i heart Facebook

Some very industrious future classmates of mine started earlier this year a group on Facebook called "IE MBA November 2010 Intake," and I cannot tell you what a resource it has already been. For example, this past Friday afternoon I posted a question on the group wall asking who else was signing up for the SANITAS health care plan. 21 comments and a new post later (all in a 4 day time frame, 2 if you don't count the weekend) we have helped each other to figure out what this service is exactly offering to IE students. 

Similar discussions on scholarship and visa application procedures have been hashed out on other threads. Since the school offices are sometimes overloaded with emails, this Facebook group has definitely become the fastest way to get information on our upcoming MBA program, in my opinion.

The only thing I'm going to be a little hesitant posting advice on is  regarding the apartment search (at least until my abode is secured). I feel like any edge I get on that with my budget is like finding gold! I am very excited to get the apartment hunt over with.

Now, off to read the new forum discussion on summer internships...

health insurance and moving vans

Every free moment I have in this last week at home is being spent with my family, but when they're off doing their own things, like this morning, I am doing more b-school preparations so that when I get to Italy I can vacation a little! This morning, I am almost done finalizing my health insurance through SANITAS. They have been great about replying right away, but everything takes more time right now with my seven hour time difference with Spain. 

Other emails to get out today are going to the moving company I'm contracting to move the stuff I accumulated living three years in Italy to Madrid. I was going to rent a car and do it myself, but according to ViaMichelin, I would spend around $300 USD just on gas and tolls one way! And I would of had to rent the car in Italy and return it there because one way rentals are ridiculously expensive. Plus, the drive is a long 15 hours, 30 round trip! So, for around the same expense, I'm paying someone else to drive it all there! I'm going with a company I found online - Speedy Movers S.r.l. It's hq-ed in Rome. I will be able to comment on the service in October. I hope it all goes well and that there will no surprise fees as there often are when contracting a service in Italy...