things to know before you go

There are so many things I didn’t factor in to the few months before I left.

It seems like every day my goal is to just get closer and closer to the date of departure. Every day I get a little more worried about meeting new people because I know I wont be able to form the kind of relationships I want with them in the short time before I leave. I get anxious as the last minute details overflow, and I attempt to catch them and keep up. It’s strange to think of moving to another country for 5 months, a complete and total culture shock. My email is congested.The Study Abroad office sends us a million notifications telling us what we need to get turned in and the incredibly last minute time frame we have to do it in. SOL education sends us handbooks, housing information, packing lists, everything you could possibly imagine and things you wouldn't even think of to prepare us. I'm calling my mom every other morning to ask her to express mail me this, and notarize that. The process is a stressful one, but its motivating to work harder than ever in my spanish class. Its also pushing me to be more optimistic than usual, which I'm sure will be good for me. Realism doesn't work when you need your passport thats still being renewed to be in your hands by the following tuesday. Miracles are what works.

Its hard for me to grasp how exhilarating and terrifying it is when I'm not even there yet..

But I’m excited for it. 1 semester in the span of my college career is only 12.5%. Almost nothing. 5 months before I come back to Minnesota for an entire summer and senior year, and possibly a semester after that. Everyone will be here when I get back and its going to be an incredible summer in the college town I love after an even more incredible semester in the country I can’t wait to fall in love with.

One month at a time, October has so much to offer J

Carving pumpkins :)