The transfer experience… just thinking about those words is enough to stress a person completely. Transferring involves many things, but the major one is simply a change in environment. Living in Panama, people are very, very different than living in Tallahassee; trust me, cultural shock is a normal thing when you arrive there. It is probably a good idea for you to go see the capital of Florida before you transfer, that is if your parents are willing to let you do so. If they have doubts about the trip simply tell them you “need to find an apartment,” which is an excellent excuse.

     Tallahassee is a small town compared to Panama. People dress, act and behave differently, you simply have to adapt or make them adapt to you. When I went to Tally (as students call it), I saw people going to class and to the supermarket in their pajamas and they kept staring at me as if I was some kind of freak because I was well dressed. They also couldn’t believe I hung out wearing heels. I thought people were going to hate me simply because I was so completely different, but the opposite occurred. I made a lot of friends and I had so much fun I ended loving it. So if you feel out of place when you go to Tallahassee, don’t worry, after a while you get used to it, it is normal to feel awkward moving to a place so completely different.

     So now that you know what to expect when you get there, the big question that remains unanswered is what do you have to do to get there? The transfer process itself takes a while. After you decide that you’re going to Tallahassee, the first step is to go to the main office and ask Marlo for the transfer papers. These papers also include a health insurance form that is required for all students. The US requires all college applicants who are not US citizens to have a series of vaccines before going. I recommend you do this in good time, or you will end up like me with 5 injections in one day. The other thing is that several of these vaccines must be applied twice so you need to wait a certain time between one and the other and if you leave this for the last minute you might not be able to get the vaccine before leaving to Tallahassee. You can always get vaccinated there but it is a lot more expensive. So unless you like throwing away money and enjoy the administration office being on your case about your missing vaccines, get them here! You must complete the papers, and hand them back to Marlo. Trust me, the sooner you send them, the sooner these will be back.

     After you send the papers there is nothing you can really do about them, just wait for them to come back. It takes at least a month and a half, so be patient. The people who work in the Panama office have no control over when FSU Tallahassee is going to send the papers back, so don’t get angry with them. In the meanwhile you need to get your I-20 student visa. You need to get your visa in anticipation, especially if you are transferring in August because that’s when the majority of the students are also making visa appointments. Expect one month to be the normal time in which they give you an appointment. In order to get one you must first go to Bank Boston before 1 pm. When you get an appointment you have to pay 100 dollars, which are not refundable, even if they don’t give you the visa. I recommend you to get the appointment the latest you can because if the papers haven’t come back and the day of your appointment arrives you are in trouble. Getting a change in your appointment date because your papers haven’t arrived is very difficult, so it is just easier to get a later appointment.

     After you pay 100 dollars they give you a receipt. Save this, because without this they won’t attend you at the embassy. The day before the appointment you need to go from 1 to 3 pm to the embassy and give back the slip, your valid passport, a recent picture, an online formulary you need to fill out and the papers FSU gives you. Expect the interview to be similar to any other visa interviews. They will ask you about your parents, the college, what are your plans in the future, and other questions. They basically want to ensure that you won’t stay in the US after finishing college.

     Now you are done with all your paperwork, the next step is to find a place to live. In Tally you have an enormous selection of places. You can live in a dorm, but I wouldn’t recommend it, considering that they are quite small and you have to share a bathroom. Plus, they are not cheap. Apartment complexes that have both apartments and townhouses are your best choice if you want to be social. If you want your privacy you can rent houses, which basically cost the same. Expect to pay from 300 to 500 dollars per month, depending on the place. Some places include utilities (water, electricity, Internet, Cable, and trash pickup) in the cost and some come furnished, which is why price varies so much.

     Most students sign a yearly lease, which usually starts in August. Although the lease starts in August, the selection process takes a lot longer, and after looking at several apartments either in person or online, the person has to select which apartment they like. Usually to get an apartment in August you have to sign a lease between February and May. It is recommended that you sign the lease as soon as possible because apartment complexes usually have low rates at the beginning of the year and as the demand grows they increase the price. After you fill out the application, you need to get a public notary to sign it, and you can send it back to the complex. Usually you need to send a deposit that includes a refundable maintenance fee, which you can send by check.

     So now you are all set, you just need to buy your plane ticket, and leave. Hope this transfer guide has been helpful for you, and good luck with everything!


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