<center>Stiletto Soul: Preparing for Durham, UK</center>

From no passport to world traveller: March-August

It was the same-old, same-old at the beginning of 2011. Life was a simple continuation of the prior year, except I was taking graduate courses at the University of New Mexico (UNM) and working for the Federal Aviation Administration. I am not going to lie here, I was bored. This was not the life for me; something needed to change. It was time for some adventure in my life. Little did I know that every door would be opening to England.

The idea of going abroad started with one of my good friends, Chelsea, who had been accepted for a semester abroad at the University of Leeds. I sat at work thinking to myself, "Let's be real, nothing is happening here in Albuquerque, and you have always wanted to leave New Mexico. Why not (study abroad)?" From that moment, every chance I had I would research my options and began by contacting the Study Abroad office at UNM. I was able to check out the available universities for student exchange. The University of Leeds was on the list and seemed like the ideal option. I would be following in Chelsea's footsteps the term after she would have gone.

Chelsea and me at the Aria in Las Vegas, NV (hmmm maybe I should blog about that trip as well...)

A few days later, I get a message from my friend Jess, who got word that I wanted to study abroad in England. She told me that she had received a soccer, excuse me, I mean football scholarship to Durham University. She was applying for the Master's in Management program, which would take one year to complete. Durham University is a top 3 university in England, with a beautiful landscape, friendly locals, and diverse community. It didn't take her long to convince me to apply for full admissions.

Jess and me at the New Inn

Once I knew what I wanted, I worked night and day to figure out the logistics of applying and travel to Durham. The first step in this adventure of mine was to get a passport. In years past, my traveling had been limited to the United States. I had been to Mexico once, when I was younger, but New Mexicans really don't consider a trip to Mexico as going to another country. I had also created a contact with Across the Pond, which is a great advisory tool to assist you in applying for overseas universities (both in EU and US). If you sign up online, you will be allocated a contact that will help answer your questions, remind you of visa deadlines, and work with the university to which you are applying to increase your chances of being accepted. The best part about this service is it's free! Free = my language!

Application for my passport was simple, but the visa was in a whole different ballpark! Not only does buying a passport cost you $140, but a UK Tier 4 student visa costs £255 ($404.02), and you must be sure you have filled out the application correctly! You are only given two chances to get the unorganized list of paperwork filled out and completed by the deadline, or the UK Border Agency will reject your application without a refund. To a poor college student, that is big bucks! After consulting with Across the Pond and looking over my completed paperwork countless times, I mailed my visa packet to the UK Border Agency in New York. Within days, I received an e-mail saying that my packet was incomplete and I needed to send the remaining materials ASAP, or my application would be rejected. I looked over the materials they were requesting and was hardly amused. They had asked that I send materials required from students from 'high-risk' countries, i.e. Mexico, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc. The person who was dealing with my paperwork obviously needs a map of the United States. For all of those who do not know, including the dude working on my visa, New Mexico is in fact one of the 50 States.

After sending the requested information, along with an e-mail explaining the statehood of New Mexico to the UK Border Agency, I was issued my visa. I then had to play the waiting game with DU on my acceptance. About a month of waiting, I received an e-mail at work saying:

Dear Alicia Barry

MA in Management

Thank you for your application for a place on the above MA Programme.

I am delighted to inform you that our Admissions Committee are happy to make you an offer of a place on the programme starting in October 2011.

Right then and there I got on Student Universe to book a one-way flight to Newcastle. There was no turning back.

Student Universe is a great website to find deals on flights. My flight to Newcastle was just over $700 (which is much less than competing sites).

September

I was scheduled to leave Albuquerque two days after my birthday. Of course my Dad was telling me it wasn't too late for me to change my mind on leaving for England. But nothing could change my mind, I needed an adventure, so I started to pack my life into three suitcases, one being a shoe-case.

The weekend before I left, I had one, final night out in the 505 to celebrate my birthday. This was the first time my brother, Marcus, has gone out with me since he turned 21 earlier that year, so I had to show him the splendor that is Nob Hill. We checked out the usual sites, Monte Vista and Imbibe. I saw many of my friends out, which was nice to see them all before I left.

Marcus and me at Imbibe

Theresa, Steph and me at Monte Vista

Craig and Enrique "Quique"

Staci and Me: The Birthday Girls!

Tarrah and Me: Big and Little

Cortney, Staci, Steven, Me, Aaron, Will S. and Will C.

Rey and I making a dramatic embrace at Monte Vista

Emma, Jaimee, Meg and Me at Monte Vista

Me, a couple of Marcus' friends, Marcus and Roxanne at Imbibe

Steph, Kayla and I at Imbibe

That Sunday before I left, my parents threw me a going away/birthday party. Family and friends came over to our house to hang out and have some grilled burgers and hot dogs. It was great to see so many people, I am so blessed!

My Daddy grilling (on his new grill)

Arielle, me, Jamie and baby Elijah

Made with love by Mom

Some of my friends who were able to stop by!

Steph and I summing up our friendship

September 27

Depart: Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ), 1100 September 27, 2011
Arrive: Newcastle International Airport (NCL), 1120 September 28, 2011

It was finally the day that I leave the good ol' U.S.A. We left our house at around 8:30am so that we could collect Marcus from UNM, he had a lecture that couldn't be missed. Once we got to the airport parking lot, I had to say goodbye to my Honda CR-V. This is the last time I would see my car. Sad days. It would be an entire year until I was able to see a car bigger than the size of golf cart, with the steering wheel on the left side, and actually drove on the right hand side of the road. I never knew I would miss driving so much. You have to walk everywhere in England, uphill, both ways, in the rain and snow... or just take the bus! ha!