Here it is....the much-anticipated and highly exciting blog of my travels abroad this semester! I'm excited about sharing my adventures and thoughts with the internet world, but I'm still not convinced that I'm "cool" enough for anybody to care about what I'm doing! That's part of the reason why this blog will include lots about food...who doesn't care about that??
I will be leaving on Sunday from the Birmingham airport at 1:05 pm. I honestly cannot believe that it is almost here...I have been planning and talking about Spain for what seems like a lifetime. Since I made the decision (and it was not an easy one, let me tell you) to spend my semester in Granada, I have been faced with an unbelievable amount of questions. Where are you going? What are you going to be doing? How long will you be there? Are you excited? Are you going to miss your friends and family (DUH)? The list could go on for days. I've loved every minute of these conversations, but I definitely have a favorite question to answer.
That question is....Why?
Why study abroad? Why leave everything you know, your comfort zone, and all of your friends and family?Why go to a country where you aren't fluent in the language? I honestly struggled to formulate an answer at first. But now I've got it...or part of it at least. I'm searching. Searching for knowledge about other countries, cultures, languages (and food...). Searching for more of myself. Searching for something beautiful. One of my favorite authors, Donald Miller (Blue Like Jazz...if you haven't read it, stop reading this and go read it now...I can guarantee his writing far surpasses mine!) sums up a lot with this: "Everybody has to leave. Everybody has to leave their home and come back so they can love it again for all new reasons." I fully expect to fall in love with Spain, but I am also hoping to find the beauty in America and in my own life. I'm searching to find something beautiful...MY something beautiful, whatever it may be.
So, read along and I'll share the stories, the food, the pictures, and all the beauty as I travel to Spain and beyond. It is bound to be the journey of a lifetime.
Hi Shannon! I'm excited about your blog, it's off to an awesome start! I don't read blogs, but I can assure you I will be reading yours. And there is no doubt that you are "cool" enough for anyone to care about what you are doing, although I may be just a little biased...I will be tuning in, so to speak, for every entry. I hope your search for YOUR something beautiful is very fruitful - I have a feeling it will be! I look forward to sharing everything with you. You are an excellent writer as well as an excellent person, and I am eagerly anticipating the details of your journey. Have a safe trip - love to you from all of us!
ReplyDeleteGod is not a magic bullet... Have fun in Spain. You won't regret it. When I went to France, it was the experience of a lifetime. I will never forget the friends I made and the fun I had while I was there. I don't know if you went with people from your school, but even if you didn't, you will share a bond with them forever that no one else can comprehend (even those of us who have also studied abroad). Our French group still reminisces about the times we had there and one person even made a documentary of our trip. I guarantee that you will never experience anything quite like this again, so embrace it with your heart and soul. Also, be prepared to dream about Spain constantly when you get back. And, if you start feeling homesick, there's always McDonald's (and international cell phones). Finally, being immersed into a culture that doesn't speak your native language is the best way to learn a new one. Before you know it, you'll be thinking and dreaming in Spanish. I love you and I hope you have an amazing time!
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