Waiting

The hardest part of the process so far has been waiting. I am really excited about my exchange but there are so many unknowns at this point. I just received an update email from the NSE advisor at TX state. She let me know that my paperwork is still being processed and that it should be completed "in a couple weeks," which is a just a tad too vague to settle any nerves. Before I can be assigned to a housing contract or given any financial aid information, all my paperwork as to go through "the system."

So now, I just have to wait.

At this point in the process, all I can do is work with what I do know. Currently I am trying to decide on the issue of transportation. Some of the questions I've been asking myself are; Should I bring my scooter? Is the cost of getting it shipped worth it? Will I actually need it or use it while I am there? Would car be more practical for where I am going? Where and how should I get a car to have while I'm there? Borrow from a family member? Buy a cheap clunker? How much traveling around will I want to be free to do? If I do some sort of community theatre near San Marcos, how will I get there and back? Should I wait till I arrive and assess the situation then?

That is one decision I have to make. Until "a couple weeks" goes by I won't really know much else, but as soon as I get more information from the school, I'll be able to share it and get much more excited about all this.

Now it is time to wait...

♥ Chantal

Fun Facts!

Here it is, my Texas blog!

I am getting so anxious about my trip that I decided to get a head start with a fun posting giving ya'll an idea of where I'm going. :)

I found a bunch of fun facts and little random things that you might wanna know about where I'm going so you can get excited for me too!

TEXAS

~Texas is popularly known as The Lone Star State.

~Rodeo is the official state sport of Texas, though High School Football is more popular.

~In Texas, it's illegal to put graffiti on someone else's cow.

~Texas's official dance is the square dance.

~The all American meal, the hamburger, was created in Athens, Texas.

~Texas comes from a Spanish misunderstanding of the Caddo Indian word tejas, meaning friend.

~Texas was the 28th state to join the Union, admitted in 1845.

~The state flower is the bluebonnet.

~Six flags have flown over Texas: Spain, France, United Mexican States, Confederate States of America, the Republic of Texas and the United States of America, with eight changes of government.

~Texas is the only state to enter the United States by treaty instead of territorial annexation.

~Dr Pepper was invented in Waco, TX in 1885. There is no period after the Dr in Dr Pepper.

~The armadillo is the official state mammal.

For those of you that think Texas is all flat desert...

~Texas has 90 mountains a mile or more high, with Guadalupe Peak in West Texas
at 8,751 feet being the tallest.

~Almost 10% of Texas is covered by forest which includes four national and five state forests.

And here are a few that I wish I hadn't learned...

~There are 5,000 types of snakes and 4,998 of them live in Texas.

~There are 10,000 types of spiders. All 10,000 of them live in Texas.

SAN MARCOS

~San Marcos is located on the Interstate 35 corridor, between San Antonio which is 30 miles to the south, and Texas' State Capital Austin (a.k.a. 'The Live Music Capital of the World') 30 miles to the north, and the beautiful Texas Hill Country to the west.

~Founded on the banks of the San Marcos River, the upper river flows through Texas State University and San Marcos, and is a popular recreational area.

~The San Marcos River flows at a constant temperature around 72° F and at about 155 cfs minimum, making it fun for paddling and floating pretty much year around.

TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY

~Lyndon B. Johnson was educated at Texas State University.

~The main campus in San Marcos serves as the location of the fictional school TMU (Texas Methodist University) in the NBC TV series Friday Night Lights.

~The river is also a popular option for swimming, tubing, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, snorkeling and scuba diving, and even riding in a glass bottom boat at the university's fabulous Aquarena Center.

~In 1920, Texas State adopted its first official mascot, the Bobcat.

~The Bobcat didn't get a name until 1964. At that time, Beth Greenless won the "Name the Bobcat" contest with the name Boko the Bobcat.

♥Chantal