Preparing for my ILP adventure

Guys! You have im sure heard by now of my latest venture. I have every intention of keeping a details account of this amazing experience!

My (newest) grand adventure is just around the corner! In about a month im going to be leaving for Kiev Ukraine for several months and I couldn't be more excited. I have decided to volunteer through ILP, or International Language Program. My decisions to serve through ILP is something I've wanted to do for a long time, however only recently has it been made possible. You see even though I am serving others abroad, there is still a program fee to pay that covers your flights, visa, housing and three meals a day. It covers a few other things as well. I had planned to go two years ago to China, however that fell through due to lack of money. This time around my goal has been made possible and IM GOING. Its such a blessing to get to go, I am very much looking forward to it.

When I first started looking into programs that would take me abroad to live and experience life and culture elsewhere, I didn't know where to start. Its a little scary trying to find a program that is deemed real, affordable or basically not a scam. So when I started hearing good things about ILP I started looking into it more. After just a little digging around I discover it is based out of Orem Utah- thats right, pretty much the honesty goldmine of the United States. I dug a little more and discovered this was just an absolutely fantastic little organization, so I jumped right in. I sent in an application and the rest is history...

... well actually my own story was not quite that simple. After my first failed attempt I waited about a year until my circumstances started to look skyward again. I had recently returned home from the trip of a lifetime, my dream trip - a road trip with my little sister to Ireland. I know right? Nothing can top that. But I came home bitten by the bug- the bug containing an incurable virus that fills your mind and soul with the irresistible itch to explore and travel, to learn and to grow. Essentially- the travel bug. So I started looking back into ILP again. It didn't take me long to decide this was definitely something I wanted to do, so one afternoon while chilling at home I filled out the application and sent it in...

...step 1- Submit application- complete.

Now was the wait. The anguishing thoughts and worries- "will I be accepted?" "will it be hard?" and so on. It didn't take long and I had my first interview set up and it went as smoothly as a freshly zambonied ice rink.

Then the second interview

Then another long agonizing wait. Then finally... finally, the email came. The acceptance email. The one that says "congratulations, you have been accepted into the ILP Program..." or you know, something like that.

step 2-  get accepted - complete.

Now the hardest step of all - the wait. 
You see, I had completed the application and interview process clear back in October of '14. I applied for the fall semester of '15. I had a year to wait. I'll tell you what.... that's a horribly long amount of time. The only reason I didn't go crazy is because I simply threw it on the back burner. There was not a lot I could do right at the moment, I was so very far away from my departure semester I just had to wait it out.

Fast forward several months. We are now into 2015 and life is chugging along ever so evenly. My awaiting adventure is all but forgotten at this point when one afternoon I get an email from my ILP advisor informing me it was time to start *thinking* about getting some stuff done. She sent me a list of things I could start working on over the course of the next several months, so naturally I got them done ASAP... as in that weekend (im telling you guys, I was EX...CITE...ED) I went and got passport photos taken, signed up for weekend to go and learn from the ILP staff and so on.


Then I had to wait for it to all play out.
I went to training- it was awesome.
I completed my online additional training- that was awesome. Guys we have so much to learn about teaching kids!
I completed my travel documents (one of your next steps). I answered the questionare and visited the Dr.
And ultimately I waited for my ILP coordinator to confirm I had done everything I needed to compete... now I sit, and I wait for that wonderful time in September when I get to board a plane headed across the Atlantic.

 And this brings me to the main point of my here little blog post.

When you decide to go on one of these grand adventures, cost is of concern right? It always is. So when you hear ILP is $2520 or so with flight, housing, food and visa included you get pretty excited! That is a steal, and it really really is. I just wanted to point out to you guys, in case you didnt think about it, that there ARE other costs along the way. And here are some of them.

Passport photos- they are going to need several photos taken professionally, or passport style from your local Walgreen's for visa applications. This is about $20

Then of course shipping for that, unless you happen to live in Utah, in which case lucky you. But to ship mine was about $10

Then you've got training to go to. Again, if you live in Utah lucky you. I had to drive several hour's for my training, I ended up spending about $60 in gas.

You need to go to the Dr and get HIV and Gonorrhea tested. Sometimes you can find places that will do it for free, and sometimes your insurance will cover it. I also had to get a recent shot, so my Dr bill ended up being about $150. Just know this is a possibility.

Then of course you've got to get insurance while your abroad. Sometimes your insurance will cover you to the extent needed, but chances are they don't, so you need to purchase it through ILP. That'll be $100

Now you've gotta start thinking about what your gonna take. Which country are you going to, what supplies and stuff do you need? Any essential items to take? There sure are. For me ive ended up picking up things like

Russian phrasebook - $10
Eastern Europe travel guide book - $10
New walking boots that are waterproof - $100
Electrical Converters - $10
im picking up a protective passport case - $10
Shoes to wear IN the school (some schools require it) - $50
Supplies that may not get donated - $25-$125

so on and so forth. You get the idea. I just wanted to give you a frame of mind of things that could add up. So don't look at that program fee and set that as your earnings goal. You've gotta shoot higher! You'll have such a great time if you do.



Now back to our little story.... we are now in August. I leave in September. I have one month left and I am going crazy guys. Going crazy. My flight itinerary should be being sent in the next week or so and im freaking out. I know the second I get that its all going to become just so much more real.   I am so ready for this adventure. Step 3 is ALMOST complete! This is going to be such a grand adventure, im totally stoked!

This is MY ILP adventure!

'Til next time folks!