Alaska Schedule AND GLASGOW!

The schedule for our lovely Alaska vacation has pretty much been finalized. I'm so excited. TWO WHOLE WEEKS OFF OF WORK!!

Day One: Fly to Anchorage, AK.
Day Two: Leave Anchorage and drive to Kenai Peninsula.
Day Three: Kenai Peninsula.
Day Four: Kenai Peninsula.
Day Five: Kenai Peninsula.
Day Six: Leave Kenai Peninsula and drive to Girdwood.
Day Seven: Girdwood.
Day Eight: Leave Girdwood and drive to Talkeetna.
Day Nine: Talkeetna.
Day Ten: Leave Talkeetna and drive to Denali National Park.
Day Eleven: Denali National Park.
Day Twelve: Denali National Park.
Day Thirteen: Leave Denali National Park and drive to Anchorage.
Day Fourteen: Fly home.

I think that sounds like a pretty nice trip! It doesn't seem like we'll be running around/driving too much like we did one year in Canada. We're going during the summer so there won't be any night, meaning we won't see the Northern Lights which kind of bums me out because I think they would be absolutely amazing to see! Oh well...guess that's just an excuse to go back.

I have two upcoming trips I hope to plan for the spring:
1. Visiting my friend Allison in Chicago, IL where she is going for grad school.
2. Visiting my friend Meg in Columbus, OH where she is going for grad school. Hopefully my friend Bri will come too. These ladies were my roommates from when I studied abroad in Ireland in 2006. They're pretty awesome and I'm so glad I've been able to keep in touch with them. We've been trying to see each other once a year. In 2007 we met in Saratoga Springs, NY, in 2008 we celebrated New Years in Cape Cod, MA, and last year we tried to meet up in Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN where Bri goes to grad school. I made it but Meg's flight was canceled for snow. That weekend led to my first awful adventure trying to get home. Therefore I have a feeling a spring trip might be better.


Great news regarding Scotland - I've been accepted to University of Glasgow! I'm so excited!!! Still waiting to hear back from University of Edinburgh and University of Birmingham. I CAN'T WAIT!

Applications

My applications for graduate school abroad have officially been filled out! I submitted my applications to University of Edinburgh (2 programs - Gender History and Social and Cultural History), Glasgow (a general History program you can sort of tailor to your preferences and specialize in your own thing), and Birmingham (International Studies general program) last week and mailed out some application materials on Friday. I have no idea how long it's going to take to hear back - hopefully about just a month - but I can view the status of my Glasgow and Edinburgh applications online so that's helpful. Please cross your fingers. I got great letters of recommendation from my professors and I hope I wrote a few good personal statements. The university I'm most worried about getting into is Edinburgh...they state the normal GPA is a 3.4 usually for undergrad and I had a 3.36...I do however have a 4.0 from my grad coursework so maybe that will count for something.

If this grad school thing does work out, I've got a lot of money to start saving! It wouldn't be too bad if it wasn't for the conversion to the pound...that pretty much doubles everything. I'm thinking I need about $30,000. Not sure if that's possible. I'll definitely need a loan. Any federal loan recommendations I can use abroad?

A few interesting things coming up while I wait - this weekend we're celebrating my cousin Kelly's birthday with a 'roast' and next weekend is my friend Caitlin's wedding. The following Thursday is my birthday! 23. Old.