ahh the preparations

One month after I signed up for the trip to Russia for that fall I began the necessary and tedious preparation process. This included getting my passport, which basically meant going to the post office and getting a photo taken that was attached to the paper work. I also had to get a physical, check the online for travel advisories and stuff on recommended immunizations, the immunizations I got were typhoid, Hepatitis A and tetanus. Needless to say my insurance didn’t cover the procedure, and I wound up with two sore, swollen arms and $200 poorer. For the visa, a physical and HIV test were also required, which sucked because I’m not a fan of needles or blood. The visa paper work cost around $100. I was able to get a scholarship through the university to cover the difference.