01 August: Blogging Habits (beta)

I planned to blog my EuMI life at least 2 lines per day. The beginning of the month is a good day to start my blogging habits. For the summary of each day's blog, read the first line of each paragraph.

Last Friday, I got a pack of letters from University of Edinburgh. It contains documents about matriculation, international student advice, graduate student advice, and some welcome party registration form. I have read it through on last weekend and will post some useful detail here after this hectic week.

I bought a running shoe form Adidas yesterday. Super Nova control 10 numbered 9 1/2 is my shoe. After using it once in the morning, it is worthwhile for its 3,170 THB expense. (It is actually 4,170 THB, but I have turned in my old shoe to get the discount of 1,000 THB.) The photo of it can be found in my blog in Thai.

I went to the NAiST lab and had been assigned to write a paper on my work on Tree Editor. It is my effort to create the tree editor on the web platform which does not need any special program (except Firefox browser) installed. The paper will be presented on SNLP 2007 held by my laboratory, so I have 14 days from now to write it. I may not be able to present it since the conference will be held in the end of this year. However, it happen to held on my Christmas break and they provide me the expense on plane, I may come.

In the late evening, I go shopping again for an electric shaver. I always want one since I found the documentary about shaving on either Discovery Channel or National Geographic Channel. Since I can shave quickly and safer without using foam or water, it may help me to shave often. If anyone in Thai and know me, they usually found me unshaved especially in the busy week. It cost me 1,470 THB since it is a rechargeable one which I prefer since I can use the unlimited electricity in my house at EDI. It is warranted for two years, internationally. Its photo can be found in my blog in Thai.

My website project: A is goes well. In this Friday, I will submit the work and get 5,000 THB to pay my expenses.

ED's Student card

I've e-mailed to Judith yesterday asking about student card application. Tanin and Ravi had got the application already, but I have not received it.

Judith said that it is not the urgent issue. Anyway, she passed my query to the Registry. The student card will be issued upon my arrival at ED.

To the Embassy of United Kingdom...

On last Friday (6 July), I've got mail form Judith*. It is the official letter of scholarship stating detail about the programme, the scholarship, the insuarance. (Yes, we've got the medical insurance from ACE Insurance from 3 months prior the programme until 3 months after programme end.) There are two (slightly different) copies of it, one is in the official paper of School of Informatics and the other is in EuMI.

* Judith Gordon is the Admission Co-ordinator at Informatics Graduate School, ED.

Below is the selected content of the letter in the School of Informatics paper:

ERASMUS MUNDUS PROGRAMME

To the Embassy of United Kingdom
For visa applications purpose

The European Master in Informatics School wishes to inform that the students indicated below have been awarded the scholarship to enrol in the Master programme in Informatics within the European Erasmus Mundus EuMI (European Master in Informatics). The students will receive two master degrees, on in Edinburgh, United Kingdom, and one in Italy from University of Trento, or Germany, RWT Aachen.

This programme is funded by the European Community to promote mobility between European Universities of non-EU students; in the case in point between the University of Treno, University of Aachen and University of Edinburgh.
The Programme lasts 2 years with the following mobility:
and the mobility scheme which foresees period in:
...
University of Edinburgh (September 2007 - May 2008) and
University of Aachen (June 2008 - July 2009) and
University of Edinburgh (August 2009 - September 2009)-
...

Each student receives:
€ 21.000 per each year, for 2 years, total 42.000, minus € 6.300 for enrolment and fees per each year, 21.000 - 6.300 = € 14.700 net per year
Medical Insurance from the ACE Insurance, valid 3 months prior to departure and 3 months after programme ending (3 months + 2 years + 3 months)

Accommodation is guaranteed in Edinburgh, UK, as well as in Italy and in Germany, which is organized by the competent University Guild

Normally, the Academic year starts the first week of September; students need to be in Europe the last week of August or the first week of September

Object: List of the EuMI students of the 4th cohort - 2007:
...

Thank you for your attention on this matter,
Best Regards
Judith Gordon
EuMi Admissions Co-ordinator
Informatics Graduate School
University of Edinburgh
...

International Driving Permit

Today, I went to apply for International Driving Permit. It is successfully done.

See more detail on my blog in Thai.

UK Visa application and tracking

According to the letter from Ms. Gordon, I've applied for UK visa n 21 June. The document preparation can be found in UK visa entry. I've provided following support documents:

1. TOEFL score
2. Letter of scholarship acceptance from EuMI school (The one that Mr. Valenzin e-mail me to sign and send the paper back.)
3. My dad & mom bank book
4. My transcript

The website said that some document does not need the photocopy, but the officer actually to have me make a photocopy of everything! That cost me three times higher cost! (of general photocopy service, and six times higher than those in my university) In addition, I have just quit monkhood, which make me skin-headed. They let me take new photo there. (4 photos for 250 THB. Normally, I can take 12 photos for 100 THB. T.T) The real worry is at the time I fly, I may have my hair grown, and that won't look like the photo in the visa.

Here are some recommendations for UK visa request in Thailand:

• Don't go to the Embassy. The visa office is in another place.
  
• Wake up very early to have an early queue.
  
• Buy bank draft from any bank that sells you. Buying there is dally. The bank that sells (as far as I know): UOB, Thaharn Thai
  
• Prepare a real and a photocopy of your census registration and any name changing document or marriage documents (if any). (They do not tell us in the website, but they recommend me to provide everything I have in order to support my application.)
  
• Prepare the bank book. (Get the good one.)
  
• Photocopy EVERYTHING! They will keep the photocopy.
  
• Take your photo at normal 2 inches size. Take it near the time of application, so you will still be the same.
  

After interrogations, they accepted my application and have me got biometrics data collected. The collection process is quite easy: taking a digital photo, and finger print scan. It is about 5 minutes.

I've tracked my application for 3 days now. Current status is as follow: (some ID information is deleted form this screenshot.)


The silly thing is when I try to use the tracking system in Thai language, it appears that the programmer forgot the "submit" button. :D

Things to copy

There are many things that you should take copies of it with you:

1. Passport
2. Photo
3. Transcripts
4. Degree Certification
5. Letter of Acceptance & related forms
   

And many things that you should leave copies behind:

1. ID card
2. Census registration
3. Signed bank's withdrawal form
4. Passport
5. Credit card
   

Leave them with the most trustful person.