With just over a month left before my flight to Spain (January 23rd!) I'm in pretty good shape with what I have already done. I have my passport and my visa, my deposits are paid, my flight is booked, I've preselected classes and living arrangements, I've done research and attended meetings about what will be different about life in Spain as compared to the U.S., and I've started saving money for what is sure to be an expensive semester.
My feelings about my upcoming semester abroad are very mixed at the moment. I have never left the country, for one, and doing so on my own for the first time and for such a long period of time is going to be a step outside my comfort zone. I know there will be bouts of homesickness and missing my family, friends, and dog. At the time time, though, I am so excited for this experience. I cannot wait to be part of a culture so different from my own and learn firsthand about how to adapt to such a change. So as I continue to prepare for Spain, I keep telling myself "It's going to be amazing," and that's all I can really do at this point!
The purpose of this blog is for me to write down and share my experiences while abroad to keep my friends and family at home updated on what is going on in my life. It will also be a way for me to record the experience for myself, so that when it's all over I can look back and remember all of the fantastic things I did, people I met, etc.
Adios!
