This is serious business... I call it, "Destination Europe"

I've been in Italy for months now, and loving it! Today is a New Year, and as much as I don't want to think about what I will do after leaving Italy, I found a solution, and it's a brilliant one... to stay in Italy longer! Haha!

I was browsing the Embassy of Italy's (based in Canada) website today and found that the Government of Italy offers short-term (1-9 month) scholarships to Canadians wishing to pursue further studies in Italy, such as culture, music, art, history, and to my fortune, language! In addition to being able to study in Rome, Perugia, or Siena, the scholarship offers a stipend of 700Euro per month.

So, being the diligent, clever, witty girl that I am (the list goes on and on... tee hee), I sent off a short but sweet email to the Consulate in Vancouver this morning, requesting more information for this scholarhsip. I believe the application deadline is April 2007, for commencement of studies Fall 2007, which is just around the time when my current visa expires. Perfect timing, you say?! Perhaps so! :o) Hopefully I will get a quick response so I can start preparing my application, which unfortunately, means having to contact high school and university for official transcripts (I really don't want the Consulate to see my pathetic grades from school, but, what can I do about that! :op) I would also need to obtain a few letters of recommendation from teachers, and their preference is for letters of recommendation from recognized Italian institutions, which makes my life a whole lot easier, since I never formally studied Italian in Canada. All I would need to do is contact the Director at Istituto il David, and maybe a few of my teachers, and have them write the letters for me.

So, on the first day of a New Year, I've decided my resolution is ..... to stay in Italy as long as I possibly can! Let's hope it comes true.

kc