms and documents. I recently applied for a Magellan Research Grant to help with the cost of traveling, eating, and other things which are kind of important when studying abroad. I'm also in the process of evaluating what I'll need for the trip, so I'm looking over good raincoats to find one that's light enough to wear in the summer.

This is the first "chapter" of my literary pilgrimage, more will be written as events progress.