BLOG HAS MOVED.......

Please note Little Miss Massey's adventures have been relocated to http://littlemissmassey.wordpress.com/

Click on the link to follow what she gets up to across the pond..... 

Tufts Student ID Preview

This is a preview of my student ID card.

I've now uploaded my photo in preparation for my Tufts ID, it all helps to make it more real but still feels somewhat remote, if that can make sense. Its the same photo as used for my visa as similar requirements however this is why I am not smiling (as this is not permitted for the visa). It does look somewhat like I am about to be put away for a while.

I sat at home last night and realised around 10:30pm that in 8 weeks time I would be landing in Boston... I felt an increasing mixture of excitement, fear, intrigue, interest and panic all rolled into one! 

The time is flying by, the juggling is getting slightly faster & more complicated as the list of jobs is getting longer and longer...!  All good fun!

Tufts Campus Map

Well folks this will be my new stomping ground...! Yes it's a map of Tufts campus. Unfortunately I'm not techie enough to be able to put arrows etc onto the map. However, if you look towards the bottom left corner (B3-4) there are two buildings side by side. One is the Boston School of Occupational Therapy and right next door is Tousey House.. my soon to be new home!  At least its not too far to travel in the Boston winter when the snow is on the ground - no more excuses for not getting in due to the adverse weather!

Jumping through hoops

The Visa Saga...

It all began quite simply by needing to supply an address for the documents to be sent to from Tufts. There is such a thing as an I-20 form which is 'THE' document required for the visa Tufts issue it and then send it by courier to the address supplied by the individual student. As the package requires a signature I felt it best to have it delivered to me at my work address.

Subsequently I had notification of the documents being sent and a tracking number with DHL (other couriers are available!!!) . So I duly tracked to find it had been delivered, quite quickly.  However after significant searching walking up and down the stairs to the post room, printing the proof of signature tracing the chap who signed for it, and finding parts of my workplace building which I didn't know existed it became apparent they had lost the package...!

So during a rain break at Queens tennis club I am calling the International Centre at Tufts University to have a very helpful lady reassure me they could print and send another I-20 form. An alternative address provided and more tracking, it was attempted delivery however no-one in. By now I needed the documents in my hand for reassurance. So, a detour on my journey home from work via Reading depot to collect this I-20 form.. Finally..... I don't think I have ever been so pleased to see a bright yellow and red cardboard envelope!

Unable to wait I opened it in the car there and then - PHEW.... the much awaited I-20 form along with 4 sides of A4 relating to the visa application process, a map of Tufts and a rapid transit transport map to peruse as well.

The following day it was a phone call to the embassy where I spoke to a lovely man with a Scottish accent
and booked my interview at the embassy.

Today I have spent much of the day sorting visa... from checking the specific photo requirements, having the photos taken (£5 each!), they are bigger than our passport photos must be American sizing!  The remainder of my day was taken up with declaring I haven't done anything naughty in my past and have no intentions of engaging in espionage or prostitution to name a few things whilst I am in the USA. Completing forms on line then checking and double checking I have dotted the i's and crossed the t's before my visa interview at the embassy on Wednesday..

Not too sure what to expect the American Embassy has that covered with a youtube video to tell you what to expect...  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzZOvF1EEXE&feature=c4-overview&playnext=1&list=TLVvHTQXNbrYs

Essentially I think the main message is there will be lots of waiting.... No electronic gadgets allowed in so I will be resorting to things such as taking a book/pen/paper all those now 'old fashioned' things that with the days of tablet computers and smart phones we aren't using quite so much!

Visa processing can take  3-5 days, 6 weeks or 9 months - here's hoping!!  Fingers crossed I have everything I need now and the man (or woman) at the embassy will say "YES" and all the jumping through hoops will have been worthwhile.

Another step along the way... Flight!

25th May 2013

Finally I have taken the leap and my flight is booked...! It has taken me a while to make my decision the dilemma was;

• Whether to fly return to Boston or make the leap and fly into Boston and out of San Francisco...! 

Well, in the end there wasn't really a decision to be made I cannot pass up the opportunity to explore the west coast whilst I am in the USA.

So I will fly into Boston in August 2013 and in 2014 will fly out of San Francisco - that way I have to head across and explore, which I am very excited about....

On the wish list of places to visit so far are....

• San Francisco including Golden Gate bridge, Alcatraz
• Yosemite national park
• Grand Canyon
• ?Las Vegas 
• ?Seattle 

I have only just begun looking and have many other things to focus on before then; most importantly my studies.  However I will enjoy planning my adventure and having some time at the end to unwind before heading back to the UK again. At least that is the plan for now.... BUT you never know what lies ahead....

Exciting times!

Tai's Tufts Scholarship Presentation

Upon returning from the scholarship experience in Boston the scholar is required to give a presentation to staff and students at Oxford Brookes University.

Tai completed her scholarship in 2011/12 and gave an inspirational presentation at Oxford Brookes on 21st May 2013.

I was invited to attend and caught the train across to Oxford. Tai very kindly picked me up from the station for us to travel to Oxford Brookes together. This gave us another opportunity to chat about the scholarship and the potential opportunities this brings.

Prior to the lecture I met Tai's lovely family (mum, dad and husband). The lecture itself was very confidently executed by Tai and was inspiring for me, giving me further information and greater insight into the next year or so ahead. For those who would like to look in more detail the lecture will be viewable on the Elizabeth Casson Trust website.

Following the lecture there was a small reception which provided an opportunity to network with those who attended. All very exciting with lots of questions about my progress towards my scholarship journey.

After the formal presentation and reception Tai, kindly invited myself and Nicole (Tufts student who had exchanged and been studying at Oxford Brookes as the reciprocal student for this year) to join herself, husband and parents for dinner.

The pub had ducks walking around the outside area and there were blue tits nesting in the wall mounted ash tray - a very English experience for our American student! . We had a fabulous evening eating dinner by the river at a lovely pub in Oxford. Great company, food, conversation and a couple of glasses of wine of course. A memorable evening for us all.

Elizabeth Casson

Elizabeth Casson was a doctor who worked with women who had mental illnesses.  In 1926 she became the first woman to gain a Doctorate at Bristol University.  “Elsie’, as she was known to her family, found that by taking groups of these women to a house on the Promenade at Bristol and encouraging them to carry out every day tasks such as gardening, cooking, sewing etc they made faster recovery.  She is therefore considered to be the founder of Occupational Therapy in the UK.  

When she died the house was sold. It had been called Dorset House.  The money from this sale was used to establish a Trust by her family which in turn purchased a building in Oxford which became the home of Dorset House School of Occupational Therapy, founded by Miss M MacDonald.  The students sat their first exams in 1938.  The school has now become part of the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences at Oxford Brookes University offering degrees in Occupational Therapy.

http://www.elizabethcasson.org.uk/www.elizabethcasson.org.uk/Elizabeth_Casson.html