Essays

We still had to do the actual application to study abroad to the university which included an essay about how I would benefit from an extranational experience and then we had to apply and write another essay about essentially the same thing for the Magellan Exchange program. I didn't use the same essay! That would be wrong of me!
The application to my university's exchange cost $50, but it didn't irk me at all because the money would go towards the mandatory travel insurance ($1 per day). The only way the $50 could screw you is if you didn't end up leaving.
The Magellan Exchange application fee, however, was ludicrous! $250! I could already see I would have to work pretty hard prior to leaving in order to live somewhat comfortably over there.
Fortunately, Washburn University offers scholarships for international travel.
Unfortunately, the scholarships all required essays as well. The essay for Washburn had to use the country to which you planned on going as a topic, and I know I'm on the opposite side of the majority of students, but I think that the second essay should have been done even without a scholarship. I think it's important to know about the country in which you're about to spend a semester. I wanted to do mine on the Euro and it's history and use, but nooooo Gabby had already chosen that and she started already (I totally called it first, don't listen to her).
Being a gentleman, I relented and instead did my paper on the history of the Netherlands.