Just had my intake!!!

Okay guys, I am VERY happy to say: I FINALLY had my intake at the VUMC genderteam! (wooot!)

For the people who didn't follow what happened, there were issues with my medical records, which caused the intake to be postponed. If you want to know the details please check out: http://thetranshippie.blogspot.nl/2014/07/a-little-status-update.html

I sent the Genderteam like four emails asking whether the refferal letter was enough, and if they could please reply, I got nothing but a complete radio silence. Because I am terrified of calling, I thought mailing would be fine, but since they didn't answer even after four emails and four weeks waiting, I realized I really HAD to give them a call, no matter how much I dreaded it.
I first called them saturday, but got a tape saying they couldn't answer until monday, oops, yes, of course, that makes total sense. So monday I quickly called them again. Shaking and with sweaty palms I explained what was going on to the lady on the telephone, after which she expressed her understanding of my frustrations, and suggested to re-send the "machtiging" paper. I agreed and hung up.
Just a mere minute later I got a call, it was the VU again, same lady, saying they already appeared to have a scan of a letter from my GP, so that they COULD in fact plan my intake. I am pretty certain this is the exact same scan as I sent them MYSELF four weeks ago. She first tried to plan me on thursday, but the computer gave an error, and I said I really preferred to be helped before the start of semester. She understood this and said there was in fact a free slot tomorrow (thus today) morning. A bit bewildered by how quick it suddenly went, after just ONE phone call, I happily agreed.
What have I learned from this? You may ask. That you can mail the VU a thousand times and not be heard, and they will only run for you when you call. So I advice to ANYONE just starting, like me, to CALL whenever they don't reply right away. I totally feel you on how terrible it is, but it REALLY works wonders, as you see.

Anyway, now onto the actual intake, which I had just a couple hours ago from the moment I write this.
They told me I had to arrive at 10, fill in some questionnaires, take a picture, and have a talk with a psychologist. Everything went exactly that way.
I arrived 30 minutes late due to traffic, but it was no problem, and almost right away when I walked in I could start the questionnaire, and have my photo taken. (I was really nervous. When they asked me for my birthdate I didn't even know it, I was that stressed, lol) The questions varied from factual (what is your nationality, how old are you, have you had this, this or this illness) to quite personal (do you masturbate, do you have sexual dreams, have you been abused in your childhood in this, this or this way), and many of them where exactly the same, just formulated differently. Anyway, it wasn't such a big deal, I finished in about 40 minutes.
After that I returned the questionnaire and had a short talk with an MTF girl who recognised me, but we had only sat down and started to talk for like a minute or so when my name (my surname!) was called again, by the psychologist this time.
She was very nice and respectful, by no means 'forcing' me into specific answers, and explaining the time span and nature of the trajectory once again (I already knew most of it, but it's nice to hear it from an actual living being too). She basically went over the questionnaire questions once more, and wrote down the more detailed answers I gave. Actually after I got over my initial fear I kinda liked it to talk with someone about these things, her understanding attitude made me feel more at ease than I would have expected.
She said she thought I was in the right place, and unless I would suddenly develop depression, doubt, phobias or other issues the diagnostic phase would most likely be sorted out relatively quickly. (6 months MINIMUM, maximum... as much as is needed.), after which I can start the so-called "real-life phase" where I will get male hormones and am required to live as male full-time (hah, lol, I plan to do so before the start of the official real life phase, thank you), at that point I will also be able to change my legal name and sex to Male and Erik (she said I could also do it now, but it would cost me over 200 euro's, whereas it would be 65 later). When the real life phase is successful, and I have been in it for AT LEAST a year, I will be allowed to get surgeries. Most likely I will take the top, and won't take the phallo, due to rather disappointing results, and maybe the meta if my anatomy allows for it, but I don't exclude anything now. (Top= chesticle removal, phallo/meta/bottom= penis creation) I told her this as well, and she said that won't be a problem, and I can decide for myself which treatments I want/don't want.
After that she said the approximate waiting list for the first talk right now is 3 to 6 months, and they will give me a call when it's my turn.

So folks, that's it. THAT WAS IT. Not much of a big deal in the end. But I am very glad I have it behind me now and can start waiting for the start of the ACTUAL diagnostic process. Overall it left me feeling very good, and I know a lot of people aren't happy with the VU, but SO FAR I am quite content and I don't recognise much of other people's complains (yet?). I hope it will stay this way. :)


On another, slightly offtopic note, I have a question for all of you.
As many of you know I will be starting my new study (illustration!) as Erik. However, as ALL of you probably know, I am still pre-hormones, which means I look and especially SOUND quite feminine/young for a dude of 19 yrs. I am rather torn about what I should tell my classmates, some people suggest to just say I have a "hormone problem" (which basically IS true... in a certain way) and just tell good friends I'm born a girl, the psych at the VU, however, suggested me to just tell them as soon as possible, since people might gossip behind my back and give me more shit for it when I'd actuall be open about it.
However, my 'problem' with this is that it is 1) FCKING SCARY and 2) I don't want to become "that transperson" or even worse: "That dude who is actually a girl", I just want to be a NORMAL (and kinda crazy, geeky and alternative) guy, not "That guy who was born a girl" or "that girl who says she's a guy". However saying I have a hormone problem feels a lot like lying.
What should I do? And IF I should tell them, when? Right away? After a while? When they ask??