Studying Abroad

Why do they make this so difficult?! In theory, it sounds simple. Go to school in a foreign country, come back. But NO. No, no, no, no, no. Let me tell you. They want you to jump through HOOPS GALORE to get yourself overseas. 

So here's the dilemma. 

CSUF has an exchange program with a college in Wales. They send theatre students HERE in fall and we send students THERE in spring. I wanted to go 2nd semester of  my junior year (spring 2010.) Alas, this creates a problem. I have a 3-part Directing track I must complete in order to graduate. 

This includes:

Fundamentals of Directing A (offered in both Fall and Spring)

Fundamentals of Directing B (offered only in the Spring) 

and Advanced Directing (which I will be taking Fall of my senior year.)

Break that down according to my timeline:

Fall 2009- Directing A

Spring 2010- Directing B

Fall 2010- Advanced Directing

Spring 2011- GRADUATION!

SO. Why is this a problem? Well, if I am in WALES spring semester of my junior year, I am not at CSUF to take my required Directing B course, and THIS is what happens:

Fall 2009- Directing A

Spring 2010- WALES

Fall 2010.....ooops

Spring 2011- Directing B

Fall 2011- Advanced Directing

Because they are pyramid style classes (they build upon each other,) if I don't take my Directing B course, I can't take my Advanced Directing course the following fall. I would have to wait til spring 2011 to take the Directing B in order to take Advanced. 

Long story short, I would have to subject myself to an extra semester of college, at the least. Not cool. 

BUT this wouldn't be a problem if our students went in the FALL instead of in the SPRING. Why not? Well, it would look like THIS:

Spring 2009- Directing A

Fall 2009- WALES

Spring 2010- Directing B

Fall 2010-Advanced Directing

Spring 2011- GRADUATION!

Because Directing A is offered both semesters, I can shuffle things around. 

Thus begins my journey to get myself to Wales in the FALL of 2009. This involves meetings with several advisors, lots of internet research, e-mails back and forth, and loads of frustration. AKA HOOPS. 

But mark my words, I WILL study abroad. And I WILL graduate in Spring 2011.  

bleh.