Pre-Departure:
After a nerve wracking few weeks of waiting, the news came from Grenoble that I had been accepted for the 2013 Summer School program, and the administrative process accompanying travel soon began.
First on the agenda was to book flights, as this is a prerequisite before one is able to apply for a Visa. Fortunately, the trip to France warranted a slightly larger travel bursary from Stellenbosch University, and I was quickly able to find an Air France flight online.
Appointments for Visa applications at the French Consulate need to be made well in advance, especially during the busy June/July season. Only being able to find a slot two weeks after I had called the consulate, I applied for my Visa a mere ten days before my flight was due to depart. Trying to disguise nervousness, I arrived with all of my supporting documents (some of them printed in triplicate)- acceptance letters from Grenoble, proof of accommodation, travel insurance and flight details. Thanks to the notorious efficiency of the French, the process of Visa approval and delivery took no more than a week, which was a great relief.
